Author: Jane Bringolf

Designing for dementia using personas

An older woman sits at a table in a room with a tv behind her.Asking users directly is the best way to find out which designs work best.  But when that is not feasible, perhaps personas can help. That’s the claim by a group of researchers who want to help architects and designers to create meaningful public places and spaces inclusive of people with dementia. The process of developing personas proved to be complex and difficult. This is not surprising because dementia affects different people in different ways. The full chapter is via Springer and requires institutional access for a free read. However, it’s possible to get a copy via the ResearchGate route.

The title of the paper is, Developing Dementia Personas for User Centered Architectural Design Considerations in Non-specialized Contexts. 

From the abstract:

We have developed a dementia persona as a research and design tool to help architects and designers. Architects design spaces for specific functions, but rarely for people with dementia.

Personas are used because people with dementia are dependent on caregivers and ethical clearance is difficult to achieve.

The process of developing dementia personas posed many challenges. Iterative revisions were made to make the personas relatable and concrete for a successful design tool. The complex context of the case requires more personas to represent the diversity of persons with dementia in the service provision on different levels and this is the start of the persona development process. 

Visitable Victoria

Front cover of the kit showing ballooning. Listed as one of the world’s most liveable cities, Melbourne is now aiming to be the most visitable. Visitable Victoria and Destination Melbourne have produced resources for both business and visitors. For businesses yet to get on board with being visitable, the individual visitor pages serve as examples of what to look for and what actions to take. 
Accessible Tourism – it’s your business resource kit has six short chapters with case studies:

Discover what you are missing
Explore your local area
Make low cost changes
Assess your building a facilities
Describe your business
Promote your business
Develop a business plan

The PDF version of the kit with graphics has not thought about accessibility of the document in terms of font contrast. However, the Word version addresses this and also reminds us that not all people can access a PDF document.

The Word version cuts out all the graphics and is not only more accessible for screen readers, it is also a better version for printing pages for checklists.

A separate website, Accessible Victoria has specific information and more links. And one specifically for Melbourne also has brief information and more links.  

 

Smart Cities for All Toolkit

cover of Smart Cities for All Toolkit.How smart can a smart city be? ‘Smart’ is everything from the footpath to the website. So not so smart if it doesn’t include everyone and join the dots between all the factors that make a city a city.  With digital transformations happening worldwide, the aim of the Smart Cities for All Toolkit is to eliminate the digital divide and improve urban environments for everyone. 

The main part of the toolkit, the Inclusive Innovation Playbook, is detailed and aimed at a policy and planning level. Stakeholder participation and inclusion is an essential theme. Case studies assist with understanding. There is a helpful checklist at the end of the Playbook.

There’s a lot to digest, but this means it isn’t a cursory overview with simplistic solutions. It goes much deeper than a digital accessibility checklist. This is about joining the dots across city assets and leveraging them for everyone’s benefit. Other sections of the toolkit cover: 

    • Toolkit Overview
    • Guide to adopting an ICT accessibility procurement policy
    • Implementing priority ICT accessibility standards
    • Communicating the case for stronger commitment to digital inclusion in cities
    • Database of solutions for digital inclusion in cities

“The toolkit supports a range of organizations and roles related to Smart Cities, including government managers, policy makers, IT professionals, disability advocates, procurement officials, technology suppliers, and developers who design Smart City apps and solutions.

Each of the tools addresses a priority challenge identified by global experts as a barrier to the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities and older persons in Smart Cities.”  See also Smart Cities for All: A Vision. 

James Thurston of 3Gict came to Sydney in 2019 and discussed the issues and solutions in his keynote presentation in the video below.

5 Pillars of a Smart City

Head and shoulders of James Thurston. He is wearing a light blue shirt and glasses and smiling to the camera.James Thurston is G3ict’s Vice President for Global Strategy and Development. He previously worked for Microsoft, so he knows the territory well. His keynote presentation at UD2021 Conference showed that technology is improving but it’s not inclusive. Cities have to do a lot more if we are to meet the challenges of the digital world.

