A survey of the design needs of older and disabled people

The challenges facing design teams with respect to older and physically disabled people are only now beginning to be addressed, largely due to the fact that the population is ageing. In order for designers to consider the needs of these people and design inclusively, it is necessary to understand the requirements and preferences that are experienced in Activities of Daily Life (ADL), as people interact with everyday products, environments, and systems. This paper presents the results of a survey into the needs of older and disabled people today. The results show that, despite advances in technology and design, participants still have difficulty performing the everyday activities that most of us take for granted.