Addressing the challenges of inclusive design: A case study approach

Abstract

The challenges for inclusive design include: education of designers; communication of the importance of inclusive design to the public; business rationale for inclusive design to industry; evaluation of the impact of inclusive design. We believe that a case study approach to inclusive design would help answer these challenges. Based on a design research methodology and a guide for scientific writing, we have developed a template that allows us to write up inclusive design case studies in a systematic way and eventually to build a case study 'bank'. A matrix is presented to explain how this has helped in addressing the challenges of inclusive design. Two examples drawn from the case study 'bank' are presented to illustrate the approach in detail. The template proves an effective means of structuring the case studies and communicating them in a manner that is relevant to a diverse audience. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.