Exploring Tactile Chart Authoring for Refreshable Tactile Displays: Lessons from a Co-Design Case Study

Authors

Pramod Chundury (University of Maryland), J. Bern Jordan (University of Maryland), Yasmin Reyazuddin (National Federation of the Blind), Niklas Elmqvist (Aarhus University), Jonathan Lazar (University of Maryland)

Abstract

Refreshable tactile displays (RTDs) have expanded access to data visualizations for blind and low-vision users, and recent work has introduced tools for authoring tactile charts. However, less is known about how blind analysts iteratively author charts for RTDs or how tactile feedback shapes design decisions. We present a three-hour co-design case study in which a blind data analyst used a conventional Python workflow to create stock-market visualizations for the Monarch RTD. We observed how iterative tactile exploration and revision shaped chart design, revealing challenges in translating visual encodings to pin-based tactile representations. Rather than introducing a new authoring tool, we provide an empirical account of tactile chart authoring and identify implications for rapid tactile preview, iterative refinement, and integration with mainstream visualization authoring workflows.