innovate 6 - Helen Hamlyn Centre - Royal College of Art

innovate 6>why getting itright for peoplewith disabilitiesmeans gettingit right for allthe helen hamlynresearch centre

spring 2004issue 6Innovate is the research and developmentjournal for small firms in the care anddisability sector. It is published twice ayear by the Small Business Programme ofthe Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at theRoyal College of Art, LondonThe Royal College of Art is the world’s only whollypostgraduate university of art and designThe Helen Hamlyn Research Centre isdedicated to the study and practice of sociallyinclusive designThe Small Business Programme of the HelenHamlyn Research Centre works with small firms,primarily in London and the south-east, to identifyand exploit innovation opportunities in responseto social and demographic change. Its key focusis new product and service development in thecare and disability sectors. It is funded by HEFCE’sHigher Education Reach-Out to Business and theCommunity Fund (HEROBC)2

Julia CassimEditor, Innovate,Research Fellow, HelenHamlyn Research Centre>editorialWelcome to the latest issue of innovatewhich describes the six new designprototypes generated by the DBA DesignChallenge 2003, a joint initiative betweenthe Design Business Association and theHelen Hamlyn Research Centre at theRoyal College of Art.Now in its fourth year, the DBA DesignChallenge has become one of the mosteagerly awaited events in the designcalendar and an important catalyst forinclusive design. More design firms thanever before lined up to take part and theshortlisted projects proved beyond doubtthat working closely with key user groupscan unlock hidden innovation potential innew products and services.Designing inclusively for the mainstreamwhile including the needs ofdisabled people is tough. Why do thedesigners take up the challenge? One canthink of the Disability Discrimination Act,due to become law in October 2004.This will have huge implications forthousands of small firms both in the way1

2they treat their staff and in the servicesthey provide to their many disabledcustomers. There is also growingpressure from investors and the publicfor a greater focus on corporate socialresponsibility whatever the size of thecompany.But Rory Cellan-Jones, BusinessCorrespondent of BBC News, expressedit best in his keynote speech at the event:‘It is not just about blue sky thinkingby a few design geniuses who closetthemselves away for a few months beforeemerging to delight their customers withirresistible new products that they neverknew they really needed. It is aboutputting designers and users together in aco-operative process knowing that, if weget it right for disabled people, then weget it right for most people.’Getting it right for most peopledrives the six dynamic projects describedin the following pages. Read on...

contents41316192226293132DBA Design Challenge 2003project one: Factory Waresproject two: Eyespeakproject three: Digital Wayfindingproject four: Life Circleproject five: Ello – Inability not Disabilityproject six: Buddy, the ‘Active’ Companionlooking aheadweb resources3

44>DBA Design Challenge 2003When six British design consultancies –all members of the Design BusinessAssociation – took up the challenge ofinclusive design, their shared objectivewas to design for the mainstream marketwhile including as many people as possible,especially those with disabilities.Inspired by design briefs set by theHelen Hamlyn Research Centre, theirproposals were shortlisted from a recordtotal of 14 entries submitted. After a rapidthree-month development period lastautumn, their projects were unveiled toa capacity audience drawn from the worldsof design, disability, government andbusiness at the Royal College of Art on9 December 2003.

Judges6> how well social inclusion was promoted> the depth of insight shown into theneeds and aspirations of excluded groupsof people> the creative use of user input> how well the key ideas were communicated.The prototypesFor the first time, the DBA Design ChallengeInclusive Design Award was shared by twoproduct design consultancies: FactoryDesign for Factory Wares, a reinvention ofthe saucepan; and Seymourpowell for Ello,an inclusive mobile phone.The judges were impressed by FactoryDesign’s courage in taking an everyday,unromantic object and, in the short timeframe of the project, transforming it intoone that would enhance independence andquality of life for those with reduced gripand strength.The panel felt that the design team ‘setthe standard’ for the Design Challenge in arigorous process that resolved the hierarchyand complexity of the issues identified in theuser groups, translating them seamlessly intoa high-quality mainstream prototype.As for Seymourpowell’s Ello, the judgesJohn Mathers, President,Design Business AssociationNick Rawcliffe,Interaction DesignerHilary French, Head ofSchool of Architecture &Design, Royal College of

