Accommodating color-blindness and other smaller issues

[enki]

I flew the 787 for the first time today, EWR-IAH (and shortly to SFO). Loved the plane -- very comfortable, quiet, good IFE -- but had an issue that has me thinking a bit more about my red-green color-blindness.

Lost in the talk of all the other interesting ways in which the paradigm of travel has been changed (big windows, lower pressure, etc), is the change they've made to the lavatory occupied indicators. For most, it's probably no big deal. For me, and for others with similar color-blindness, the fact that the only indication that a lavatory is occupied is a red or green light is kind of a big deal. I stood around for a minute or two waiting for the light to turn off, assuming that it was on because someone was in there. Another passenger walked up and right into the bathroom. I was a bit surprised, turned to the FA, and found out that this was the only way to tell if the bathroom could be used. She was very nice and understanding, and helped me find another I could use.

This is not a complaint -- the extra minute or two waiting to use the bathroom is absolutely the smallest thing that could have gone wrong. I have emailed United, and will probably send something off to Boeing, suggesting that they consider a secondary way of handling the occupancy sign. But what it has me thinking about are the other ways in which assumptions have been made about those who travel on United planes.

I guess my question is this: Outside of the obvious disabilities that impact travel ability, what smaller issues have you run into because you can't see color properly, or have trouble with another sense? To what degree should we expect an aircraft manufacturer or airline to anticipate issues like this? I assume I'll just have to deal with this, and ask others if a lavatory is occupied. But I can't imagine that this strategy works in other instances. What have you encountered?

[STEPHANKOENIG]

Its good that you e-mailed United. I would write them an Boing a formal letter. I guess no designer ever thought of it. I have to admit that I would not, if I had designed it.

I sometimes design software and I never thought about this problem, but its of cause very valid and can be easily handled.

[WineCountryUA]

Originally Posted by STEPHANKOENIG

... I guess no designer ever thought of it. ....

I'm most surprised it was not addressed. Basic training in UI covers color blindness (roughly 10% of males have red-green issues).
Additionally standard UI design always stresses the need for designed in indication redundancy. (think traffic lights)

[Devyan1]

I am color blind (deficient really) and flying the 787 on the 31st...interested to see how the green/red shading is

[docbert]

Just to be clear, is it a single red/green light, or two separate lights (one red, one green) ?

The difference is minimal, but at least with the latter it's still possible to tell once you know the orientation of the two lights.

[Miles Ahead]

Enki, how colorblind are you? I just barely fail a Farnsworth Lantern Test. Would I have a problem?

[sandiegofun]

I am totally red green colorblind and really wish they would stick with the occupied sign rather than red and green lights.

[Loren Pechtel]

I haven't seen the signs in question but from the description I might have a problem with them. I only have weakness but the smaller the sample of color the harder it gets for me, especially if it's green and orange rather than a full-on red.

While it should be part of UI 101 all too often it is ignored.


Incidentally, my former employer tested all new hires in the factory--there were only two jobs where it mattered but it was done across the board so the results were on record in case it was necessary to put someone in one of those positions unexpectedly.

We found 20% failed and most of them didn't know it.

[mrswirl]

Interesting that this topic came up as I was thinking about the same thing just a few days ago while on a 747 upper deck.

While there is a lighted sign on the bulkhead indicating when both the lavs are occupied, if just one is in use the only way to tell which one is to look at the window on each of the doors. Usually the 'vacant' or 'occupied' text is very hard to read (considering the little window is at about navel height) but there is also a green circle with a vertical line and a red circle with a horizontal line.

I too am red & green color blind so I made it a point to double check which way the line is going before attempting to push open the door. It got me thinking that they should make it a bit more obvious when the door is locked.

Some of the Airbii have lav signs that puts a "\" slash over the picture to indicate occupancy in addition to turning green/red. It would really be helpful if the manufacturers would standardize on the signage.

[enki]

Technically, I'm red-green deficient. I don't remember the severity, but I do remember an assessment that seemed worse than what I thought. I've always figured that I can see red, if it's red like a fire engine, so it can't be that bad. It's tough to say.

As for the indicator, it's one light. If the red and green were next to each other, I could probably figure it out, both on intensity of color (the green seems brighter to me) and on position. As it is, it's tough. I'm actually looking at it right now, having landed in SFO, and I can say it's red, but that could be because I know it must be, as we taxi to the gate. I'll be interested to hear what others think.

Hmmm...thinking about it, I might be wrong. I just wrote that we had just landed and it was red. Now I'm not sure which color it was. Maybe it was red because we were taxiing, or maybe it was green and I didn't see it correctly.

[donjo]

To take it a step further, how would a blind person know?

[1P]

Originally Posted by mrswirl

Some of the Airbii have lav signs that puts a "\" slash over the picture to indicate occupancy in addition to turning green/red. It would really be helpful if the manufacturers would standardize on the signage.

That's clearly the way to go. (Actually, I think it's a forward slash rather than a backslash! <pedantry off>)

[enki]

Originally Posted by donjo

To take it a step further, how would a blind person know?

Great question! It almost makes me think I missed something, and the FA missed it also. I did have to go to the bathroom pretty bad, so maybe my investigative efforts were weak

[raghu]

OP asked about other issues, here is one.

Until a few years ago, Lufthansa's seat selection used to have red/green which looked very similar for me! It used to drive me crazy, having to call my wife or son to figure out which seats were available. (As it is, LH had seat selection on the internet quite a while after BA had, so that itself was an issue for me.)

But now it is a clear grey / green (or is it red?) for seat selection, so that is good now.

[IL-18]

And here is another one.

United reward booking (which in general is very convenient) features a color coded calendar (blue - business available, yellow - economy, green - both). I have a hard time to distinguish yellow from green.