The Inclusive Design Wheel (IDW) is an established inclusive con-cept design process, emphasizing iteration and early-stage evaluation. However, a structured evaluation of its effectiveness in practice has not been previously conducted. This paper describes how the IDW process was adapted for use in the design of digital mobility services. It was then trialled on five pilot projects in Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Questionnaires were completed by participants (both pilot partners and end-users) and interviews were held with pilot partners at the end of the project. Initial insights from the pilot experiences and the evaluation are described. The pilot teams found the IDW helpful and particularly valued its help in structuring the design process and offering clear steps and tools. Insights for improving the IDW focus on the importance and role of co-creation, issues with recording iteration and the balance between structure and flexibility. Implications are highlighted for improving the Inclusive Design Wheel and for inclusive design processes more generally.@en

Some approaches to representing the diverse range of capabilities within the population focus on representing those with severe losses in a sin-gle capability, such as vision or mobility. This approach follows the simplistic view that people are either able-bodied, or have a single severe capability limita-tion. This paper challenges this view using data from a population representative survey of the 2019 adult population in Germany. This survey asked participants whether they had any limitations in daily activities because of their vision, hearing, memory, concentration, hands, reach or mobility. Out of 1002 valid responses, 158 participants reported that something was ‘very limited’. However, 145 of these par-ticipants (92%) had a limitation in more than one capability category. Therefore, representing the diverse range of capabilities within the population necessarily requires describing people with co-occurring limitations. The full set of capabil-ity limitations for an individual is defined herein as their ‘capability fingerprint’. Within the German survey, the top 16 capability fingerprints represented 80% of the survey participants. Presenting the most prevalent capability fingerprints is advocated as a better approach for understanding the diversity of the population. These capability fingerprints could be used to develop population-representative personas, or to better understand the sample that took part in small-scale user research.@en

Insufficient design often causes challenges to users on a cognitive level, hindering them from interacting with products smoothly. There is a lack of effective design tools and supporting materials that can help designers to understand human cognition and how it affects the way that users experience and use products and services. This paper aims to identify current approaches that can be applied to address this issue, and to examine their strengths and weaknesses. This helps to identify future directions for developing and improving cognitive design supports. A literature review was conducted of research publications in the fields of both design and cognition. Four key approaches are identified: cognitive design principles/guidelines, the demand-capability approach, cognitive walkthrough and cognitive modelling. Their strengths and weaknesses are analyzed from a design standpoint. The paper also analyses the underlying causes of the insufficient uptake of cognitive design approaches by designers.

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This paper presents an analysis of user capability data using Topological Data Analysis (TDA) (unsupervised machine learning) to extract insight. The aim was to explore the global shape and sub-groupings (clusters of profiles) of people using data collected from the Cambridge Better Design Pilot Study of 362 people from across England and Wales. The resulting topological network demonstrated the global shape of the sample and distribution of sensory, cognitive and motor capability across the sample. The TDA network was automatically grouped into 14 distinct clusters, and distinguishing features of each cluster was extracted. The results demonstrate the value of applying TDA to analyse and visualise user capability data, and it is proposed that the cluster descriptions could be used for developing empirically based design tools such as personas for Inclusive Design.

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Personas are widely used in design, and have recently spread to other fields such as policy-making and healthcare, where they help to convey the complexities of an ageing population. Policies and healthcare systems should rely on quantitative data to ensure the best impact on society, but no database exists that represents the aging population in a holistic and deep way, making it difficult to create effective personas. In this paper, we review the available surveys on the effects of aging, and propose three approaches that use these surveys to create better quantitative personas.

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There are compelling reasons to improve usability and make designs more inclusive, but it can be a challenge to implement these changes in a corporate environment. This paper presents some ways to address this in practice based on over 15 years experience of inclusive design work with businesses. It suggests that a successful persuasive case can be built with three key components: a proof-of-concept prototype, an experience that enables the stakeholders to engage personally with the issues and quantitative evidence demonstrating the impact of a potential change. These components are illustrated in this paper using a case study that was conducted with Unilever to improve the images used in e-commerce. The ice cream brand, Magnum is one of Unilever's billion-dollar brands that implemented these changes. During an 8-week live trial, comparing the old and new images, the new images experienced a sales increase of 24%.