JudgesLynda Relph-Knight, Editor,Design WeekDavid Yelding, Director,RicabilityRama Gheerawo,Research Fellow, HelenHamlyn Research Centrefound it wonderfully refreshing, to hear thepowerful message of ‘less is more’ in regardto mobile phone technology from two youngdesigners.They were impressed by the designers’willingness to strip the mobile phone downto its essentials, eliminate those elementsthat wouldn’t fit, and craft a beautiful,sensual object that worked at the aestheticand functional levels. The judges liked thephone’s tactile buttons, its intuitive featuresand felt it could have as much impact on themarketplace as BT’s Big Button telephone.Lewis Moberly, an independent brandidentity consultancy with offices in London,Paris and Geneva, developed Eye Speak –a communication device to transmit a visuallanguage. Its aim is to facilitate non-verbalcommunication in noisy environments whereconventional means are ineffective or wherehearing impairments can lead to socialexclusion.The judges felt that the design teamhad identified a neglected area that disableseveryone, not just the hard of hearing. Theywere impressed by their willingness to goback to first principles, look at non-verbalsigning systems and extract those elementsthat were crucial to the aspirational and7

8functional needs of the users with whomthey had worked. The result: an elegantlanguage of symbols, with great mainstreampotential, backed by a simple device thatassists communication in the most positive,non-stigmatising way.Leading transport graphic designersRoundel partnered Dalton Maag, recognisedexperts in font design, in the DBA DesignChallenge. Together they developed the firstmuch-needed set of protocols for electronicfont displays in a project entitled DigitalWayfinding.The panel felt they displayed a masteryof the key sensory, visual, cognitive andenvironmental issues facing the new andas-yet unregulated area of digital signage,which impacts so negatively on the travellingpublic. Within the limited time frameavailable for the project, they devised aninvaluable set of guidelines for designers,entering an area where engineering has longheld sway. The judges felt that the guidelinescould set new standards for the way thatthe design profession will work in this areain the future.Creative consultancy Seachangeproposed Life Circle, a communicationsystem coded for chronic conditions whichThe DesignersPaul Backett and JamesSamperi, SeymourpowellPaul Cilia la Corte,Lewis MoberlyTom Wilson and Roger Rundle,The Team

The DesignersTony Howard,RoundelGavin Thomson,Factory DesignSally Costen,Seachangeencourages compliance in taking prescribedmedicines. The project aims to reducemedical emergencies stemming fromhuman error.The panel was very impressed by thedesign team’s willingness to take on anincreasingly complex subject, identify theseparate needs of the stakeholders at eachlevel of the system, and translate these intoconcepts that were brilliant, yet simple andeffective. The judges felt that Life Circle, ifadopted by the industry, could holistically– and dramatically – resolve some of thepsychological, systemic and financial issuesthat lead to non-compliance.Last but not least of the six projects wasBuddy, proposed by brand communicationconsultancy The Team. Buddy is a wearablemobile device with vibration alerts that warnthe hearing impaired user when alarms gooff in the vicinity, helps distinguish betweenthem and allows informed decisions andaction to be taken.The judges felt that Buddy directlyaddressed the user’s emotional and physicalneeds by simultaneously reducing theirvulnerability and enabling new levels ofindependence and peace of mind. Of allthe projects, this was one that tackled an9

‘Anything which involves getting agreater understanding of how customersuse business services has to be good for thebottom line.’Rory Cellan-Jones, Business Correspondent,BBC Newsemotive subject extremely well.The panel felt that the idea, with its useof simple, usable technology, had greatpotential as a mainstream product, goingway beyond the hearing impaired communityit was perhaps intended to serve.10The speakersJulia Cassim of the Helen Hamlyn ResearchCentre welcomed the capacity audience andintroduced the event. She paid tribute to theenergy, creativity and commitment of thedesign teams who had worked on a voluntarybasis to develop the projects. Equallyimportant, she said, were the dedicated andgrowing network of disabled users, many ofwhom had travelled considerable distancesto take part in the focus groups that are animportant part of the whole process.

