Grabrails in the home are considered one of the most stigmatising functional support devices, particularly by older people. Several design attempts have tried colour, wavy shapes, or “hiding” them as bathroom shelving and toilet roll holders. Installation of grabrails, regardless the design, are resisted until there is a major health event or a fall. But what if grabrail design doubled as a piece of artwork?
The two pictures below show a completely different way of designing grabrails. These designs might not be suitable for all users, people who need help with their balance in wet areas might benefit. Perhaps this solution is better than no solution.
The Inclusive Housing Living Lab in Hasselt, Belgium, focuses on research for real-life situations. The pictures above are taken from a conference paper which explains the role of the Living Lab. Research projects focus on universal design solutions with input from users and designers and occupational therapists.
Fitting all showers with grabrails as standard would dissolve the stigma and prevent falls. However, this is unlikely to occur except in public places.
The paper includes a renovation project turning an old building into a rehabilitation centre. Local authorities wanted to keep some of the existing elements such as steps which then required a creative solution.
The aim of the Living Lab is to show that good design can minimise the need for personal assistance. It is locally based and introduces visitors, students and professionals to a universal design approach.
Below are images of “disguised” grabrails: a shower shelf, a soap dish, a toilet roll holder and a towel rail.
Images of Invisia bathroom products.
From the abstract
This paper states the underlying concept and motivation of the design and building process of a Universal Design Living Lab. The UD-lab is located in Belgium and has three main ambitions. They are demonstration, conducting research and offering information on the added values of designing universally. Global real life initiatives are important for driving a general awareness on universal design as ongoing activity.
This conference paper is from the UD2014 conference in Sweden.
Does the design of medical products impact on the safety of patients and health practitioners? The answer in many cases will be, yes. For patients it affects everyday medical items like respiratory equipment. But the real issues are for health practitioners. That’s why we need design skills in healthcare.Authors of a recent paper discuss some of the issues. They note that when design unwittingly excludes whole groups of users it becomes bad design. Medical products and services designed to best fit a Caucasian male body type means a poor fit for others. The authors provide an excellent example of where a design is potentially dangerous. “In one example, the only green button on a defibrillator switched the device off, whereas the only red button was for shocking. In simulated emergency situations, it was no surprise that some participants pushed the green button and inadvertently switched the device off when intending to shock.” Co-design is considered the appropriate approach in healthcare services, products and building design. It enables stakeholders in healthcare sciences and delivery to provide input at the early stages of design. Although co-design is accepted as a good idea, design skills are yet to be emphasised and captured in co-design processes. The title of the paper is, Design as a quality improvement strategy: The case for design expertise
From the abstract
Bad design in safety-critical environments like healthcare can lead to users being frustrated, excluded or injured. In contrast, good design makes it easier to use a service correctly. Design impacts on both the safety and efficiency of healthcare delivery, as well as the experience of patients and staff. Co-design as an improvement strategy has gained traction in the healthcare quality improvement literature. However, the role of design expertise and professional design is much less explored. Good design does not happen by accident: it takes specific design expertise.We define design, show why poor design can be disastrous and illustrate the benefits of good design. We argue for the recognition of distinctive design expertise and describe some of its characteristics. Finally, we discuss how design could be better promoted in healthcare improvement.
Industry’s ideas about the usability of their products doesn’t match those of older people. That’s what the Centre for Modern Ageing found in their survey of 1000 older people and product design. Given Australia’s ageing population, product designers should focus more on making everyday products more user-friendly. That means taking a universal design approach and using co-design methods.
A word cloud created a visual representation of how many times respondents used a word to describe the difficulties they have with product design. And these are everyday products. The image is from the report.
Key findings from the survey
Key findings focused on products older people use in their daily lives.
93% said product usability supports independent living
43% rarely or never seek assistance to operate the product even when dissatisfied with product usability
More than 50% believe products are not user-friendly.
The Image is from the report.
