This paper discusses new ways of applying technology beyond existing interfaces and outside current ways of thinking. The focus is on how the user-led approach being developed by the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre (HHRC) at the Royal College of Art (RCA) can feed into this process. Part of the discussion deals with gaining commercial support and wider acceptance of these practices. 1 Why Design I...

This paper describes an inclusive design case study. We discuss a commissioned inclusive design project, where we have had to meet client needs as well as the needs of an exceptionally heterogeneous group of end users. With the overall aim of seeking to make public transport more accessible, this project has specifically focused on information issues relating to train stations. The objective ha...

Inclusive educational setting is normally characterized by groups of children with disparate intellectual abilities. This paper discusses the potential challenges associated with the design of effective collaborative games within such groups. We highlight case study observations gleaned from two collaborative games and share some cooperative design patterns that were observed to be effective wi...

In keeping with a user capability and product demand approach to product assessment, this paper examines the cognitive demands placed on users when interacting with consumer products. The eventual aim is to develop a set of cognitive capability scales that could be used in the analytical evaluation of product interfaces. We explore the dimensions of cognitive capability relevant to product inte...

Young adults with severe disabilities and learning difficulties (SLD) have very limited access to appropriate learning resources. Their unique individual needs and requirements prevent them from accessing traditional methods of online learning, and resources tend not to be age appropriate. The majority of SLD learners has difficulty accessing a computer with standard peripherals such as a mouse...

When the design of directional signage takes into account both the needs of different types of end users and the nuances of a specific environment, this can greatly enhance a localised wayfinding system. This need for contextualised wayfinding design is particularly apparent within zoological gardens, as the presence of captive animals represents a distinctive challenge in terms of sign design....

This paper investigates the role of focus group methodology within the context of microinnovation management and life-based design (LBD). LBD is a multi-dimensional approach which emphasises the importance of understanding people's lives (forms of life and circumstances) as a basis for creating design ideas and concept design. Human-technology interaction (HTI) is embedded in the everyday lives...

Human modelling tools provide a means to perform virtual task evaluations upon designs within the computer environment. The ability to evaluate the accommodation of a design early on in the design process before physical prototypes can be built has many advantages. These advantages are particularly relevant in supporting people in attempting to design products that are inclusive and accessible....

In order to create effective inclusive designs, we need to address many questions not only issues of design itself, but also questions surrounding the design process: methodological, ethical and practical. If we are to address these effectively, we need to identify them, consider the options and think through their implications. Nowhere is this more true than in the development of technology fo...

The development towards ubiquitous network access requires innovative solutions to get remote areas included, especially rural areas of developing regions. The challenges include robustness of network components, poor or non-existent power supply and sustainable business models. We argue that large scale user-driven community networks are becoming technically viable to deploy in areas that are ...