‘I just feel quite privileged to be part of whatyou are trying to do, not just for ourselvesbut for the next generation of disabledpeople to come.’Michelle Rivers, Sensory Disabilities Team,Wandsworth CouncilRory Cellan-Jones, Business Correspondentof BBC News, chaired the eventand made the keynote speech. He describedthe event as ‘a combination of the Oscarsand Olympics of the inclusive design world’and went on to contrast the performance ofcompanies who had taken up the inclusivedesign message and found their marketsexpand with those who had ignored it.Michelle Rivers of Wandsworth Council’sSensory Disabilities Team and a veteran ofthe DBA Design Challenge’s user forums,responded to the presentations. She stressedthat the experience of working with disabledpeople as part of an inclusive designapproach would help designers in tacklingthe future needs of an ageing population, asdisabilities were inherent to ageing.John Mathers, President of the Design11

‘At a personal level this award programmefeeds the soul and taps into the passiondesigners have to solve problems. Onanother, it creates viable new businessopportunities... all of the stories act asinspirational case studies to encouragedesign consultancies and businesses toreassess their thinking and processes toembrace a more diverse customer base.’Deborah Dawton, Chief Executive,Design Business AssociationBusiness Association, presented the awards,designed by former Helen Hamlyn ResearchAssociate Mary Wagstaff. He thankedthe teams for all the ‘time, sweat andconsideration that had gone into eachand every project.’12

project one:Factory Waresby Factory DesignA project that returns to first principlesto design an inclusive, commerciallysensitive and delicious-looking saucepan.The users with severe arthritis whoadvised Factory Design all loved cookingbut their moment of truth came once thedish was ready and had to be lifted from theheat. It was then that the weight and designof the saucepan increased the pain of theircondition and led to accidents.13 13

Nine million people of all ages in theUK are affected by arthritis and every oneof them needs to eat. Factory Design’schallenge was to create a saucepan thatwould transform the pain of their cookingexperience to one where pleasure isuppermost.User inputUsers with severe arthritis (see right).User issues> A multipurpose pan with built-incolander desired> Many saucepans have a painful split inthe handle> Radius at bottom of pan too tight, makingit difficult to clean> Weight, handling, balance and draining arecommon problems.14How does it work?> Universal pan size to accommodatedifferent cooking methods> Traditional round shape but with conicalsides for easy pouring and a large radiusto facilitate cleaning> Aluminium body for lightness, non-stickinterior and copper bottom to enhance

‘When we first started,we had an open mind.We didn’t go in with anypreconceptions; we purposefullykicked off theproject taking on boardthe feedback from the usergroups. We were lookingat two-handed operationinitially and realised that, tobe truly inclusive, we hadto make it as effective withone hand and then identifysecondary use with twohands.’Gavin Thomson, Factory Designcooking and cleaning> Integrated aluminium colander for drainage> Two-part lid in transparent lightweightpolycarbonate and aluminium withhooped handle that is easy to lift. The lidupends to make stacking easy> Ergonomic two-part long handle with afuller cross-section to assist gripping andangled downward for intuitive use.> Oval comfort platform at the end shiftsthe weight of the pan to the arm from asingle point at the wrist, ensuring greaterbalance, safety and less pain> The handles main structural shroud madeof lightweight heat-resistant material overlaidwith tactile foam-filled polyurethaneto enhance gripping> Secondary hooped handle on the oppositeside for two-handed use.15

16>project two:Eye Speakby Lewis MoberlyA project that develops a visual languageto facilitate non-verbal communicationin noisy environments, using a hand-heldcommunications device.Clubs are places of fun and social liberationwhere the environment is enhanced bythe music and the atmosphere – but the keypleasurable ingredient of communicationcan be hampered by the very elements thatmake such leisure venues enjoyable. Noise

can drown out speech and crowded spacescan leave body language open to misinterpretation.Lewis Moberly looked at how universalpictograms could be developed into a visuallanguage to facilitate non-verbal communicationin noisy environments, using acommunications device to transmit thesymbols.User inputHearing-impaired and wheelchair users.User issues‘When I approach a ticket counter and theyhave a glass panel, I can’t understand whatthey are saying. Sometimes the loop systemis not working.’Caroline Appleby, Hearing Concern‘Whatever you come up with needs to bevery cool and very slick.’Matt Brown‘There are a lot of deaf people out therewho want to speak to hearing people butthey are too shy.’Troi Lee, organiser Deaf Raves17