Grip issues related to slippery handles, tight lids, weight of products, and small text on labels and confusing instructions weren’t helpful either. Product packaging is also a challenge and probably not just for older people.
Electronic devices with menus and different functions as well as issues connecting devices to others and to networks were difficult and challenging.
TheInclusive Design Toolkitfrom the University of Cambridge has an Exclusion Calculator to show how many people can’t use a design due to their level of capability. It covers most of the issues discussed in the report. It’s an excellent online resource for product designers.
Note that some designs are potentially covered by the Australian Disability Discrimination Act.
Useability of small kitchen appliances
Meal preparation is something most of us do every day. It’s not until you can’t do it that you realise how much it impacts on wellbeing, independence and quality of life.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee worked with General Electric to develop an audit tool they can apply to the design of their small appliances. The tool can be used by engineers, retailers and individuals as well.
The title of the tool is Small Kitchen Appliance Accessibility and Universal Design Information Tool (SKA AUDIT). It includes 7 features: doors, lids, dials, on/off water reservoirs, buttons and “ready” indicators. Both physical and cognitive conditions were considered in the development of the tool.
Arthritis is a common condition and is not often referred to as a disability. However, the pain of arthritis is disabling. So how to design out pain? Design Council ran a workshop with people with arthritis. They found that no-one was interested in special products, which are often stigmatising. So the principle of inclusive design became the top issue.
“Inclusive design is crucial. You have to step away from the idea that it’s “older people” having a problem and start looking at a universal problem and therefore a universal solution.”
They found the most important thing is that people want desirable, stylish, mainstream products that anyone would want to own. People don’t want medicalised, stigmatising equipment. Clearly, including the user-voice is the way to design for all rather than the mythical average.
The article is titled, Ollie Phelan of Versus Arthritis writes about the importance of the end-user being at the heart of design, and can be accessed on the Medium.com website where there is more information.
Inclusive instructions for domestic appliances
Is your new kitchen gadget or appliance intuitive to use? How about the instructions on the device? Every model of microwave, even within the same brand, has a different operating system. This doesn’t help. And some of the icons that are meant to guide the user don’t make sense to everyone in the same way. So what can industrial designers do about creating inclusive instructions for domestic appliances? A human-centred design approach provides some answers.
Three researchers looked at how this problem can be solved because kitchen appliances are an essential part of life now. Their study took the perspective of older adults, which implies they are the only group with cognition and mental processing issues. Once again, what might be good for some will be good for many others.
The researchers came up with a coding system to help designers and used a microwave as the case study. The coding system considers four aspects of users’ interactions with a microwave. Briefly they are:
Information processing – gathering and interpreting information
Interactions with the microwave’s user interface and control panel
Listening to the users as they use the device
Impediments to the user’s workflow
The study describes their process for developing the coding system for designers, and the details each of the four elements of the code. While other studies use a series of personas, this study used real people and their negative experiences. The researchers also linked the microwave use with ready meal packaging. This allowed them to see the difficulties in interpreting the cooking information and relating it to the device.
Getting it right for users
Simple turning knobs and switches with numbered dials are a thing of the past. So anyone who has difficulty transitioning to a digital display is going to be disadvantaged. Microwaves are an essential tool for people who have difficulty preparing a meal because they can heat ready-made meals.
Poor organisation of information appeared to be a powerful factor in influencing users’ information processing and interactions. The key appears to be getting both sequencing information together as well as activity grouping information. This poses further challenges.
Involving real people and not personas is the key to resolving design issues for users. The researchers acknowledge that getting it right for older people means benefits for many other users.
Is gender inclusive design the same as unisex design? If it is, does it work for all genders? Companies producing wearable technology interpret universal design as unisex design. But is this the best way to interpret it? When it comes to diversity and wearables some nuances are needed.
Companies making wearables are interpreting and implementing the concept of universal design in different ways. That’s according to some recent research by Jenni Hokka.
