Multimodality
Soccer Spectatorship
A Case Study & Prototype on Soccer Spectatorship
Access to soccer content is achieved mostly through visual cues that convey spatial relations between the ball and players, supplemented by spoken and/or written commentary. Unfortunately, for nonvisual spectators who rely on spoken and written commentary alone, spatial information is lost. Fieldwork in Colombia was selected, designed, and executed in order to observe a unique tactile sign language system that is Co-Designed by actual soccer spectators – a sign language interpreter and a Deaf-Blind spectator. Two portable cameras (GoPro Hero3) were used to capture the live interpretation inside the stadium. Video analysis and field notes revealed how the loss of spatial relations between the ball and players is counteracted by employing a combination of props and gestures. Iterative prototyping through user testing was developed with the aim to design instructions that would teach any visual spectator how to interpret the game from visual to tactile modality. The mixture of ethnographic observations and user testing sessions exposed key properties needed to interpret the game of soccer without using visual or aural cues this work can guide designs towards new spectatorship experiences.
Ethnographic
Fieldwork
Field work in Colombia was the primary source of data, gathered from video recordings, observations, and informal conversations. Small GoPro Hero3 cameras were taken to the stadium: one was strapped with a harness to the abdominal area of the author, allowing his hands to be free to take notes. This camera was aimed at the interpretation, a second camera was held by the assistant from a moderate distance, and it was pointed directly at the interpretation.
Video Analysis
Video Analysis was done through a triangulation of methods: the use of video synchronization that has proven successful in the analysis of surgical procedure videos
Study of Props
& Gestures
The case study observed is based on a tactile gestural system, it employs non-visual, non-aural techniques. This tactile system empowers Deaf-Blind individuals to participate as spectators at a soccer game. The relationship among players, game circumstance and predictive models can be conveyed using a gesture system with aid of tactile props.
Developing
a Prototype
The prototype has multiple objectives: first, it promotes reflection on current accessibility issues in sport spectatorship, and challenges the common view that soccer spectatorship is solely visual. Second, it uses the reiterative phase of the prototype as an inductive stage. Last, it develops a high-fidelity, interactive prototype where future participants can follow instructions so they can experience the game of soccer using their tactile sense.
Evaluation
& Feedback
Feedback sessions were developed and organized, with each subsequent session designed to be improved upon from the comments from the one previous. While each session was different from the other, there were commonalities across all sessions, such as semi-structured interviews on the clarity of the instructions and their understanding of the interpreter-spectator role. The duration of each feedback session was approximately 20 to 30 minutes, with a total of 3 sessions within a 2 week period. Each session had a working prototype of the instructions to interpret tactile soccer, and a physical prototype of the wood board that represents the boundaries of the field.
Research
Paper
April of 2018, I susccefully defended my Major Research Paper. In May of the same year I was awarded the OCADU Graduate Medal for my research work. A work of this importance and at this level cannot be complete without the support and insights of people that can appreciate the issues. Therefore, I express great gratitude to Dr. Peter Coppin, my principal advisor and mentor, as well as to Sarah Tranum, my committee member and former instructor.
Download complete paper
Acknowledgment
& Dedication
I wish to also express my gratitude to Maya DasGupta, Cesar Gaza, David Lancheros, Francisco Henao, Joel Alberto, Jose Leon, Manuel Sarmiento, Gladys Pardo, Sergio Sarmiento, Family members from Colombia, Saturn Cohort as well as the faculty members from graduate studies at OCAD University. Finally, this work cannot be as extensive without the following funding organizations: NSERC (CreateDav), SSCHRC and Scotiabank.
I dedicate my MRP To all the soccer fans who experience the game, in one way or another, your innovation is an inspiration to the sports media paradigm. In addition, I would like to dedicate this to all the people who try to make the game more inclusive. It is through their work that we can recognize the societal role soccer plays as a tool for inclusivity.