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Capability loss simulation has great potential to improve the inclusivity of designs, through helping designers to understand the needs of people with reduced capabilities. However, its uptake in the design industry has been low, particularly in graphic design. This may be partly due to a poor fit between design tools and the work processes and tool requirements of designers. This study aimed to address this by seeking designers’ input into the design of concepts for vision loss simulation. Five design workshops were conducted, each with one or two graphic designers. In each, participants were given a list of requirements for simulator tools, summarised from previous studies, as well as 15 cards describing a range of simulator concepts. They then developed their own concept and explained the reasoning behind it. The resultant concepts are presented and analysed in this paper. Key aspects that designers consider important in simulator tools are identified.@en

To design accessibly, designers need good, relevant population data on visual abilities. However, currently available data often focuses on clinical vision measures that are not entirely relevant to everyday product use. This paper presents data from a pilot survey of 362 participants in the UK, covering a range of vision measures of particular relevance to product design. The results from the different measures are compared, and recommendations are given for relative text sizes to use in different situations. The results indicate that text needs to be 17-18% larger for comfortable rather than perceived threshold viewing, and a further 20% larger when users are expected to wear their everyday vision setup rather than specific reading aids.

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Previous studies have shown a relationship between the use of communications technology and well-being, particularly mediated through its effect on personal relationships. However, there is some debate over whether this effect is positive or negative. The present study explored this issue further, examining whether the effect varies depending on the type of communications technology, and the nature of the personal relationship. An online survey was conducted with 3421 participants in three countries (Australia, UK and US). It examined the use of ten communication methods, overall satisfaction with life and satisfaction with four different kinds of relationships (close and extended family, and close and distant friends). Results indicate that richer communication methods, which include non-verbal cues, were positively associated with both overall satisfaction with life and satisfaction with relationships. These methods included face-to-face communication, and phone and video calls. Conversely, more restricted methods, such as text messaging and instant messaging, were negatively associated with both variables. Social networking was negatively associated with overall satisfaction, but not with satisfaction with relationships. The strength of the association between a communications method and satisfaction with a relationship varied depending on the type of relationship, but whether it was positive or negative did not change.

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The user experience can be greatly affected by the demands made by packaging on users' capabilities such as vision and dexterity. Packaging with features that are hard to see, manipulate, or understand can result in difficulty, frustration, or even outright exclusion. This particularly affects older people and those with disabilities, but can also cause problems for more mainstream users. Inclusive design presents a way to address these issues. This chapter outlines the key principles of inclusive design and shows how they apply to packaging, presenting a framework for putting inclusive design into practice. Simulators and personas are then described, as examples of tools that are particularly helpful in inclusive design. These tools can help to develop and explore an understanding of user needs and of the effects of capability loss on the use of packaging. Real-world examples are provided to show how these apply to packaging design in practice.

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It is essential that graphic design is visually clear and accessible. However, evidence suggests that a lack of consideration is given to visual accessibility in print-based graphic design. Furthermore, effective client-designer communication is a vital component in this. This paper investigates current graphic design practice, with regard to visual accessibility, specifically focussing on client-designer communication. A survey of 122 graphic designers and clients identified that these two groups may not be communicating with each other effectively with regard to visual accessibility, and that there is a need to develop inclusive design tools to assist them with this. This paper adds a novel contribution to our limited understanding of visual accessibility in the UK's graphic design industry.

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With an ageing population, Inclusive Design is increasing in importance. However, misconceptions surrounding its practice may be limiting its uptake in industry. The visual accessibility of a product is a key aspect of Inclusive Design, and is particularly important in the graphic design industry due to its heavy reliance on visual communication. To improve the uptake of Inclusive Design in this area, we need to increase our understanding of graphic design practice and the misconceptions surrounding visually accessible design. Interviews were used to identify seven common misconceptions held by graphic designers and their clients, including the belief that the designer will consider visual accessibility, even if it is not in the brief.@en

