I spent a month working with members of Pittsburgh's blind community developing a remote that would help them use DVDs. Working with the end user helped me understand and address the core issues in the product.

Blind users weren't strongly concerned about labeled buttons, but simply needed an interface that was easy to navigate physically. I simplified the interface by eliminating extraneous features and creating differentiated buttons.

The product system was designed to abstract inaccessible on-screen menus as linear lists using text-to-speech software. This list was designed to be navigated with a clicking scroll wheel, rather than a traditional four-way control.

Even sighted users would get physically lost on the remote when shifting their hand to reach different contolls. By angling the play and stop buttons to be pushed forward, all of the main controls can be accessed from a single hand position.

Many blind users had trouble accidently turning off the remote. The on/off button was placed away from the other controls, so users would only press it deliberately.