Tools and Tasks in Sensemaking: A Visual Accessibility Perspective

TL;DR

This paper addresses the exclusion of BLV individuals from diagram-centered sensemaking in data-rich tasks by reframing the Ladder of Diagram Access within the sensemaking process. It analyzes a qualitative interview study of 15 BLV participants to identify five access levels and the practical barriers affecting progression through sensemaking tasks, including reliance on OCR, inconsistent perspectives, and social reliance on sighted narration. The authors propose design directions—universal design, translation tools, and sensemaking tools—to enable higher levels of access and more efficient, equitable data-driven work. The work advances an actionable framework linking diagram accessibility to sensemaking, with implications for tool design and inclusive workforce participation.

Abstract

Our previous interview study explores the needs and uses of diagrammatic information by the Blind and Low Vision (BLV) community, resulting in a framework called the Ladder of Diagram Access. The framework outlines five levels of information access when interacting with a diagram. In this paper, we connect this framework to include the global activity of sensemaking and discuss its (in)accessibility to the BLV demographic. We also discuss the integration of this framework into the sensemaking process and explore the current sensemaking practices and strategies employed by the BLV community, the challenges they face at different levels of the ladder, and potential solutions to enhance inclusivity towards a data-driven workforce.