Designing for Perception: How Experience Shapes What We See

This topic explores how age, memory, and sensory ability influence how people interpret visual and symbolic content. Drawing from interviews with children and older adults, and experiences with blind individuals, it highlights the importance of designing with diverse mental models in mind. From abstract shapes to digital interfaces, it reveals how accumulated experience alters perception—and why inclusive design must go beyond accessibility to embrace cognitive and emotional diversity. E-ZPassCT