Inclusivity in Design: Embracing Accessibility Challenges

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Inclusivity in Design: Embracing accessibility challenges – roundup

Inclusive communications rucksack by CommuniKate Design Limited

About the event

This 75-minute webinar will feature a chaired panel discussion from experts, practitioners, designers who will explore and share insights on creating products, services, and environments that cater to the unique accessibility needs of individuals facing significant challenges.

The discussion will be opened up for questions, and all delegates will receive a set of useful links, tools and resources following the webinar.

The discussion will be opened up for audience questions and is aimed at an audience of innovators from business and research groups, who are developing products and services for people with accessibility requirements.  This may be particularly interesting for people innovating across the ‘Healthy Ageing’ sector.

The webinar will also appeal to designers who are keen to understand the challenges faced by innovators in the health and healthy ageing sectors.

Panel:

• Julia Glenn, Founder, AI by Design (Chair)
• Sophie Horrocks, Inclusive Human-Centred Designer, Helix Centre and UK Dementia Research Institute’s Care Research & Technology Centre
• Katie Merrien, owner of CommuniKate Design Limited.
• Jean Marc Feghali, Head of R&D at WeWalk
• Colum Lowe, Director at the Design Age Institute, Royal College of Art

Event goals:

• Raise awareness about the unique accessibility needs faced by individuals often overlooked in design.
• Inspire businesses, designers, and advocates to think creatively, critically and understand the value of inclusive design as a business asset.
• Discuss practical solutions and strategies that can be applied to real-world design projects.
• Provide a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and community building.
• Foster collaboration between experts from various fields to drive innovation in accessibility design.

Key themes:

• Ageing population: As the population ages, age-related impairments like declining vision and hearing become more common. Designing for the aging population includes incorporating larger fonts, readable typography, and easy-to-use interfaces.
• Fine motor skills and dexterity issues: People with conditions like cerebral palsy or arthritis may have challenges with precise movements, making it difficult to interact with small buttons or touch targets. Designing for fine motor skills involves providing larger touch areas, adjustable input sensitivity, and alternative input methods.
• Visual impairments beyond blindness: While many accessibility guidelines focus on blindness, there are varying degrees of visual impairment. Designing for low vision requires providing adjustable text size, high-contrast interfaces, and alternative text for images.
• Hearing loss: Designing for hearing loss goes beyond providing captions for videos. It involves considering the needs of individuals who may use sign language, lip reading, or assistive listening devices.
• Mobility impairments: Individuals with mobility impairments, such as those who use wheelchairs, have specific needs related to physical accessibility. Designing for mobility involves providing ramps, elevators, wide doorways, and accessible pathways.
• Digital and online interfaces for people who might struggle with the tech for a range of reasons