Before I start designing the guide for my project, I want to make sure I’ve properly thought through everything, not just visually, but in terms of purpose, audience, accessibility, tone, and structure. Here’s what I need to consider and research before jumping into the design stage:
First, I need to be clear on what the guide is actually for. My Guide is to be a funny, relatable survival tool for people like me. I'm mainly aiming it at people who are neurodivergent — especially dyslexic or directionally challenged like myself — so I need to think about how they take in information. I’ll also need to figure out what kind of tone will connect best. Probably something honest, funny, and friendly rather than clinical or too formal.
This is really important to me. I need to look into how to make it easier to read and follow for people with dyslexia or sensory differences. That means things like:
I also want to look into whether I should include symbols, audio versions, or QR codes that link to animations or simplified videos.
A chaotic checklist for people who forget things three times before walking out the door.
An irreverent breakdown of the Tube map, and how to pretend you know what you're doing.
A breakdown of directions and line terminology for people who are tired of pretending.
Left side, right side, don’t make eye contact. Also: what to do when someone stands too close.