‘The main purpose of Eye Speak and thevisual language is to embrace as many peopleas possible. The language of symbols hasexisted from cave paintings, thousands of yearsago ... Our technology was inspired by thei-pod, which has a lot of symbols. All we triedto do was to simplify the process of finding theicons, so that you could make your messagesvery quickly, and to make it fun.‘Paul Cilia La Corte,Lewis MoberlyHow does it work?Lewis Moberly developed an inclusivelanguage of symbols to enhance the abilityof those, whether hearing impaired or not,to get about or get together in environmentswhere ambient noise or broadcast soundmakes communication difficult. The productconcept is for a small electronic device thatfits into the palm of the hand or slips into apocket. Signs, symbols and pictograms canbe accessed from a database of categoriesvia the touch screen and arranged in syntaxto form sentences.The design team drew on existingpictogram-based vocabularies ranging fromMakaton (www.makaton.org) used by thosewithout speech to universally recognisedsignage in general use. They addedabbreviations, numerals and some newvisual concepts. To aid legibility, theonscreen characters are in black and white.18

project three:Digital Wayfindingby Roundel/Dalton MaagA project to develop design protocols forelectronic font displays.In the mistaken belief that moreinformation means better communication,a wide variety of electronic media havereplaced traditional signage in public places.Dot matrix displays, CRT screens, digitalprojection systems, LCD and plasma displaysare installed with little thought given toconsistency, readability or perceived authority.New display technology offers thepotential to do whatever you want but italso creates more opportunity for things to19 19

go wrong. The problem is particularly acutein large transport terminals where confusingor illegible signage impacts negatively onour ability to understand where to go next.Design cannot resolve the myriad problemsof public transport in the UK but it can dosomething to improve the typographicquality of digital signs.Roundel and Dalton Maag, bothrecognised experts in the field, collaboratedto develop long overdue design protocolsfor electronic signage that will help designers,commuters and computer users, and whichshould set the standard industry-wide.User inputRegular travellers with vision and mobilityimpairments.20User issues> Information confusing or contradictory> Screen positioning problematic> Level of illumination for display too lowsince it is intended for home or office use> Screen glare and reflections render signsillegible> Technology not designed to display type> Resolution on plasma screen/CRT is poor> Scrolling confusing and disliked.

Tony Howard, Roundel‘When we started we thought we were just goingto design a typeface that would display reallywell on digital screens and improve thedecipherability of information for everybody.When we looked into it, we found out thatthe problem was much, much bigger than wethought, but the user group convinced us that itreally was worth looking at.’Recommendations> Maximum angle for reading overheadsigns should be 30º from the horizontal> Screens should be angled downwards toreduce glare with reflections from floorsand walls taken into consideration> Non-reflective glass to be used and angleof adjustment variable for each screen> Sign should be positioned to avoid directlight from windows, glazed roofs andoverhead lighting> Consistency in graphic presentation,language and physical presentation> Humanist sans serif typeface preferableto Grotesque> Spacing of words kept loose tocompensate for larger viewing distances> DMR (Dalton Maag Roundel) typefacedeveloped as example of best practice> Few but consistent colour changes withtest pages converted to greyscale tocheck for contrast and tested in actualenvironment> Scrolling should be vertical not horizontal,with transitional fade in/fade outpreferred.21

project four:Life Circleby Seachange22A visual coding and communication systemfor use in both traditional and electronicmedia that will encourage compliance bythose with chronic conditions in takingtheir prescribed medicines.Each year there are 125,000 deathsworldwide among those who fail to taketheir prescribed drugs correctly. The overallcost of non-compliance is estimated at