Wearable technology sits between fashion, design and technology. The concept of wearables covers many kinds of devices. Intelligent textiles to medical devices, and shoe sensors to fitness trackers are all wearables. As the technology changes so do the users. Sports watches were originally designed for male amateur athletes, but now they are used by all genders.
As niche wearables become everyday items, the designs need to change and adapt as well. That is, if you want to capture a wider market – and be more inclusive with designs. Being inclusive is what Hokka wanted to discover in her research. The first step is to find out what designers think universal design is and how they practice it.
Hokka discusses the history of design practice and the way design culture varies across nationalities. She took the approach of sociology of design in the research. Many companies want to be socially responsible and provide benefits to users, but are they capturing all potential users?
Some objects have a gendered user history
Design language reflects gendered thinking and needs to overcome this
Companies want to approach new user groups with inclusive design
Economic imperatives drive the need to appeal to the widest range of users
Inclusive design is more than a goodwill gesture
Case studies
Four Finnish wearable products, two different rings, a watch, and shirt and shorts were the subject of the case studies. Suunto Sport Watch was not designed explicitly for men, but the size and shape indicate the imagined user would be male. Products designed to attract female users is usually done through stereotypical colours (“pinking”).
When male users are envisioned, the product is promoted with the most advanced technology. When female users are envisioned, the product is promoted as having style. But now Suunoto wanted to design a watch suitable for every situation. That means it had to look stylish and comfortable to wear night and day. The design language also had to change from unisex to gender-neutral.
The decision to design a unisex ring was based on the two companies in the study being small and therefore cost of production was a major factor. The Moodmetric stress management ring was originally targeted at the yoga market. Eventually it included the health care research institutions. The ring needed to be small and comfortably used in any environment.
Sportswear with digital sensors was considered mainly for women because of the fabric, But wearing lycra has become non-gendered. Myontec sportswear is more focused on scientific data than fashion. However fashion played a part in the development of the product. That’s because the sensors needed to hit the right muscles. Consequently, the placement of the sensors is the starting point for the whole design,
Solving the design problems
All the companies interpreted inclusive design as unisex design. However, their reasoning for implementing these ideals varied. Suunoto modified the size and colours of the products based on user feedback. User feedback lead to more inclusive products that are financially worth making. Inclusive design is therefore more than a goodwill gesture.
The rings were redesigned to be smaller because they are meant to be worn all the time. Designers believed men would not want to wear a large ring, which culturally is something women usually do. Consumer behaviour for these products don’t necessarily act on gendered social norms anyway. The lesson for designers is not to presume an gender-related user expectations.
The shorts and shirt clothing faced the dilemma of combing inclusivity and human diversity in the same product in practical ways. The design challenge involved more than gender – it had to accommodate different body sizes. However, there is more funding for men’s sportswear, which is creating a gender bias.
Wearable technology products that need to be in close contact with the user’s skin to function must be a good fit for the user’s body. As wearable technology has transitioned to a widespread, everyday item, these products compete to appeal to ever-larger user groups.
This study investigates how designers of wearable technology a interpret the idea of inclusive design when developing their products for a diverse population. Four case studies, show how the diversity of the human body poses practical challenges for inclusive design. In addition inclusive design is also influenced by cultural understandings of gender.
We know that as people grow older, the desire to stay in their current home increases. Different health conditions begin to emerge as we get older, and home design becomes an important factor in managing these conditions. Researchers from Italy chose to explore Parkinson’s disease in relation to home design using inclusive design methods.
Parkinson’s disease is one of the most frequently occurring neurological conditions along with dementia. Parkinson’s disease affects voluntary movements which make daily tasks more difficult.
Similarly to other studies, the researchers found the size of the bathroom the main area of difficulty. This is for manoeuvring in a wheelchair or shower chair and placement of a shower seat.
People with reduced mobility find stairs difficult. But the visual impact of stairs can reduce “freezing” in people with Parkinson’s disease. However, overall, participants in the study preferred a single level dwelling. Being able to work in the kitchen from a seated position was the third most important factor. The design of kitchen appliances also emerged as a design factor along with furniture design.
