Add a nearby stops list option to the map (accessibility)

[onebusaway]

Add a nearby stops list option to the map (accessibility)

[caitbonnar]

+1 on this!

[barbeau]

@caitbonnar How do current visually impaired users initially navigate the iOS app? That app has the same issue of starting at a map screen, right? But it sounds like there are are a good number of visually impaired users on OBA iOS. I'm currently working on a UI re-design discussed in #155, and my thoughts are that if OBA Android was set up more like OBA iOS with fixed tabs, it would be easier for visually-impaired (and other) users to get to the recent/favorite stops lists. But, it this isn't sufficient, it would be good to know that now, to see if we can work another way to access that information into the design.

[caitbonnar]

@barbeau We had a lot of complaints when the app automatically started up in the map tab, so we actually have the default set for it to open to the last tab that was open when they closed the app. I believe most visually impaired users (at least the ones I have talked to) usually have it on the Bookmarks or Recent Stops tabs, so they don't normally deal with the map. However, we do have a button in the top right corner of the maps view, next to the search box (see below) that lists all of the stops currently displayed on screen in an accessible format.

I have been wanting to make accessibility improvements to the map view so that blind users can use VoiceOver to navigate nearby stops and intersections, but that's been on the back burner until the fall, probably. I very much support the fixed tabs redesign-- it's great from an accessibility standpoint, and I think it is also a simple and easily navigable UI design. It is definitely one of the features a lot of the visually impaired users I've talked with appreciate.

[barbeau]

@caitbonnar Great, thanks for the info. Yes, my thoughts are the same, to have OBA Android automatically open to the most recently used tab.

[caitbonnar]

Another thought on this -- the nearby stops list on iOS works by listing only the stops currently shown on the map. One way that visually-impaired users locate stops is by using the search mechanism, which is now embedded on our maps view, to map a specific route. They then use the nearby stops button to navigate to the one they want. When the route search goes through, it generally zooms out to show some of the stops along that route that are nearby (I'm not sure of the logic for how many stops it chooses to display or how far to zoom out, but I can look this up). This is really useful. I am not sure if this behavior already occurs in the Android interface, but I wanted to point it out in case it is something you might also want to support!

[barbeau]

@caitbonnar Thanks, very good to know. Current Android behavior is to zoom out to show the entire route, which doesn't seem to be as useful.

I think I understand what you're describing - could you add some screenshots, just to be sure?

[caitbonnar]

@barbeau So sorry it's taken me a bit to get back to you! Here are the screenshots:

The zoom level right after searching for the 44 route.

The nearby stops list (accessed by tapping on the lines icon in the top right of the map view-- not my favorite icon to denote this.)

[barbeau]

Thanks @caitbonnar!

[jrharshath]

Something that I noticed: the android search box is kind of a "unified search box" in the sense that the user does not have to select "address" or "route", but the results do not clearly say that it is a stop or a route.