£60 billion. The problem is particularly acuteamong those who must follow complex,timed regimes for such chronic conditionsas diabetes, asthma or arthritis.Forgetfulness, insufficient instructionsby the doctor, packaging that is difficult toopen and mystifying small print instructionsall play a part in this daily drama. Seachangeresponded holistically to the life-and-deathnature of the issue by developing an interlinkedcommunication and visual codingsystem to be used by all the stakeholdersinvolved in taking prescribed medicines. Thesolution aims to encourage compliance andreduce medical emergencies resulting fromhuman or systemic error.User inputUsers of different ages with such chronicconditions as arthritis, multiple sclerosisand asthma.User issues> Delays in prescription reissue can becatastrophic> Current system relies on the patient’sability to collect the prescription in personand then self-administer> Timing of complex drug regimes for chronic23

conditions reliant on fallible human memory> Information divided between differentstakeholders but not necessarily shared> No visual code to indicate generic typesto user or prescriber alike.24How does it work?Seachange envisages the following five-stepvisual coding and alert system:> Step 1 – The patient and GP personalisethe information and any necessaryupdates. This information is storedelectronically on a central server to allowaccess by the GP, pharmacist or emergencyservices. The details are downloaded toa chip and held in smart card or otherformat of the patient’s choice> Step 2 – An alert message is sentautomatically to the pharmacy when aprescription issue or renewal is due> Step 3 – A coded alert message is sentfrom the pharmacy to the patient’s chosendevice to signal that the prescription is

eady for collection. The hierarchicalicon system indicates the nature of thealert – whether it is for information,confirmation or an emergency> Step 4 – Relevant information about thedrug and its regime is transferred to thelabel with icons for quick identification.> Step 5 – The patient collects theprescription from the pharmacy usingthe smart card for identification.Sally Costen, Seachange‘We issued some questionnaires to GPs andpharmacists, alongside holding the user forum.The answers came back saying this is needed.The precise format and manner is something thatwe will probably take some time to find out. Butthe response so far has surprised me. There is aneed to get a communication line that overcomesthe disparate aspects of the health service.Among the drug companies, there is interest andI think there is opportunity.’25

26>project five:Ello – Inability notDisabilityby SeymourpowellAn inclusive mobile phone designed toaddress the needs of the widest possibleaudience, irrespective of age or ability.

Mobile communciation devices havetransformed our lives. The mobile phonein particular is vital to the ability of disabledpeople to remain independent yet stay intouch. However, with each new model thefeatures multiply while the product shrinks insize in the mistaken belief that this is what allconsumers want.Seymourpowell stripped the mobilephone down to its essentials. Its design focuswas to create a device that would becommercially viable and intuitive to use andcapable of instilling confidence in the user.User inputMobile phone users and non-users witharthritis and visual or mobility impairments.User issues> Technophobia> Inability to access even simple functions> Operation not intuitive> Buttons too small, hampering quick andaccurate operation> Interface too complex.How does it work?> Compact folding device with easy-to-open‘book edges’ for one-handed use27

Ready to use when opened> Keypad rises when opened for increasedtactile feedback> Prominent five key is convex and the restconcave for easy navigation> Border of key lights up to indicate numberhas registered> Clear contrasting graphics> Dedicated memory keys> Audio and visual feedback when operationis successful> One memory key flashes when caller isknown> Three keys light up and the phone vibrateswhen caller unknown> One button direct link to voice mail> Button pops up to indicate new message> Slider adjusts ringer volume by coveringor exposing speaker> Larger speaker gives better sound qualityand improves performance when there isambient noise> Gauge on front shows proportional levelof battery power> Cradle recharger eliminates need to plugin each time> Increased battery life through eliminationof screen.‘We tried to create apackage that would enablepeople to do the simplethings well and easilyand we tried to make theinterface more intuitive,more accessible.’James Samperi (above right),Seymourpowell‘All the functions andaspects of the phonewe wanted to incorporatewould be things peoplewould understandautomatically, and notinclude systems that wouldrequire explanation orlearning. ‘Paul Backett (above left),Seymourpowell28

project 6:Buddy, the ‘Active’Companionby The TeamA mobile alert system for people with andwithout hearing impairments, consisting ofa wearable device with a smart switchingsystem that warns the user when alarmsgo off in the vicinity.An estimated one in seven people inthe UK has a hearing impairment and nearly700,000 are profoundly deaf. As our populationages, these numbers will increase. Notall will wear hearing aids but all will need tobe aware of and enabled to deal with lifethreateningevents. The Team designed a2929

