Design an app like WhatsApp for the blind.

I would like to clarify following questions:

What does Whatsapp like literally mean? Whatsapp has chatting provision, audio calling, video calling.

Also I would like to understand what level of blindness do we mean by "blind". Some people might be just 50% blind and can see and view stuff (though it would be hazy). Also, I would like to understand if this app would be for the people who have recently become blind in their lifetime or are blind since birth (because such people would not even know about our conventional whatsapp).

Assuming, this app is for 100% fully blind people and we need to build a connecting/chatting mobile app for them. I am not considering web client.

My approach would be the following:

USE CASES:

• Invoking the app
• Audio messaging
• Audio calling
• Closing the app
• Recieving the audio message
• Recieving the audio call
• Reviewing previous messages
• Changing the profile icon
• Sharing location information
• sharing documentation

1. There will be 3 hardware buttons on the mobile phone that would dedicated to this app. Once button would be used for invoking the app.
2. Once the app is invoked, there will be peculiar sound signaling the invoking of the app. This button would be used to close the app too
3. The other button would used to initiate a audio message. The contact can be selected from the saved contacts. After pressing the button, the blind person can speak the contact's name and the audio message can start being recorded.
4. The other button would be used to call the person from within contact list
5. There will be text to speech functionality integrated in the app. If the contact tries to reach out to the blind person through text, that text will be converted to audio every time for the blind person. Hence, the reception of the messages would always be through audio
6. Alternatively, I would suggest integration of voice assistants like Google and Alexa with this app. The blind person can ask assistnt to share his location to one of the contacts. Also, the assistant can read out or play the previous messages from the audio respository (particular date, particular contact).

Clarification questions:

When you say blind, is it fully blind or partial vision impairment?

Whatsap like app: Fair to assume messaging app to share messages, pictures to friends/family.

Objective: develop an app that enables blind people to easily communicate with their loved ones.

User groups:

• Blind people who lost full vision but were able to see in the past
• Blind people who lost partial vision but were able to see in the past.
• Blind people who were never able to see
• Friends and family members of the blind people

• Blind people who lost partial vision but were able to see in the past.

Reason: With partial vision, the current group painpoints have high potential to be resolved with current technogy we have today.

 

User Journey:

• A partially blind person gets a message 1:1 basis or in group chat,  need to read and reply.
• Stories posting
• See other people's status
• Keep user profile information accurate

• Write a message: User can speak 'Send message to ABC from my contacts and write...... Once typed , the message can be read back slowly line ny line and get confirmation if anything needs to be changed per line.   Once verbally confirmed it can be sent to the user.       
• Message Received Notification: Notify verbally, "you have recived message from XYZ, do you want me to read the message.User can choose to be notified for every received messages or notify only when user Opens the  App (option will be there to set as wanted to be notified every time or notify only if from favorite and rest on Opening the app or Notify only when I open the App)
•  Read my messages: 
•  Reply to my messages
• Send Voice message

Solution 1:  Text to voice conversion:

Step 1: Person can select the chat or call option. As chat is first and call is last tab.

Step 2: On scrolling down, phone will speak the names and person can stop scrolling on listening the name he wants to communicate.

Step 3: Use record the sound feature and send the message. Receive the message and listen it using "text to voice conversion" or simply ask the other user to send audio chat.

Solution 2: Similar to the IVRS system.

Step 1: Speak 1 for call, 2 for chat.

Step 2: Say "stop" (Or any similar word) on the first character of the name you want to communicate. Then app will sound the name from that char. Say  "stop" on the name you want to communicate.

Step 3: Send the message using "record audio" feature.