He lists the five pillars as:

      1. Strategic Intent: inclusion strategy and leadership
      2. Culture: citizen engagement and transparency
      3. Governance & Process: procurement and partnerships
      4. Technology: Global standards and solution development
      5. Data: Data divide and solutions

There is more information on inclusive and accessible ICT in the resource section of the 3Gict website. 3Gict is the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs.

Six Feelings Framework for Autism

A sense of belonging is an aspect of universal design not often discussed. However, including people with autism/autistic people in plans and designs, it’s a very important element. But what’s the best way to include this group in the planning process? An article in the American Planning Association magazine provides some answers based on the Six Feelings Framework.

When Every Day Is Sensory Overload

Six Feelings Framework

1. Feel connected – because they are easily reached, entered, and/or lead to destinations.
2. Feel free – because they offer relative autonomy and the desired spectrum of independence.
3. Feel clear – because they make sense and do not confuse.
4. Feel private – because they offer boundaries and provides retreat.
5. Feel safe – because they diminish the risk of being injured.
6. Feel calm – because they mitigate physical sensory issues associated with autism.

The  Autism Planning Design Guidelines covers urban design, retail, parks, campuses and more. It’s by the American Planning Association and it’s got everything in detail. There’s a webinar on the topic too (see below). The guide is underpinned with the Six Feelings Framework.   

The guide is based on extensive research and it is recommended that:

    • City and regional planners activity accommodates people with autism in their public involvement process.
    • City and regional planners implement autism standards building on this 1.0 attempt into their zoning and design guidelines, and consider policy changes.
    • Professionals in affiliated fields who have concern over the public realm test, retest, and improve the ideas in this toolkit.
    • Civil engineers retrofit infrastructure around the Six Feelings Framework.
    • Real estate developers who are designing master planned communities consider the Six Feelings Framework in their plans. 

  • Planning with people with autism

An American Planning Association magazine has an article about planning with people with autism/autistic people. The first part of the article describes some of the everyday things that can cause anxiety. For example waiting for a bus that doesn’t arrive on time, or two come at once. This can result in confusion followed by poor decision-making for a short time afterwards.

The article tells the story of a group of planners, researchers and community stakeholders working with people with autism/autistic people. People on the autism spectrum aren’t all alike so the group had to find a way to include as many people as possible.

Preparing and facilitating the event

The first step is to think carefully about how to facilitate more inclusive public meetings and workshops and hear the voices of this overlooked group. Many people with autism process information differently to the neurotypical population and have different ways of expressing their thoughts. 

Large public events can be loud, distracting with overlapping conversation and too many ideas to take in at once. Smaller focus groups are a better way to go with. The key points in the American Planning Association article, When Every Day is Sensory Overload are:

Preparation

    • Learn about autism – ask professionals in the field
    • Choose the right venue – no flickering lights or unusual colour
    • Familiarise participants with the space before the event – photos, floor plans, directions, quiet spaces
    • Establish quiet rooms – signage to quiet rooms from the main meeting place

At the meeting

    • Keep visuals ready – photos help focus participants
    • Encourage a range of sharing methods – let participants share they ideas in their own way

After the meeting

It is likely that some participants won’t be able to participate as much as they would like. Or they might come up with ideas after the event. Participants should be encouraged to connect with facilitators by email.

The Ohio State University also uses the Six Feelings Framework in their Autism Planning Guidelines.  There is also a webinar on the guidelines.

 

Sensory Garden Preferences

Psychologists and urban designers drew together elements preferred by the autistic community. The graphic below lists the key elements of both soft and hard scape in order of priority. Many of these elements are enjoyed by everyone such as comfortable seating and water features. 

The title of the paper is, Sensory Garden Preferences for Autism Spectrum: Insights from psychologists and urban designers. The research was done in Egypt. 

