Inclusive design goes Freestyle to help all users
Dave thinks inclusive design is all about making sure products and services are designed with the widest possible audience in mind – regardless of age or impairment…
To me, inclusive design is really common sense design – making sure that all products and services can be used by an ageing population and those with impairments just seems like the right thing to do.
That’s why I was particularly heartened to learn that TheAlloy who designed BT’s Freestyle 700 family of phones has received an award in the recent DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.
It’s yet more recognition for really great products. Their design took into account elderly users and people with impairments, but as with any great piece of design, they are widely used by people who just want an easy-to-use phone.
Finding out what people need
Right at the start, our designers – TheAlloy – held a number of one-to-one interviews with elderly people to hear first-hand about their needs.
The feedback from this was critical to the way phones were designed. The design team also simulated various physical impairments to gain an all-round view of what it’s like to use a phone if you suffer from arthritis, for example.
By asking questions and listening to the needs of customers, they have included a range of features as well as producing a stylish phone.
The result – a phone that isn’t only based on how it looks and feel, but also on how it helps the person using it. Inclusive design really is just better design.
What do you think about inclusive design? Is this is a good way to design products? Let us know below.
Easy to use phones
Find the right home phone for you, listed by the different ways they can help.
Related Articles
-
New report sheds light on inclusive design for apps
Posted by Dave Barrett - April 25th 2012 at 11:27
-
Posted by Dave Barrett - February 15th 2012 at 10:22
-
Telecommunications in the 1990s - did they have a crystal ball?
Posted by Sam Calvert - August 11th 2011 at 12:00
-
Bip - bip - bip - at the third stroke, the speaking clock will be 75 years old
Posted by BT Life Newsdesk - July 21st 2011 at 17:14
-
Gaming technology could help deaf children learn to sign
Posted by Dave Barrett - June 22nd 2011 at 10:00
More articles by Dave Barrett
-
New report sheds light on inclusive design for apps
Posted by Dave Barrett - April 25th 2012 at 11:27
-
Technology4Good awards are open
Posted by Dave Barrett - March 27th 2012 at 10:44
-
Posted by Dave Barrett - February 15th 2012 at 10:22
-
A new app or ‘human rights technology’?
Posted by Dave Barrett - January 25th 2012 at 13:00
-
Bikers check their hearing with Action on Hearing Loss
Posted by Dave Barrett - December 7th 2011 at 13:48
BT is not responsible for any external content or links uploaded by users of the site. Nor does the presence of information or links about other parties' products or services confer any form of endorsement of another party's products or services by BT. Please visit the BT Life user guide for more information.
Comments
Please leave your comments using the box below. Learn more