Asking the people

People have different ideas about what constitutes universal design (as demonstrated Left).


Since perception plays a powerful role in shaping both understanding and acceptance (or rejection) of ideas, I frequently ask people what their thoughts are on universal design, including whether they can think of any universally designed products they own.


The responses are varied, and sometimes entertaining. As Arnold pointed out upon explaining the "universal design" behind his monster lighter pictured Left, "this design will allow all people to smoke easier even in old age."


What more could you ask for?

Pratt Thesis Projects

http://prattmid.blogspot.com/2011/10/carla-jaspers.html
Learn about the initiatives of current Pratt students with future goals!
Presentations are December 9, 2011 in Pratt Studios Rm 43.

Design fail!

Ugh! The dreaded tennis ball on the legs of a walker. Words cannot describe how unhappy this makes me. Its the quintessential example of a design fail, but ask anyone who's suffered through dragging the standard rubber walker feet around and they'll tell you what a great little trick the tennis ball idea is.

What's worse is that now manufacturers have made this phenomenon commonplace by making actual tennis ball attachments instead of improving the design of the initial object. This, to me = lame. At least cutting a tennis ball open with a utility knife and jamming it on the leg of a walker demonstrates that someone was resourceful enough at some point to fix a problem with a familiar household object, like sitting a kid on a phone book so they can reach the table at dinner when a booster seat isn't available...but "designing" and manufacturing and selling a product that is no more evolved and adds a bunch of unnecessary plastic is a step in the wrong direction. Not to mention that the design language continues to communicate that industry really isn't interested in providing the population who uses this product with a more sophisticated design solution.


When I came across this work, featured at the Conner Contemporary Gallery in Washington DC and posted on the BYT website, I had to smile. The statement is probably made better with this one image than with anything else I could write.

Spotted this yesterday at Borough Hall train station. I wish I could have got a photo from the front to accurately show just how many shopping bags he was toting along. It was an interesting scene to see the rollator put to such practical use. Clearly I have no idea what the back story here is, but I was intrigued to see how the rollator was adapted to serve a practical need for someone who wasn't using it strictly for mobility.

A thought crossed my mind

Why was this the only table in the entire place that could offer comfortable and accessible seating to someone using a wheelchair?

Fusing Style & Necessity

Design is so much more intriguing when it solves some sort of problem,

don't you agree? Especially when the problem involves figuring out a way

to make a medically necessary device fit a bit more harmoniously into

everyday life. + Hanky Pancreas™ is a great example of design

that changes perception by morphing an insulin pump into an

accessory, or perhaps even a conversation piece.

Good design leads to better patient experiences

Check out my contribution to a recent article from Medical Office Today, discussing design interventions
to reduce patient anxiety levels. Definitely a worthwhile and necessary venture