Accessibility through user-centred and Inclusive Design processes: Delimiting Inclusive Design

This PhD dissertation addresses the subject of accessibility through user-centred and Inclusive Design processes (ID). The project takes as its starting point the observation that the concept of Inclusive Design is not adequately delimited. The supporting literature in the field of ID is structured around the fact that the needs of individuals with reduced capabilities compared to the norm (referred to for convenience as "the elderly and disabled") have not been properly addressed by standard design processes. In response to this fact, ID is a proposed design method to find more effective means to improve the usability of consumer goods. The method focusses on using a wide range of techniques to identify user needs, chiefly deployed at the start of the design process but also emphasises involvement at middle to final stages.
The research question that this dissertation is centred upon is: can ID be delimited by examining design for accessibility in the areas of assistive technology (AT) and public transport (PT) with reference to consumer product design?