3DBigDataSpace, Session 4, Inclusive Design & Tactile Communication

This is the fourth of five training sessions offered by the Hunt Museum as part of their contribution to the 3DBigDataSpace project.

This 2 hour session (6pm to 9pm) deals with design for touch and multisensory interpretation. It introduces principles of tactile communication—contrast, simplified geometry, exaggerated detail and strategies for combining Braille, audio, and visual labels. A guided sensory testing exercise and role-play exploring how prototypes perform with lived experience is also included. Participants will produce a mini display plan and sample label text (Easy Read, Braille, QR/audio).

From 8pm to 9pm there is an optional tutorial with the faciliator.

This workshop will be facilitated by Tadhg Charles - PhD researcher, focused on inclusive museum access; experience in 3D digitisation and tactile interpretation. Guest access consultants and museum staff will be present.

Who should attend?

This training is geared towards museum professionals, such as curators, access officers, learning staff, exhibition designers, conservations, who are new to 3D capture.

What will be covered:

1. Welcome & accessibility check
2. Mini-lecture: tactile communication principles
3. Sensory testing exercise (video/role play with B&VI contributors)
4. Breakouts: collaborative design review & display planning
5. Report back: sample labels and interpretation notes
6. Quick poll & homework

Learning outcomes:

1. Apply tactile design principles to improve model legibility.
2. Draft an inclusive display plan with accessible signage options.
3. Conduct basic user testing and incorporate.

Participant Pre-work

• Use supplied One Drive link to access and read two short case studies and
• prepare a 100-word goal for an exhibit object.

What to bring

Optional - Model images, printed labels or text drafts

Access & Consent

Live captions will be used for demonstrations. Transcripts and large-print handouts available on request.

Braille copies available if requested at least 7 days before.
Sessions will be recorded for research with participants’ consent.

You can opt out of any public sharing of your outputs.

Registration Policy & Consent

By registering you agree to participate in research activities associated with this training. Recordings, files and survey data will be retained for research with participant consent. You may opt out of public sharing of any specific model.

Contact tadhg.charles@northumbria.ac.uk for data queries.

Privacy & data handling: All data handling follows institutional GDPR and research ethics guidelines. Personal data is retained separately from model files; model metadata can be anonymised prior to research outputs.

Cancellation policy: Please notify in advance if you cannot attend to release your place.

Organisers reserve the right to reschedule if necessary.