Countering design exclusion

An in-depth understanding of inclusive design can be gained from the investigation of design exclusion. The general assessment methodology and feature-based expert assessment are described in the report, supported by a series of case studies. Research questions based on the industry investigation are raised to show the direction of further study, which focuses on generating effective, practical and accessible design support tools (knowledge tools and technical tools).

A framework for estimating difficulty and exclusion from tasks during inclusive design

Measuring capability variations within the population isanimportant process that can be used to support decision making regarding the inclusivity of design for all users, thus allowing the level of exclusion tobe defined veryearly and throughout the design process. Our hands often represent a central feature of the human-task interaction, and therefore, variations in the capabilities of the hands has the potential to exclude people from all or part of the tasks they perform. Data is presented from the performance of 15 people in one of three age groups (18-40, 41-64 and 65+). Using a classification system for defining hand actions the prevalence of different grips in response to a range of physical task demands was mapped in a way that allowed capability to be measured against other variables such as task quality. This was found toenhance thegranularity with which exclusion could be both measured and predicted.

Quantifying design exclusion

This part of the book aims to convince a designer that inclusive design is a realistic goal.