Emotional and smart Inspiration

asha thompson

1.6 The Designer and Disability.
We, as designers, have the capability to design products that can promote
and encourage a more independent way of life. We can design products
that have warning devices when things are hot for kitchen appliances, and
watches that can tell the time audibly. There are many areas that need
improvement to promote independence, and an ever-ageing population,
with it’s attendant diminishing faculties, brings a need to satisfy the
requirements that they will make on product demand.
The whole question of ethical design can be seen in many different ways,
but for the purpose of this discussion, we will look at designers taking on
the responsibility to design for others rather than themselves. We will
consider the needs of individuals, and how we can increase the quality of
life through design for these individuals. It is in the very nature of a
designer to be involved with the aesthetics of a product, often with
functionality assuming a secondary importance. There is no better
example of this than in the fashion industry where attention is paid to the
visual impact and a throwaway philosophy. How often do designers look
at the functionality of an idea in relation to the real requirements of the
end user?
We should not ignore the fact that medical science has the potential to
influence the incidence of disability in the future, but it would be naïve to
suggest that it could ever be eradicated. There will always be a disabled
population for whom education will be an absolute right. Designers have
an obligation to ensure that the necessary tools are available to maximise
their potential and their quality of life.

posted by rebecca otero @ 9:17 AM