Inclusive Design event
'Designs on a Bigger Market' is taking place on the 2nd February at the BT Tower in London, and aims to set out the business case for inclusive design to designers, manufacturers, retailers, service providers and organisations representing business interests, and provide practical advice through workshops. People wishing to attend can sign up here - it’s a free event although numbers are limited due to space at the Tower.
Session 1: Why inclusive design is important for business
Speakers will cover what inclusive design is, the business case, views of designers and businesses as well as an understanding of the ageing population.
Session 2: Inclusive design in practice
The afternoon will be run by Cambridge University and will introduce the inclusive design toolkit. Delegates will take part in hands-on exercises about how to get started with inclusive design (numbers are restricted).
The overall aim is to encourage more businesses to start adopting the principles of inclusive design in 2010.
As part of the event, BT is hosting a roundtable at which key thinkers on this subject from across academic, public sector and commercial backgrounds will discuss the business case for inclusive design. In particular the debate will look to explore why, despite the fact that the British Standard for inclusive design was introduced five years ago, there are still barriers preventing it going mainstream.
The debate will explore:
- The challenges in taking inclusive design 'mainstream'
- Getting internal buy-in within an organisation
- Legal/regulatory imperatives for inclusive design vs. commercial benefits
- Current and future demand (including demographic trends and consumer demands which could influence this)
- The role that inclusion could play in an organisation's sustainability programme
Speakers have been invited from a range of sectors, and include:
- Jeremy Myerson, Director Helen Hamlyn Centre, RCA
- Jeremy Lindley, former Head of Design at Tesco, now Global Design Director, Diageo
- Jonathan Hassell, Head of audience experience and usability, BBC
- David Sindall, Head of Disability and Inclusion for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)
- Alan Topalian, Co-ordinator of the BSI drafting committee (managing inclusive design) and Principal of consultancy, Alto Design Management
- Professor John Clarkson, specialist in inclusive design, University of Cambridge
I am disappointed I had to say no to my invitation to the roundtable as I am attending an event with MyPolice that day but it looks interesting. The organisers have offered to keep me in the loop with the happenings of the event so keep an eye out for the outcomes.