MMC Mapper Kits

Communicating room measurements for tactile maps when floor plans are missing

  • Experience
  • Information
Jul 16, 2026 3:43amNESW

When engineers from Makers Making Change were designing low-cost tactile maps for newfound clients, information about the room quickly got lost in translation.

To cut down miscommunication, we designed a mail kit to collect floor plan proportions and convert into 3D reference.

Team

Responsibilities

  • User research
  • Information design
  • Graphic design
  • 3D visualization

Tactile maps: when purely visual orientation is insufficient

From crossing roads overseas to finding the toilet in an unfamiliar bathroom, navigating new spaces can feel daunting for people with visual impairments (PVIs).

Tactile maps remedy this by providing _____.

Ranging in materials and precision—from embossed papers to durable, detailed diagrams made from layers of resin or plastic—tactile maps often require specialized fabrication and knowledge and direct

Test

Makers Making Change

As part of the various programs led by the Neil Squire Society—a Canadian advocacy group for accessible, assistive technologies—Makers Making Change enlists volunteer makers to 3D print and assemble designs from their library of open source devices.

This is another paragraph.

Test

A stepping stone for assisting visually impaired individuals

Tactile maps aren’t necessarily part of the main offerings from MMC.

This is another paragraph.

Something about how it’s a game of telephone

Reflections

  • Primary research makes a big difference
  • Constraints make the solution super specific
  • Scope creep