1It's only relatively recently that designers have become aware of the need to be inclusive when designing products.
2But what does that mean exactly?
3Well, it simply means designing products that span economic, social and cultural barriers.
4It means making sure products are accessible,
5so that as many different types of people as possible can use them,
6without any type of adaptation having to be made to the original design.
7Inclusive design is often linked with universal design,
8although they are not quite the same thing.
9Universal design aims to make products that work for everyone
10and that includes considering the needs of people who have cognitive difficulties,
11which can present quite a challenge.
12Today, examples of successful inclusive design can be seen all around us.
13In workplaces, it is common to see desks which can be adjusted to suit people of different heights or for wheelchair users.
14This still isn't always the case, however,
15and is one reason why office workers often suffer from back or neck problems.
16You'll find another example in the public toilets of countless hotels, airports and offices.
17Taps that you activate by sensor require no pressing or twisting movements.
18These are not only more hygienic, they're also easier for people with dexterity or mobility issues.
19The tech industry has been criticised in the past for focusing too much on young consumers,
20but this is changing.
21Many products are now designed with the elderly in mind.
22For example, it's well known that vision declines with age
23and that we also become worse at distinguishing between similar colours,
24in particular shades of blue,
25which is why software designers rarely create interfaces with this colour.
26Motor skills also decline with age and some people have difficulty doing everyday things
27like picking up a cup or opening a door.
28This can also affect their ability to use a mouse or keyboard.
29So voice access is now a routine way of making commands.
30It's worth looking at the problems non-inclusive designs cause
31when not enough consideration is given to a range of users,
32as it can have a serious impact on people's lives.
33Access is one obvious example
34because it has such a huge impact on disabled people's independence.
35Not being able to access public transport because buses or trains are not wheelchair friendly
36means many disabled people can't go out unless someone goes with them.
37Safety is another issue.
38Inexplicably, most cars are still crash-tested using a dummy based on an average-sized male.
39This has safety implications for all women, particularly those who are pregnant,
40as the seatbelts worn by the dummy are not adapted to accommodate them.
41Over the past 100 years, workplaces in the UK have, on the whole, become considerably safer.
42Employers are legally required to provide well-maintained personal protective equipment, or PPE,
43anything from goggles to full bodysuits, to workers who need it, free of charge.
44But most PPE is designed to fit men.
45A recent report found that employers often think that when it comes to female workers,
46all they need to do to comply with this legal requirement is to buy jackets, for example, designed for a small man.
47The problem with this is that women can be tall and still have much smaller shoulders than the average man.
48Ill-fitting PPE such as high-vis jackets, vests and body armour can put women at risk.
49The report found that 95% of women said that their PPE often hampered their work
50and that this problem was worst in the emergency services,
51particularly the police.
52Another problem is related to comfort at work.
53A very common scenario in offices in summertime
54is to see women wrapped in blankets or wearing sweaters while the air conditioning is on high.
55Meanwhile, the men are in shorts and T-shirts.
56This is due to differences in metabolic rates for men and women.
57There is a standard setting for air conditioning to be at a temperature of 21 degrees designed to suit men
58and in most modern offices, it is not possible to turn the air conditioning up or down.
59This means that many offices which mainly employ women are wasting energy
60by having the air conditioning set too high.
61As you can see from the examples I've just mentioned,
62there are serious consequences for designs which don't consider the needs of all users.