Capability loss simulators give designers a brief experience of some of the functional effects of capability loss, thus helping them to understand capability loss better. Wearable simulators, such as vision simulator glasses, can also be worn while using products and prototypes to help identify usability problems. However, this process can be confusing. This paper presents a simple procedure for using vision impairment simulators to assess the visual clarity of product features. The procedure provides clear results that are linked to the numbers of people in the population affected by the issues identified. It was tested with eight accessibility specialists and product developers. Results indicate that they can use this method effectively, and find it useful.@en

Inclusive design has unique challenges because it aims to improve usability for a wide range of users. This typically includes people with lower levels of ability, as well as mainstream users. This paper examines the effectiveness of two methods that are used in inclusive design: user trials and exclusion calculations (an inclusive design inspection method). A study examined three autoinjectors using both methods (n= 30 for the user trials). The usability issues identified by each method are compared and the effectiveness of the methods is discussed. The study found that each method identified different kinds of issues, all of which are important for inclusive design. We therefore conclude that a combination of methods should be used in inclusive design rather than relying on a single method. Recommendations are also given for how the individual methods can be used more effectively in this context.@en

There is a low uptake of inclusive design tools in industry, partly due to a poor fit between design tools and the thought and work processes of designers. Simulating visual capability losses is a technique with great potential in helping designers improve inclusivity and accessibility. However, we need to understand the needs of designers from different disciplines to improve the fit of these tools and their uptake in industry. This study aims to determine designers' needs for vision loss simulators, and how this varies between disciplines. Interviews were carried out with 15 designers from five disciplines. The results suggest that one tool is not suitable for all. The graphic and web designers interviewed required a tool to aid communication with clients, hoever, the industrial and engineering designers required two tools, depending on the stage of the design process. To increase their uptake, simulator tools should be used in education.

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Designers often assume that their users will have some digital technological prior experience. We examined these levels of prior experience by surveying frequency and ease of technology use with a range of technology products. 362 people participated as part of a UK nationwide larger survey of people's capabilities and characteristics to inform product design. We found that frequency and self-reported ease of use are indeed correlated for all of the products. Furthermore, both frequency and ease of use declined significantly with age for most of the products. In fact, 29% of the over 65s had never or rarely used any of the products, except for digital TV. We conclude that interfaces need to be designed carefully to avoid implicit assumptions about users' previous technology use.

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Capability loss simulators give designers a brief experience of some of the functional effects of capability loss. They are an effective method of helping people to understand the impact of capability loss on product use. However, it is also important that designers know what levels of loss are being simulated and how they relate to the user population. The study in this paper tested the Cambridge Simulation Glasses with 25 participants to determine the effect of different numbers of glasses on a person's visual acuity. This data is also related to the glasses' use in usability assessment. A procedure is described for determining the number of simulator glasses with which the visual detail on a product is just visible. This paper then explains how to calculate the proportion of the UK population who would be unable to distinguish that detail.

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To develop inclusive design materials that are well suited to design practice and thus more likely to be adopted, a better understanding of this practice is needed. A triangulated study was thus conducted, including observations of case studies, interviews with designers and a literature review. The study examined many aspects of design practice, focusing on the consideration of users and influences on method uptake. Four overarching themes were identified: clients' influence, informality, variation, and time and cost constraints. Implications include the need to educate clients in the value of inclusive design; the need for informal, cheap, yet insightful inclusive design methods; and the value of providing a range of flexible materials for different design situations.@en

In order to develop more inclusive products and services, designers need a means of assessing the inclusivity of existing products and new concepts. Following previous research on the development of scales for inclusive design at University of Cambridge, Engineering Design Centre (EDC) [1], this paper presents the latest version of the exclusion audit method. For a specific product interaction, this estimates the proportion of the Great British population who would be excluded from using a product or service, due to the demands the product places on key user capabilities. A critical part of the method involves rating of the level of demand placed by a task on a range of key user capabilities, so the procedure to perform this assessment was operationalised and then its reliability was tested with 31 participants. There was no evidence that participants rated the same demands consistently. The qualitative results from the experiment suggest that the consistency of participants' demand level ratings could be significantly improved if the audit materials and their instructions better guided the participant through the judgement process.@en