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User capabilities and product demands

User capabilities and product demands

Clarkson, John and Keates, Simeon ORCID: 0000-0002-2826-672X (2003) User capabilities and product demands. In: International Conference on Inclusive Design and Communications (INCLUDE 2003), 25-18 Mar 2003, Royal College of Art, London, UK.

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Abstract

Currently, 1000 million of the world population have a noticeable degree of
functional impairment. It is well established that impairments such as hearing,
vision and reduced motor capability are of a degenerative nature and associated
with increasing age. Legislation has forced organisations to consider designing
products for impaired users. The declarative stipulations from the USA and the
UK have been instrumental in encouraging an upsurge of initiatives in ‘universal
design’ and ‘design for all’. However, better products will arise only if designers
are able to evaluate them and characterise their target populations. To confirm the
usability of a product, or product concept, it is necessary to verify that the target
users for the product are able to use it. This verification can take the form of user
trials, expert assessments or a systematic analysis of the product interface. The
latter option is attractive since it offers a low-cost, quick evaluation. Better still,
it would be ideal if the designer understood the capabilities of the target population
prior to designing the product.
This paper will present the results of an analysis of data provided by the UK
Department of Health and Social Security regarding the prevalence of disability in
Great Britain. This data was originally collected to assist Government in estimating
the need for care. However, it may also be used to show the range of capabilities of
the UK adult population, thus providing insight into the characteristics of possible
product target populations.

Item Type: Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Additional Information: [1] Include 2003 CD-rom. The CD-rom contains complete illustrated versions, in colour, of every paper given at the conference. Presented as a 585 page book in a series of PDF files. As given to all delegates. Sponsored by the Discovery Research Laboratory of the Centre for Global Education and Research, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan. ISBN 1-874175-94-2 [2] Include 2003 Conference Book - Abstracts of all the papers presented, biographies of the keynote speakers and a full programme of the conference. Details: A4 portrait, 130pp, illustrated Editor: John Bound, Roger Coleman Designer: Margaret Durkan
Uncontrolled Keywords: user capabilities, product demand
Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
T Technology > T Technology (General)
T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group: Faculty of Engineering & Science
Related URLs:
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2016 09:30
URI: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/12750

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