Inclusive design
the British Standards Institutions (BSI) - gives comprehensive framework to help organisations ensure that people with disabilities needs are considered throughout the lifecycle of a product or service
collaboration
goal = to meet need s of consumers of diverse age & capacity in range of contexts because equal access is a fundamental human right that mainstream products & services often fail to meet all needs of those who could benefit from them
The Department of Trade and Industry awarded funding for the 'Centre for Inclusive Technology and Design' - collaboration lead by Scope - leading disability organisation to work with companies to make them more accessible
other members - Royal National Institute of the Bling (RNIB); Ricability; UK Institute of Inclusive Design (UKiiD); Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, Royal College of Art; Cambridge University Engineering Design & Scientific Generics
Inclusive design
4 main ways for designers to produce products so the majority of the population are catered for
BUT often small but equally important group of potential users who may not be catered for
One size fits all
Range of sizes to cover all
Adaptability to suit location or user
Adjustability to allow use by all
e.g. door frames, baths
e.g. shoes, clothes
e.g. car seats, shower head height
e.g. children's booster seats, car roof bars
empathetic design
e.g. door frames are normally 6ft 6" but many are taller than this
designer is encouraged to take part in task analysis while emulating possible restriction faced by possible users
is important for any new product - incorporates designers should maximise the number of people a product will appeal to & be aware of who it may exclude & weather any design modifications can be made to make it accessible for all
= the concept of designing of products that are assessible & usable to as max amount of people as possible without the need for special adaptation to specialised design
Oxo Good Grips
OXO was founded when Sam Farber saw his wife struggling holding kitchen utensils with her arthritis
he thought - why do normal utensils hurt your hands?
took opportunity to create more thoughtful cooking tools that benefit all people
common examples
bright yellow handles on buses & trains of visually impaired
braille
crosswalk button at different heights for wheelchair users
large buttons on phones for elderly - visually impaired & those with less refined motor control
ramps on building & low floors on buses for wheelchairs
pavement bumps to indicate crossings for the blind
Margret Calvert
designed the now standardised road signs
before all the sign were different & often difficult to read especially when driving at a speed
new system she developed consisted of carefully coordinating lettering, colours, shapes & symbols all meaning different things whilst being easy to decipher whilst driving
increased night-time road safety - developed of new material that reflected the light form a vehicle's headlights on the white lettering back to the driver - much easier to see & contrasted against background
e.g. motorway = blue background
wanted to make signs more accessible so change school zone image to a girl leading a young biy - felt previous of a boy leading felt to 'grammar school' & "quite archaic, almost like an illustration from Enid Blyton,, I wanted to make it more inclusive because comprehensives were starting up"
e.g. development of Ford Focus - utilised 'third age suit' to allow designers to experience the prototype from the view of older users who ay have mobility issues
User Centred Design = the user if the end throughout the design process, to ensure the developed product is focused on their actual needs & not the perceived needs determined by the designer
= the process of simulating conditions experienced by potential users of products, to assist with the development of successful products