Overview
This project was part of the Master’s program offered by the Faculty of Specializing Masters in User Experience Psychology at POLI.design and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. During the program, my team (FLOCK) collaborated on a project under the theme "The Future of Group Travel." However, as we transitioned to the final thesis phase, each team member developed an individual project under the broader theme of "Group Travel." For my thesis, I chose to focus on a group of individuals who often face challenges in social settings, aiming to create a meaningful and impactful solution tailored to their needs.
Masters’ Degree Final Thesis (Conceptual)
3 months
Background & Context
In the future, accessibility will be the norm. We are moving toward a fully accessible and inclusive world where those previously excluded are becoming part of the new normal. Travel experiences should be available to everyone, regardless of their condition.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition caused by differences in brain function. Individuals with ASD often face challenges with social communication, interaction, and exhibit restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests.
Social difficulties in autism should be viewed as a relational challenge rather than an individual deficit. By fostering social skills in a supportive and encouraging way, navigating daily interactions and engaging with society becomes more manageable.
How might we create travel experiences that are effortlessly accessible and empowering for everyone?
From
Barriers to Connection
To
Inclusive Experiences
Research & Findings
To kickstart this project, I conducted some research to assess the current landscape of the autistic community, the positives, the negatives and everything around it. I did a literature review, conducted some netnography online, surveyed 20 individuals in the community and interviewed 8 (4 ASD, 2 special needs educators, 2 psychologists). The main finding I had was that autistic individuals have symptoms that can differ from one another. Although they share common experiences, they are most of the time different and the intensity can vary from one another.
“The spectrum is incredibly large, sometimes what affects us one day without much effort, the next we can resist it better. Conditions affect the result.”
“Application is customizable, we are all different and being able to adapt an application or tool for a world of possibilities is important to take into account.”
Traveling with autism
Research has underlined that when autistic people travel, they are genuinely happy and that they’d like to do it more if it was made easy. Traveling helps them go through new experiences and learn from them. When traveling, they look at: destination, preparation, planning, leaving familiar environments, social connections, coming home and picking up the routine.
Social communication and interaction skills
Autistic individuals often have difficulties with social interaction. Symptoms might include:
Difficulty appreciating their own & others' emotions.
Aversion to maintaining eye contact
Lack of proficiency with use of non-verbal gestures
Having difficulty reading body language, facial expressions, and other social cues
Not getting sarcasm, teasing, or figures of speech
Having difficulty forming relationships
Autism and technology
Several studies showed that most people with autism show a natural affinity for technology and a good disposition for using technology and learning through the use of digital devices.
However, most of the technology based interventions are not designed to fulfill needs of individuals suffering from ASD completely, as they have variable needs.
Conclusion
Social difficulties in autism should be reframed as a relational impairment, rather than an individual one. By learning social skills in an encouraging manner, interacting with society in a daily or travel context becomes easier.
Sophia, a 28-year-old developer from Spain with autism, values organization and planned activities. She struggles with stress, anxiety, and socializing but enjoys conversations with familiar people. Her needs include safety, support in emergencies, and improved communication skills. Sophia aims to connect with her community and enhance her social skills while managing triggers and unpredictable situations.
Social communication opportunities
Autistic individuals, like everyone else, seek acceptance and a level playing field. Developing social skills can be highly beneficial for autistic adults, as it boosts self-esteem, enhances mental health, and fosters greater self-advocacy. It also helps them build meaningful relationships and navigate life with more satisfaction and less stress.
Concept
Based on the research findings, I created the concept of the app which I called Out There. It is a community-based and self-learning app that helps to enhance the social skills and communication of people who have autism. It encourages them to get to know each other, talk about their interests and involve them in learning and practicing newly acquired skills. The app is a tool that could eventually help them to go out there and start interacting with the real world.
Design
After establishing a quick information architecture, I began sketching to brainstorm potential app features. The primary features I included were a forum for open discussions, communities tailored to individual interests, community-sourced tips for on-the-go support, recommended courses, mood check-ins, and timely reminders.
Usability Testing
Once I completed the prototype, it was time to test it. I enlisted the help of 4 individuals with ASD, whom I had interviewed earlier and who had been involved throughout the process. We conducted a cognitive walkthrough, where I assigned a series of tasks. I'm pleased to report that 86% of the tasks were successfully completed, while 14% proved more challenging. Some appreciated elements were:
“The idea is excellent and very much needed. I liked the general concept, and I can see a lot of important features in it.” - Charbel
“I really like the idea; I can see myself using it and I’m sure some of my friends would as well.” - Hani
“I see the idea being scalable to not only autistic individuals but also to all neurodivergent individuals and introverts.” - Nala
“The navigation of the flow is very straightforward, and the tone of voice is welcoming.” - Perrie
One major improvement that was added post usability testing was the app look & feel personalization: color, fonts, line spacing, font sizing, color brightness, saturation, screen clutter, long or short text, image-based, themes). These are things that users felt could be added as customisable options – this allows each neurodivergent individual to choose the settings they prefer to minimize sensory triggers.
After completing the full cycle of the UX process, the project ended here.
Created with blood, sweat, love and tears.
© 2025 Michele Sabty. All Right Reserved.