‘wearable’ mobile device based on simple,readily available technology that will to helppeople to distinguish between differenttypes of audio alerts, allowing informeddecisions and action to be taken.User inputUsers with hearing and visual impairments.User issues> Inability to hear alarm or alert> No differentiation possible between them> Inability to understand direction or sourceof sound> Feelings of vulnerability through inabilityto sense danger.How does it work?> Wearable paging device clips into holdingstructure of choice> Device can be worn on wrist or as pendantor badge> Device vibrates when alarm sounds> Symbols appear to differentiate type ofalarm or alert> Possible inclusion of inaudible travelinformation from tannoy systems etc> Simple, existing, usable technology.‘We have had meetingswith a leading mobilecommunication companywho seems to think it ispossible. It would just bea question of recognisinga certain pitch and frequencyand intensity andduration. So I think it isvery critical.’Tom Wilson (above right),The Team‘There are examples thatillustrate the productworking … of a noisyfactory environment wherepeople couldn’t hear thetea bell alarm going and avibrating pager would gooff on their hip … So thetechnology exists on localnetworks. Our challenge isto make it much broader.’Roger Rundle (above left),The Team30

Educate to eradicate theguinea worm – entry to theDesign for our Future SelvesAwards 2004 from LeahHarrison, RCA CommunicationArt & DesignVisitors to the Helen HamlynResearch Centre’s stand at theMobility Roadshow 2003>looking aheadStudent awardsVisit the Royal College of Art’s annualsummer show from 25 June to 4 July 2004to see how RCA students from all designdisciplines have responded to working withusers of all ages and abilities in the HelenHamlyn Research Centre’s Design for ourFuture Selves Awards. With a record 80shortlisted entries, the class of 2004 promisesa host of inclusive new products andservices for the care and disability sector.The Awards will be presented at the RCAon Tuesday 29 June. To attend the awardsceremony, contact: hhrc@rca.ac.ukMobility RoadshowAlso not to be missed is the Helen HamlynResearch Centre’s exhibition at the twoMobility Roadshows to be held in 2004:17-19 June at Donington Park, Derbyshire;and, for the first time, in Scotland – 9-10July at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston,Edinburgh. It is a chance to get an overviewof the work of the Centre and see some ofthe prototypes developed by RCA studentsand the design teams featured in this issueof innovate.31

web resourcesParticipating design consultanciesand organisations:www.bcab.org.ukwww.dba.org.ukwww.daltonmaag.comwww.factorydesign.co.ukwww.lewismoberly.comwww.roundel.comwww.seachangecreative.comwww.seymourpowell.comwww.theteam.co.ukDesign guidance/inclusive design:Inclusive design special collection:www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/resources/special_collection/index.htmlInclusive design education resource:www.designcouncil.info/inclusivedesignThe Centre for Universal Design:www.design.ncsu.edu/cudGeneral:www.disabilityaware.orgwww.design-engine.comwww.access2go.co.ukwww.usabilityfirst.comwww.sonicrim.comTypography:www.readregular.comwww.tiresias.orgInteraction design:www.stakes.fiwww.iarchitect.comwww.etsi.orgHearing:www.rnid.org.ukwww.hearingconcern.comVision:www.rnib.org.ukwww.labs.bt.com/people/rigdence/colourswww.toledo-bend.com/colorblind/Ishihara.htmlProduct & Packaging:www.ricability.org.ukwww.dti.gov.ukwww.pira.co.ukDesign guidance for consideringolder people’s needs:www.tbchad.comwww.ace.org.ukwww.ageing.org32

The Helen Hamlyn ResearchCentre at the Royal College of Artis a centre for inclusive design. Funded bythe Helen Hamlyn Foundation, it collaborateswith RCA staff and students and a rangeof external partners to explore thedevelopment of socially inclusive productsand services for future ways of living,working and communicatingDesign: Margaret DurkanPrinting: Futura Printing Ltd33

The Helen HamlynResearch CentreRoyal College of ArtKensington GoreLondon SW7 2EUT 020 7590 4242F 020 7590 4244hhrc@rca.ac.ukwww.hhrc.rca.ac.uk 34