Inclusive Design- what does it mean to you? Has it become the latest buzz word that we (as designers) all talk about on a regular basis but actually forget to implement into the products being designed?
The English dictionary defines inclusive as “not excluding any section of society or any part” and when we link that to product design, surely it suggests that the products should be easily used by all. So why are there so many supposedly inclusively designed products on our shelves that have clearly not considered the needs of their potential users? This is a subject that has been recognised by the Engineering Design Centre at Cambridge University and they have subsequently produced a detailed tool kit which hopes to ensure that all readers will be able to implement good inclusive design into their products.
Who needs inclusive design in their lives? Well we all do in different ways, but some more than others. Statistics show that in the UK 17.8% of the population have less than full ability in one or more of the following areas- sensory, motor and cognitive capabilities, and a large percentage of this group are over the age of 55. It is also worth adding at this point that from the age of 50, disposable income and spare time increases dramatically. Therefore, this particular consumer groups needs to targeting when promoting the latest trendy new product as they have the time and the money to but it.
As stated in ‘Get A Grip’, new products are being designed with the young in mind. But why? The young are not necessarily the ones with the cash to buy new products. Touch screen mobile phones and button free MP3 players are excluding huge consumer groups as they are not always considered friendly to use.
However a few companies have addressed this problem such as BT, OXO Kitchenware and Triton. They continue to design, develop and produce good looking, easy to use and effective products. B&Q have also recognised the slight gap in the market and with help and guidance from the Helen Hamlyn Centre they have produced a range of easy to use tools that not only work well, but they look good! These companies have noticed dramatic sale increases and a lot of positive feedback from satisfied customers.
So are your product designers trying hard enough to bridge the gap between what makes a ‘cool’ new product and a product that everyone can use? The team at Realise HQ have got it and we are soon to be launching an innovative, fully inclusive product. We’re extremely excited about this and very proud of our ideas. We’d love to tell you all about it but that would ruin the surprise! So in the meantime, keep reading our blogs and we’ll update you as soon as we can.
