Expand your market by being more “Inclusive”

Inclusive Design: Products that can be used by a wider proportion of the community

It is widely known and accepted that the global population is getting older. Studies indicate that by the year 2050, approximately 50% of the developed world’s population will be over the age of 50.

It is also suggested that by 2050, the ratio of people under 65 to over 65 will be 2:1! (in the year 2000, we were at around 9 : 1).

What does this mean for product developers?

In short, as Baby Boomers and Gen-X’s begin to retire over the next 30~40 years, more and more of our products and services will be used by people with diminished cognitive capabilities (interfaces, intuitive controls), dexterity (arthritis, parkinsons), sensory performance (hearing, sight, touch, smell) and physical coordination (flexibility, movement, reflexes).

On top of this, our society continues to become more “design savvy”, and they will continue to want “things” (possessions, services, treatment, care) which is reflective of the latest, greatest, most technological and stylish.

This leaves product developers in a quandary… how can we continue to satisfy the needs and wants of the masses, when the masses are getting older and less “able” to use our products and services over time?

The answer… “Inclusive Design“.

Inclusive design (aka “Universal Design”) considers the needs and requirements of elderly and less-abled people so that new products and services can be developed that are more universally desirable, appealing, functional and appropriate.

A more inclusive design solution is a fundamentally better solution because more of the community can use the device or service.

The OXO Goodgrips range is a great example of how numerous kitchen utensils have been redesigned to be more universally desirable, useable and functional on the back of sound inclusive-design principles.

Inclusive design relies on the product developer’s ability to identify real user needs and develop solutions which not only appeal to and satisfy elderly, temporarily and/or permanently disabled end-users requirements, but also the broader (able-bodied) community.

“Inclusiveness” can be judged by the product’s ability to be used by a wider audience than previous / existing solutions. To test this, if your current market is 18-30 year olds, ask how you might alter or improve your design to make it more accessible, usable or desireable to 55-70 year olds? Chances are, you may identify some insights or ideas that could appeal across the board and create wider appeal for your product.

To inject more inclusiveness into your designs, consider these 5 tips:

1. Discover “real” needs: Too often, product development is governed by focus group comments, user feedback and headstrong company personalities. Not enough time is spent observing “real” behaviour and usage patterns. People don’t always “do” what they say they do, so you can never trust their thoughts and insights about topics which are only discussed and not observed. Watch people in their natural environment (without stalking or being creepy of course!) and try to uncover issues, problems and workarounds they have developed that could form the basis of a new or improved product offering.

2. Regular reviews with your target audience: If you want to develop a product that is easier to hold and use than earlier models, assemble a team of older people – perhaps some with arthritic or dexterity conditions, to help you determine which new product concepts they can use comfortably. As you develop and refine the designs, keep these same people in the loop on development, and let them be a gauge to your progress.

3. Consider your product in motion: Develop a flow-chart, mockups or storyboard (or all three) outlining the key functions, styling and user-interfaces that are to be considered for “inclusiveness”. Think about the many environments and situations your product may be used in (be it wet, dry, hot, cold, windy, sunny, day, night, fog, dust, running, driving, walking, with gloves etc) and try to uncover ways that you could revise or improve your design to enable more people to use the device no matter where they are, how they are feeling or how physically impaired they may be.

4. Who / What / Why / Where / When? Understanding the context of the problem, in terms of who, what, why, where and when will help you structure a requirements specification that addresses the real user needs rather than arbitrary technical, legislative, commercial, manufacturing and other constraints. Consider the following:

• “Who” = define your users, stakeholders and decision-makers in the design process;
• “What” = define what you need to do; how you will address the “real need”; plus an outline of your tasks and activities to be undertaken during the project
• “Why” = outline what your goals are – why is this problem or real need worth addressing? What business goals do you have? What benefits can the user expect?
• “Where” = describe the environments that the need exists; where the product will be used; how will it need to adapt or function within these various environments?
• “When” = what scenarios can you describe that the need exists and therefore a product or service solution to be developed for?

5. Fail early, fail often: The most successful businesses in the world make a habit of failure so they can learn from their mistakes and quickly move forward. Aim to test assumptions, user comments and general research findings through visualisation (sketches, illustrations) and prototypes (crude mockups through to more detailed rapid prototypes as necessary) in order to determine if the solutions are heading in the right direction or whether you’re totally off the mark. Failures during the design process can in fact save you time and money later when it is far more expensive to recall faulty products or worse yet, deal with returns of unsold merchandise from your distributors, retailers and/or wholesalers.

Ultimately, to be more inclusive with our designs means we respect and acknowledge the wider community rather than specific demographic subsets. A broader base of potential customers can bring a greater opportunity for success – so Inclusive Design is not so much a option, it’s a necessity!