The article has some explanatory drawings and pictures depicting their design solutions. Many of these solutions are beneficial for other health conditions and disabilities. Circulation space within the home is the main criteria for all of them.
Assistive devices
Participants reported frustration with products immediately identifiable as “products for the disabled”. The authors note that although these products are useful, they are stigmatising. Consequently they are often rejected by those who could really benefit from them. Their appearance makes them different from “normal products”.
As with the universal design approach and co-design methods, places and products for people with disability are good for everyone.
“…designers often forget the meaning and full force of the words human-centred design as a fundamental affirmation of human dignity…”
Designers have “the responsibility to continuously search for what can be done to uphold and enhance the dignity of human beings as they lead their lives…”
Note that the authors make reference to inclusive design being different from universal design and design-for-all. Their distinction is based on the notion of universal design being only for people with disability. This is often the case in the United States, but is not the case in Australia. The term universal design is embedded in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, this does not mean it is exclusive to people with disability.
Consequently, the terms inclusive design and universal design mean the same thing. Human-centred design also has the same goals, but has emerged from the ergonomics literature.
From the abstract
Inclusive design is an approach that puts users at the centre of the design process. This means working with people rather than working for them. This article focuses on the application of inclusive design and human-centred design approaches specifically aimed at Parkinson’s disease.
The article describes a case study of the applied methodology for solving challenges posed by Parkinson’s disease. The case study shows how an inclusive design mindset favours a holistic and creative approach, capable of bringing together different user groups throughout the various stages of the design process.
Office design is at least one factor that will entice people back to the workplace. Legal practice offices have to consider the comfort and accessibility of both staff and visiting clients. An article in the Law Society Journal has design tips for an accessible and inviting office environment. It is based on a conversation with an interior decorator and an architect.
“There is the unquestionable need to provide a habitat for workers that feels inviting, appealing to work within, accessible and safe.”
Architect Fiona Dunin says that areas to support staff, not just clients is important because it builds culture within the office. It’s important to focus on acoustic and visual separation, and in open plan offices, distinct meeting places and separation between public and private space is required.
Accessible for all
When it comes to accessibility, the architect and the decorator discuss vision impairment. Consequently they advise contrasting colours and textures to delinate doors, stairways and meeting rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.
For people with hearing impairment, good acoustics to avoid reverberation are a must. Sufficient circulation space, or space that can be quickly adjusted to create more space when need is an obvious requirement. Assistance animals also need to be accommodated particularly as there is a trend for anyone to bring their trusted friend to work.
The title of the article is, Throwing light on law office design, but the ideas are good for any office. Legal offices, similarly to others, no longer need to be cluttered with boxes and papers and fax machines. This leaves room for a greater focus on inviting and accessible design features.
The article was written by Cat Woods.
Access Consultants’ Magazine: Focus on Workplaces
The Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA) magazine has an edition that focuses on workplaces. Office fit-outs, workstations, emergency evacuation, working from home and the virtual world are all covered. Some content includes reference to Standards and is technical in nature.
Mary-Ann Jackson and Saumya Kaushik discuss issues from the perspective of COVID-19 and working from home. Eric Martin gives technical detail on office fit-outs. Inclusive and accessible online events and meetings are covered by Art Phonsawat.
Access Insight is available to view on the issue platform or you can download a pdf version.
What does universal design mean in the 21st century? Universal design concepts have evolved from barrier-free design for wheelchair users to inclusion for all people. Diversity, equity and inclusion are the key words now. But how many designers have moved with the times and how many think they are access standards?
How much do interior designers understand about universal design? In the context of designer education, this is an important question. So what do interior design educators understand universal design to be? A study from the State University of New York found there was a good general understanding. However, compliance to access standards was also thought to be universal design.
Researcher, Eric Dolph, provides an historical context to show how the definition of universal design has evolved from designer responsibility to a values-based and human centred approach to design. That is, from the design of things, to a design process.
