Christopher Wilkinson writes:
As a psychologist and design engineer, I am passionate about improving how people interact with products, systems, and services. Specialising in product design for older people and the cognitively and physically impaired, I was recently invited to the House of Commons to attend the Set for Britain Awards to present my work to Members of Parliament. (See Cambridge alumnus presents research to MPs at the House of Commons)
Previous research identified how wheelchair users felt stigmatised, both by design and by society’s reaction to disability (Wilkinson and De Angeli, 2014, Wilkinson et al., 2016). One factor may be a lack of empathy and diversity within the design community; the average UK designer is male, white, and 38 years old, with only 7% coming from ethnic minority backgrounds (Design Council, 2010).
Placing users at the core of the design and development process and asking them to contribute throughout every stage is central to my research. As well as empowering users, this informs design and reduces the reliance on designers to create solutions merely from their personal skill-set or knowledge base.
Participatory and user centred design allows users to influence initial concepts, test prototypes, and test and evaluate finalised design solutions, and this allows developers to make informed changes to the design throughout the process.
One thing that is striking about the experiences of the users that participated in these studies was just how closely they mirrored each other. Whilst interviewing one participant she stated how she had been reassured and heartened to learn from this latest research that her experience wasn't unique, and that others had gone through similarly difficult experiences with assistive technologies; physically, psychologically and, crucially, with diminishing support.
More than ever before, the UK Government's welfare reforms are affecting not only the day to day experience of individuals whose lives are already extremely challenging, they are also adversely affecting society's reaction to those with disability. But effective design can make a difference.
This short documentary by CAM Productions reveals and highlights how we can develop assistive technologies that are equally usable and acceptable to users with a diverse set of needs and capabilities by understanding their holistic experience and through their greater involvement within the design process.
Watch Design for Disability here:
Dr Christopher R Wilkinson MRes BSc (Hons) Cantab
European Commission Consultant on HCI, Usability, and User Experience
https://cantab.academia.edu/DrChristopherWilkinson
Inclusive Design Specialist: www.inclusign.co.uk