Ageing in the right place

Front cover showing the four steps for ageing in the right place
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The My Home My Choices tool from New Zealand has some good advice about ageing in the right place.

The tool has four steps: individual wants and issues; opportunities for improvement in the home and lifestyle: different options for maximising the use and value of the home; and other choices such as moving, sharing, home modifications and home support. 

This tool is easily adapted from the New Zealand model and you can also read the research behind it.  

Ageing better at home

Bathroom in an old house has been stripped and bare walls and old tiles remainThe majority of our homes are designed as if we are never going to grow old, and most of us will need to modify our home as we age. That’s if you want to stay put, which is what most older people say is their preference.

A report from Centre for Ageing Better in the UK gives an excellent overview of how home modification improves quality of life, mental health and overall independence. Dwellings might be a “product” to property developers but for the rest of us a “home” is the pivot point for living our lives.

A great quote from a study participant to reflect upon, “You don’t get taught, at any point in your life, how to become an older person. It just sort of happens, you know…”. So waiting for consumers to ask for universal design isn’t going to work.

Ageing in Place: A timely book

Front cover of the Ageing in Place Book.Across the globe, older people want to stay put as they age. They do not aspire to residential care and are also moving away from the retirement village model. But are our planners, designers and builders listening? COVID-19 pandemic is also challenging established policy about where older people want to live. “Ageing in Place” is a timely book.

The title of the book is, Ageing in Place: Design, Planning and Policy Response in the Western Asia-Pacific. It looks at ageing in place in  Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. 

From the book review:

Ageing in Place considers diverse cultural, political and environmental contexts and responses to show that regional governments, industries and communities can gain, as well as offer, important insights from their international counterparts. With changes in caring and family dynamics, the chapters demonstrate a clear preference for ageing in place and the need for collaborative efforts.

Australian research

Front cover of the reportThe findings from a 2018 survey gives a good idea of what people think about accessible housing. Four narratives frame the report: the housing industry view; the government view; prospective buyers’ view; and the perspective of people who need mainstream accessible housing.

The Australian Network on Universal Housing Design initiated the research It is a lengthy and detailed report. Essential reading for anyone interested in this topic or the history of this 20 year campaign. 

 

How not to build a library

A long flight of stairs on the left looks out over Manhattan with rows of books tiered up on the right hand side. They are only accessible via the stairs.If ever there was an example of how not to design a public library, this has to be it. All because the architects failed to check with any user groups. The architects still maintain the issues are just “wrinkles” in the design, not flaws. However, bookshelves lay empty, bleacher seating is sealed off for safety reasons, baby strollers block the walkways, and that doesn’t include the issues for people with disability – patrons and staff alike. The building offers wonderful views but it’s not how to build a library. 

The article is from the New York Times, New Library is a $41.5 Million Masterpiece. But About Those Stairs. It explains the issues in more detail and has more pictures. There is also a news video from Spectrum News with the story. A salutary lesson in remembering function as well as form in design. 

An architecture magazine explains more of the back story: Accessibility by the Book: The Case of the Hunters Point Library. It seems the architects heeded the ADA minimum requirements. Treating the tiered section of the library as an “assembly place”  the ADA only requires access to the top and bottom levels. 

2024 Update: New York City sues architects over the design – see more in The New York Times.The City is suing for the $10m it will cost to remedy the current lack of access. 

Any good examples?

Entrance to the LightHouse building showing a man using a cane and a woman with an assistance dog.Do you know of good examples of universal design in buildings? One or two maybe?  Bess Williamson asks in Metropolis magazine, Why Are There So Few Great Accessible Buildings? Of course, accessibility in its fullest sense is much more than compliance to the building code.

Professor Williamson discusses the LightHouse project, and the Berkeley’s Center for Independent Living. Including people with disability in the design process means these buildings are not a regular type of commission. In some respects they are specialised buildings because people with disability were central to design thinking. It’s puzzling to think that architects can’t apply the same thinking to all their projects. After all, everyone benefits from inclusive design. What’s worrying is that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), isn’t being heeded.