Designers’ thoughts on universal design
In his study, Dolph gave four definitions of universal design to interior design educators. The aim was to see which ones were understood as universal design. The definitions were:
1. Inclusive design is socially focused and grounded in democratic values of non-discrimination, equal opportunity, and personal empowerment. (Tauke 2008)
2. The design of interior and exterior environments to meet prescribed requirements for people with disabilities. (United States Department of Justice, 2010)
3. The design of products, information, environments, and systems to be usable to the greatest extend possible by people of all ages and abilities. (Mace et al., 1991)
4. A design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, heath and wellness, and social participation. (Steinfeld & Maisel, 2012)
Definition 2 was a foil as it is a statement about minimum access rather than universal design. It generated a mixed response with educators recognising the definition as universal design.
Definition 3 was the most recognised. Given this is the most quoted definition in the literature and in guidelines, the result is not surprising.
A review of scholarly work indicates a shift in the definition of universal design. Originally, the focus was placed on physical access to the built environment. This has developed to a more contemporary vision that addresses issues of social justice. This has significant implications for those teaching universal design.
In 2018, educators teaching in interior design programs were surveyed about the infusion of universal design content within their curricula.
Responses revealed a generally high level of understanding regarding the definition of universal design. This article presents the survey results of interior design educators’ perceptions of the four definitions.
Historical context of universal design
°
The concepts of inclusive design and universal design are often presented from a disability perspective. However, the concepts have evolved in the last 50 years to embrace the breadth of human diversity. For those new to the concepts, an historical context is helpful in understanding inclusive design in the 2020s.
A recent paper takes a “design for disability” approach to the history of inclusive design. It also claims there is little written on this topic. This might be the case in academia, but much has been written elsewhere. The authors present a timeline for the evolution of inclusive design, but it’s purpose is not entirely clear.
For the record, universal design and inclusive design have the same goal – they are not different ideas. Nevertheless, they do have their roots in different places.
This is one of many papers still talking about the concept itself but this will not aid implementation in the real world. While we are looking at history, and arguing over terminology, we are not looking at those who have the power to include.
Key point
The interconnectedness of historical events means there is no one fixed starting point. Instead it is a process still going on today. The idea of co-design is introduced, but whether we need more research is a moot point. But we could do with research into co-design and action-based learning in this context.
Anyone interested in the field of universal design and inclusive practice will find the article interesting. It discusses the evolution of concepts and narratives. The article comes from the UK hence the use of the term “inclusive” design.
Editor’s comment: Do we have to keep talking and mulling intellectually over this word or that, or this narrative or that? We need research into why we don’t have inclusive designs throughout society. Navel-gazing the issue is not spreading the word. We already have enough research on body shapes and sizes and cognitive and sensory conditions, for example.
Inclusive design is often misunderstood as designing specifically for people with disability. Similarly, the term “diversity and inclusion” is associated with people from diverse backgrounds. Designing for diversity means both – designing for as many people as possible across age, ability and background
Dan Jenkins makes an important point in his article – the number of excluded people is often underestimated and capability is frequently thought of in terms of “can do” and “can’t do”. However, this black and white approach doesn’t cater for those who “can do a bit” or “could do more” if the design was tweaked. But then there is the role of designers themselves.
The Role of Designers
How do we design for the full-spectrum of user experience, if the designers themselves do not present a variety of experience and perspectives? Inherent in their role, user experience designers, or UX designers, are required to design the overall experience of a person using the product.
Fabricio Teixeira and Caio Braga believe that diversity generates diversity. Touching on topics such as diversity in the design industry, inclusion, equality and equity and gender, this series of five articles explores design from within the industry to explore the impact that designers have on people’s lives.
Universality in design gets a mention in the Handbook of Anthropology in Business. Megan Neese’s chapter raises a good point about terminology in the business world. She says, “Marketing teams talk about consumers. Research teams talk about respondents. Engineering teams talk about targets. Designers talk about users. These terms tend to be used simultaneously and somewhat interchangeably in corporations…”. So finding common ground is not always easy when developing a product.
