Disabled products for disabled people?
March 23rd, 2010We are currently working together wih Arthritis Ireland, Pfizer, NCAD and DIT to mentor design students through a universal design program. For the moment that’s about all we can say about that… but the process is striking many thoughts.
Digging through the product ecosystems that surround disabled users is soul-destroying. It’s a well trodden subject area, and one in which we do not claim to be experts. However this week it was brought into sharp focus that the world is full of disabled products for disabled people. Products which stigmatize, embarrass, isolate & humiliate. Products which at a technical level may perform, but which at an emotional level fail on every front.
The criteria for a meaningful piece of universal design must be that it has broad, emotional, visceral appeal. Disabled products for disabled people. Enabling products for everyone.