Williamson also discusses the recent architectural “triumph” of the new Queens Public Library mentioned above. Thinking about all users and co-design makes a case for universal design. The Queens Library is a case of form over function – the views from the windows, if you can reach them, are fabulous. 

Williamson concludes that access remains an afterthought for designers who look to the minimum. But disability-specific places show that access can be creative beyond the legal minimum. The article is easy to read and has a gallery of illustrations.

 

Colours for colour blindness

Title of the blog article using light blue and dark blue colours.Colour is often used in charts, maps and infographics, but what if you can’t see some colours? One in twelve men are colour blind, but not for all colours or the same colours. Infographics are becoming more popular as a means of explaining things. So choosing the best colours is to everyone’s advantage. Venngage website has an good guide and lots of tips on making charts more accessible. It shows the three types of colour blindness and compares them with normal vision. Different colour palettes are provided along with templates. The blog page includes links to other resources. Colour combinations to avoid include:

    • Red & green
    • Green & brown
    • Green & blue
    • Blue & gray
    • Blue & purple
    • Green & gray
    • Green & black

Most colour blind people can detect contrast, so as a last resort, if you must use these colours, make the contrast as strong as possible. Patterns and textures also work. The article is titled, How to use color blind friendly palettes to make your charts accessible.  Colour blindness is technically referred known as colour vision deficiency (CVD). 

Another resource for map colour by Tedora Zareva is useful too. You can also find out more about CVD or colour blindness from going to the National Eye Institute website

Four circular charts showing how people with colour deficiency see different colours on the colour wheel

Which colour to use – A new standard?

part of a London underground transport map.

There is a growing body of science on the topic of colour use and choice. On the second page of the International Ergonomics Association newsletter there is an item advising that in developing an international standard (ISO 24505) for colour use, accessibility needs to be considered. In four parts, the first part of the standard has been published for older people taking into account age-related changes in human colour vision. The remaining three are under development. Here is a snippet from the newsletter:

Meet the Normals: Adventures in Universal Design

Stick figures represent the family members. The video is in black and white. This is one frame from Meet the Normals, Adventures in Universal Design.
Meet the Normals

Having trouble convincing others that universal design is for everyone and not ‘disabled’ design? Meet the Normals is a 6 minute video that takes you through an everyday family activity.

It shows the family leaving the house and catching a bus. It goes through the process of how to design for everyone. “For many of us we don’t think twice about how we use technology, travel, move in and out of buildings or use the web…” The video explains how universal design is good design for everyone.

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in Ireland produced the video. A good example of both closed captions and audio descriptions. 

Universal Design: Creating inclusion for everyone

A mid grey doormat viewed from above with the word welcome in blue. At the bottom of the picture you can see the tops of a pair of red and white sneakers. Creating inclusion for everyone.An article in Inner Sydney Voice Magazine has an overview of universal design, what it means, and some of the myths associated with it. The article will interest those who are not clear on the concepts underpinning universal design and inclusive practice. In a nutshell, it is about creating inclusion for everyone, everywhere. The title is, Universal Design: Creating inclusion for everyone.

The article discusses the differences between accessible, adaptable and universal design, housing and the public domain. Sustainability and healthy built environments are also discussed. The article remains relevant as progress towards inclusive environments is still evolving. 

Inner Sydney Voice is the Inner Sydney Regional Social Development Council.

Jane Bringolf

Better home design reduces care hours

A bathroom has been stripped out and a few builders tools lay about on the floor. The bath is laying on its side. So why don’t we design homes for longevity in the first place? These findings are from a study by Phillippa Carnemolla, and there is more to this story. People felt more independent and enjoyed improved quality of life. This had a positive impact on their general health as well. Discover more in Carnemolla’s paper as it supports the need for all new homes to have basic access features included.