Neese’s chapter discusses the many layers needed in any design, such as, culture, function, regulations, industry initiatives, and social trends. It is thoughtfully written and easy to read.
How “the User” Frames What Designers See: What Cultural Analysis Does to Change the Frame” is in the Handbook of Anthropology in Business, 2016.
We all experience packaging that is hard to open without a knife, scissors and even teeth. Ergonomic researchers from the University of Wollongong provide an overview of a presentation about packaged food. Their study of packaged hospital food revealed some obvious results – much of it is difficult to open.
Lift that lid, unscrew that cap, pull that straw: food and beverage packaging has no regard for people with low dexterity. In hospitals it can mean missing out on a proper meal.
Many people are frustrated by packaging and have issues opening it. A series of 3 studies was undertaken with well people aged 65 years and over in NSW examining their interaction with routine hospital food and beverage items.
The researchers checked for strength, dexterity, time taken and nutritional status. The most ‘problematic’ items were – tetra packs, cheese portions, boxed cereals, fruit cups and water bottles. Most packs required greater dexterity than strength while some packs could not be opened at all. For example, 39% of subjects could not open the cheese portion.
The overarching message is the need for manufacturers to design easy to open packages. Packaging has an important role to play in food provision and if well designed, assist older people remain independent and well nourished.
Brands like to use specific colours to differentiate themselves from competitors. However, people with colour blindness aren’t able to appreciate the subtleties of brand colours. Branding aside, colour vision deficiency is more of a problem when it comes to understanding graphics and images that convey information.
Slight changes in colour choice can make a big difference. For example substituting magenta for red and turquoise for green. That’s because they have different luminance or reflections for the eye.
The research paper includes images highlighting the way that people with red-green colour vision deficiency see products. The images show the importance of colour for this group and is likely a deciding factor in purchasing. More men than women have red-green vision issues. So, it is interesting to note the colours chosen for men’s products. There are clear links between this work on packaging and that of web accessibility colour choices.
Food packaging: A case study
Researchers use the case of opening a packet of flour. They looked at information, instructions, size, transparency, rigidity, shape, material, handling and opening features. These are all factors to be considered at the early design phase.
The Engineering Design Centre at University of Cambridge has been looking a packaging and product design for some time. Find out more from the book chapter Designing Inclusive Packaging.
Sustainable packaging with universal design
The resulting waste from product packaging is causing global concern. When it enters our oceans and food chains it becomes more personal. It’s also a personal concern when you can’t open the packaging without considerable effort or help. Packaging should suit both the consumers and the environment. So how to make packing easier to use and more sustainable?
They also considered disposal of the packaging. Using a fried chicken container the researchers developed a prototype to see whether universal and sustainable design principles could work together.
The article will be of interest for designers of packaging, including the graphic design. The title of the article is, Correlated Key Attributes for Sustainable and Universal Design: A Case Study through Meal Packaging in Thailand.
Packaging and arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition in the adult population. When it limits dexterity, ordinary everyday tasks become more difficult. Not least of these is opening packaging. Testing package design is often done using simulation technologies that impair hand movement. A study using the Cambridge Simulation Gloves evaluated product packages that looked difficult.
Arthritis and limited dexterity affect at least 25%pf the US adult population. Consequently, there has been an overall increase in the interest about inclusive packaging. Inclusive packaging is designed to ensure the largest number of consumers possible can open a package without difficulty.
Not all packages have been evaluated for inclusive design. The goal of this study was to use the Cambridge Simulation Gloves to evaluate several representative packages currently on the market. The challenge was to redesign the one deemed least inclusive.
The common aspirin package was found the most difficult to open. It was nearly impossible to lift the seal while wearing the Gloves and it took the most time to open. The redesign process involved prototyping which led to a final design of a loop attached to the induction seal.
The study showed that decreasing the fine finder movements and increasing the gripping areas are the most useful changes to make.
