New article- Inclusive by Design: Transformative Services and Sport Event Accessibility

Originally published at Dickson, T. J., Darcy, S., Johns, R., & Pentifallo, C. (2016). Inclusive by Design: Transformative services and sport-event accessibility The Services Industry Journal, 36(11-12) pp532-555. Article available for no charge athttp://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WdSae6GJGPG7rNXBV9qh/full 

FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Canada

Quote from abstract:

This paper examines the service dimensions required to be inclusive of people with access needs within a major-sport event context. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities seeks to counter disability discrimination and enable citizenship rights of people with disabilities, including access to goods and services, across all dimensions of social participation including major-sport events (e.g. Olympic and Paralympic Games, world cups in football, cricket and rugby union). Providing for people with disability and access needs is also an emerging tourism focus with initiatives addressing accessible tourism included in the World Tourism Organizations mission and recent strategic destination plans. To enhance the understanding of service delivery for an accessible tourism market in a major-sport event context, a case study of the Vancouver Fan Zone for the FIFA Womens World Cup Canada, 2015 ^TM is analyzed through the lens of transformative services. From this analysis future research directions are identified to benefit those with access needs who wish to participate in major-sport events.

Photo 1: signage and wayfinding is so important at major events particularly where temporary overlays are used -photo courtesy of Dr Tracey Dickson ©2015.

The paper uses service blueprinting and a "traffic light" approach to assessing the fan experience from a disability perspective. Table 3 from the document is provided to give an understanding of the approach. The font and colours are explained as  Normal font or green = OK; Italics =or yellow = caution; Bold or orange = problem. The colours chosen were recommended to support screen readers.

Table 3 Traffic light service blueprint: assessment of stages of Fan Zone experience

STAGES	EVIDENCE	MOBILITY	VISION	HEARING	COGNITIVE
Research and planning	Websites (FIFA; Vancouver City)	No accessibility information for Fan Zone. Links to accessible transport information	FIFA Website not fully WCAG 2.0 compliant	No accessibility information for Fan Zone	No accessibility information for Fan Zone
Travel	Websites (FIFA;  Transit), Access Audit; observation	Public transport is accessible for independent travel  HandyDART available for other support	Transit website is not fully WCAG 2.0 compliant	Buses and trains have LED signs indicating next stop	HandyDART available for other support
Arrival	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	Clear path of travel	No tactile tiles	Signage is clear	Only one entry
Activations	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	No overt mobility support or participation opportunities	No braille information; noise levels too high to hear instructions. Most activations assume vision	No written information available for instructions	Noisy, crowded
Food and Beverages	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	All vendor trucks serving areas inaccessible to wheelchair users. 3 step process to buy alcoholic drinks not helpful for those with mobility needs	No braille information, but servers can speak to customers	Signage is clear	Typical lining up process, but no guidance about where/how to line up
Toilets	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	Unisex accessible portable toilets available in unisex toilet area	No braille information. No staff nearby to give directions	Signage is clear	Standard port-a-loos, but in unisex layout
Watching matches	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	Iterations of accessible viewing not appropriate; no crowd management to support viewing	Sound system not clear. No match commentary No hearing loops	No subtitles on screen. No sign language for MC	No ticketing, reserved seats or spaces.
Leaving & emergency exits	Access Audit; Observation, photo analysis	Clear path of travel	No tactile tiles. Sound system did not cover all Fan Zone area if emergency exit info needed, but there were security staff and volunteers	Signage is clear; security staff and volunteers available	One main exit clearly marked; security staff and volunteers available