A Day in the Life

I have over 8 years of clinical experience, working with people to gain independence in the face of some very difficult physical barriers. A concept occurred to me while relaying a story about pleading with patients to get a shower chair after orthopedic surgery, stroke or amputation to reduce falls in the bathroom:
if people are resisting the use of certain products, clearly there is a design opportunity here. 


I cannot tell you how many times this option is suggested by a patient....
(the classic lawn chair used as a substitute for an actual bath chair)

Its not a terrible idea in theory, its light, less expensive, and easy to procure since its pretty much sold in every home goods store in the US. The problem is, it simply isn't designed with the safety features in mind, such as non-skid feet, bariatric weight tolerance, & a wide base of support to reduce tipping, among others. 

However to be honest, its hard to make an argument when you're trying to convince someone that this will fit better in their home environment....

We all know that a lot of the bath chairs out there are fairly mechanistic in their appearance, and could benefit from better design, more interesting materials, colors, and perhaps even more opportunity for versatility. But what if on top of this, there was a sense of prideful ownership? What if the design was so well executed that people brought their bath chairs onto the patio in the summer because the style was versatile enough to allow the product to exist in either area beautifully?

Haptica

 A nice example of design that attends to an underserved market with

outcomes that are alluring to the masses...

Watch the video!

Design that matters

I've recently had the fortunate opportunity to correspond with James J. Pirkl, FIDSA
who is the Founding Director of Transgenerational Design Matters, a private
educational, research, and advocacy organization. I respect the mission
immensely, as it focuses on proactive, intuitive and necessary design interventions
rather than simply devising adaptive products that reinforce functional debility.
And as an Occupational Therapist, I'm elated to find a fellow Industrial Designer
who has also lectured extensively both within the Design and Therapeutic communities
to build awareness of the need for better design within people's preferred contexts.

From the mission statement:


As we enter the new millennium, one can only speculate the impact that transgenerational design will have on tomorrow's products and environments.


The answer, of course, will be determined not only by the demands of the marketplace, but also the degree of societal sensitivity demonstrated by the fruits of tomorrow's designers ; how well they unite the forms of function and beauty with human needs and diversity of age and ability —the essense of professional design service and responsibility.

Are we up to the challenge?

Read more:http://www.transgenerational.org/viewpoint/transgenerational.htm#ixzz1DIK0bP2q

Re-branding Universal Design

The term Universal Design (UD), while well intentioned, has become a bit outdated. While the principles of UD should be innate in all design, there is still quite a lot of room for improvement. There's got to be a better way to infuse these concepts in the design of everyday things than by simply
completing an ADA compliance checklist.

(this is so 1991)


















This is why I'm proposing a sort of Universal Design re-branding. A way to introduce new forms and
concepts to items that people can use in numerous contexts. Design that is quietly and harmoniously
integrated into people's lives.

Considering user context

The disconnect between product and user context

could be one reason so many people resist

incorporating items like the walker (shown

right) into their daily lives. It's also something

to consider when designing. Do we really

want these things in our homes & in our lives?

How much form are people willing to sacrifice for function? When the ultimate goal of a product is to allow greater independence, it seems there is a quiet acceptance of decreased style and personal options.

Design Language

     old  vs.  active

     disabled  vs.  defiant

 

     medical vs.  beautiful

    A truly multi-contextual product, mobile phones have been applied globally in a myriad of situations
    that were unfathomable a decade ago. Unfathomable, at least, re: the capabilities and scope of a
    phone. Now its used universally, by all generations, for wildly diverse functions. I think that baby
    on the top left just hacked into my twitter account.

    While the cell phone is just an example, as a case study its remarkable. Striking the perfect
    balance of relevance, functionality, pleasure (perhaps pain) and necessity. A lot of
    effort goes into developing a product that can resonate on this many levels. Whatever your
    stance on the mobile phone, how many products can you think of that you, your parents,
    and your grandparents, can all relate to? Besides Wii?