Due to the increase in the aging population, there has been a rise in disabilities affecting motor skills. This has amplified the need for accessible packaging. Packaging design necessitates a deep understanding of one’s users and their specific needs. With the growing number of users with disabilities, a more empathetic approach is essential.
This thesis examines the integration of empathetic design within the packaging field, particularly in enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities. This thesis aims to decode how packaging designers conceptualize and implement empathetic design principles and their varying strategies to ensure that packaging is accessible to all users. The study is done through a semi-structured interviews with professionals from both research-driven and commercial backgrounds to determine the key challenges and solutions to implementing empathic design methods.
The study reveals a discrepancy between the broad recognition of empathetic design’s value in theory and its inconsistent application in practice. While research-oriented designers were found to integrate empathetic design more holistically, commercial designers often limited its use to areas with clear market incentives. The study identifies a spectrum of strategies, including inclusive research, iterative prototyping, user testing, regulatory compliance, and advocacy, to infuse empathy into packaging design effectively.
The research underscores a gap in the industry: the necessity for structured methodologies to embed empathetic design in commercial settings. The thesis advocates for the development of tools that facilitate the inclusion of empathy in design processes, suggesting that empathetic design’s ultimate goal is to inspire industry-wide adoption, thereby fostering inclusive packaging that caters to the needs of all consumers, particularly those with disabilities.
An article in The Age discusses how the design of street furniture distinguishes one city from another. But street furniture has to be more than attractive and different.
As the article points out, Paris has art deco metro entrances, London is known for red pillar boxes and Melbourne has curly bike racks. But Melbourne wants to be better than just bike racks. Consequently, the city’s street furniture is under review. Upgrades will not be cheap; a city bench ranges from $2000 to $5000 and lighting poles come in at $10,000.
If the images in the article are anything to go by, access and inclusion appears to have been forgotten. The placement of bike racks is problematic everywhere. On the kerbside, or against a building? Either way, they are a barrier for people with low or no vision. Seats and benches in fancy shapes are not always good places to rest either.
It’s one thing to create a city ‘brand’, but it also needs to serve the whole population. Simple things like seating are also part of walkability strategies, and encouraging people to get out and about.
Do we welcome skateboarders or do we exclude them? Do we welcome homeless people or exclude them? Do we offer people a place to sit or do we leave them in the middle of the road?
Rory Hyde, Melbourne University
Architect James Legge almost makes the accessibility point but it is in the context of designing for brand. ” … it’ll work well or it’ll work badly.”
If Melbourne takes a universal design approach to the project, the chances of everybody winning increase significantly.
Where would you like to sit?
Tanisha Cowell gives her perspective on seat design as an occupational therapist and interior designer. She says her five features for great seats is not rocket science and seems common sense, but as always, it’s the little details that make a difference.
Of course backrests and armrests get a mention, but also where to place seating, say in a park or a cafe. Did you think about colour contrast and height of the seat, or even the thickness of a seat? Tanisha has something to say about these too. And what about a cushion for the leisurely Sunday breakfast at your favourite cafe?
emergency situations, it was no surprise that some participants pushed the green button and inadvertently switched the device off when intending to shock.” 
An 
Is your new kitchen gadget or appliance intuitive to use? How about the instructions on the device? Every model of microwave, even within the same brand, has a different operating system. This doesn’t help. And some of the icons that are meant to guide the user don’t make sense to everyone in the same way. So what can industrial designers do about creating inclusive instructions for domestic appliances? A human-centred design approach provides some answers.
Inclusive design is often misunderstood as designing specifically for people with disability. Similarly, the term “diversity and inclusion” is associated with people from diverse backgrounds. Designing for diversity means both – designing for as many people as possible across age, ability and background
How do we design for the full-spectrum of user experience, if the designers themselves do not present a variety of experience and perspectives? Inherent in their role, user experience designers, or UX designers, are required to design the overall experience of a person using the product.
Universality in design gets a mention in the Handbook of Anthropology in Business. Megan Neese’s chapter raises a good point about terminology in the 