The title of the paper is, How Home Modifications Impact Ageing Well at Home: Supporting a Lasting Housing Legacy. It was published in Proceedings of the 5th International Conference for Universal Design in Fukushima & Tokyo 2014. Hence the reference in the Abstract to the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Games.

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published an update in 2019. The Title is, Housing Design and Community Care: How Home Modifications Reduce Care Needs of Older People and People with Disability. 

Here is Phillippa’s Three Minute Thesis video giving the bottom line.

From the abstract: 

This paper discusses the potential for home modifications to support the process of ageing well. It builds on the legacy of the athletes village at the 2000 Games. It points to the benefits gained from both wider uptake of universal design in housing plus attention to special adaptations as needed.

In the context of Australia’s ageing population, ageing well can encompass different housing and care models. However, common to all of these is a drive to maintain quality of life levels.

Evidence suggests that home modifications impact recipients in overlapping ways. By increasing independence within the home, increasing social participation and enabling people to remain in their own homes for longer as they age.

This paper refers to completed stage one findings (Levels 1, 2 and 3) of an ongoing research project investigating the value of home modifications. It uses a mixed method approach and thematic analysis of survey responses from home modification recipients (n=157). This research design measures of the impact of home modifications and the  result of changes to care giving needs.

The survey results reveal a decrease in reported care hours needed following home modifications. In conclusion, the research contributes to developing evidence that home modifications can have a measurable impact on the care needs of recipients and support the changing social needs of ageing populations in ageing well.

 

Counting costs that don’t count

Road workers in hi-vis vests are laying bitumen. Counting costs don't count.
Workers repairing the road

Ever wondered why economic arguments seem to fall on stony ground even when well researched and asked for? Seems politicians’ personal experience counts more when decisions are being made. A Norwegian researcher wanted to find out why road-building priorities diverge from those suggested by cost-benefit analysis. It is likely that many other policy decisions are made in a similar way, not just road investments. That’s why sometimes counting costs don’t count.

What can count most

Here is an excerpt from the findings about why factors other than cost criteria mean that counting costs don’t count:

Political institutions have created a form of gift relationship in the road sector, with the state as donor and municipalities as recipients.

To the extent that the state cannot scrutinize all assumptions and calculations of traffic, costs and benefits, an information asymmetry arises and favours the local receivers.

In cases of local/national conflict of interest, some key politicians and other stakeholders at the donor side either have their own agendas (such as campaigning), or their loyalty is with the recipient rather than the donor (society).

It seems reasonable that elected representatives are less likely to vote in accordance with the benefit/cost ratios of projects the more sceptical they are to the method of CBA. When sceptical, they are apt to look for alternative decision support, even if several studies have found CBA results to be quite robust.

The intention is not to argue that the benefit/cost ratio should be decisive when setting priorities among projects on classified roads. Rather it’s to highlight circumstances that tend to push CBA results into the background. The principle of choosing projects with high benefit/cost ratio may be supplemented by many other assessment criteria that the difference between professional and political judgement is dissolved.

The title of the article is, Why don’t cost-benefit results count for more? The case of Norwegian road investment priorities. Published in Urban, Planning and Transport Research an open access article.

From the abstract:

To begin, the benefit/cost ratio is virtually uncorrelated to the likelihood of a Norwegian classified road project entering the list of investments selected for the National Transport Plan. The purpose of the article is to explain what pushes cost-benefit results into the background in the prioritization process.

The reasons for their downgrading point to mechanisms that are at work not only in Norway. We looked for explanatory factors and incentives for cost-ineffective action among planners, bureaucrats and national politicians. We also looked at features of the planning process and the political system.

It seems the Norwegian Public Roads Administration puts little emphasis on its own cost-benefit calculations. Besides, the petroleum revenues of the state do not provide a strong reason for neglecting cost-benefit accounts.

We explain why professional and political authorities in Norway set road-building priorities diverging massively from those suggested by cost-benefit analysis.