Enabled by Design's community is at the very heart of what we're all about and we really couldn't do it without each and every one of you! We're super keen to show our appreciation and what better way of giving our most active members the recognition that they so deserve than by awarding them the prestigious title of 'Enabled by Design-er of the month'. It's a bit like being employee of the month, but so much better (honest!) ; )

To kick things off, we'd like to introduce our very first featured Enabled by Design-er. Drum roll please!!! Her name is Denise Walbrugh (AKA esinedw) and she's had lots to say both on the Enabled by Design website, as well as our facebook group. We asked her a few questions to find out more about her 'Loves', 'Hates' and why she keeps coming back for more...

So who is Denise? (great name by the way! ; )
This is a difficult one to answer... I think I can sum myself up as someone with MS who is looking for better ways or gadgets to make everyday things easier for me to do. Style is very important to me. I spend quite a lot of time on my laptop - too much at times!

What brings you to the Enabled by Design website?
It's a great site for anyone who is looking for stylish assistive equipment, cool gadgets and new ideas. There's nothing else quite like it out there. It's also fun just browsing through the site!

What one item can you not live without?         
My funky Switch Stick.                                    

What's your biggest frustration with kit?  
It's often really so ugly, usually grey with little or no style.

What's number one on your wish list?
Ban all the grey! Bring in colour and style! Wouldn't that be great?!

Hear, hear Denise!

We'd just like to say a very big THANK YOU for your stellar efforts and for being such a good sport by answering our questions. We're certainly looking forward to hearing lots more from you in the future...

Thanks again!

Team EbD x

A very belated Happy New Year to you all! We hope that the new decade has been treating you well so far. Here at Enabled by Design HQ we're extremely excited about what the year 2010 has in store. It's already nearing the end of January and I'm sure you've all been wondering where we'd got to. I know we've been a bit on the quiet side recently, but it's been for a very good reason. Inspired by last year's myPublicServices, we've been busy beavering away behind the scenes. Intrigued? Well, let me introduce the newest member of Team EbD who will reveal all. Lilian, take it away...

It has been great to hear that the work we have been doing at Enabled by Design has started to inspire people to think differently about accessibility.

 

We want to build on all our work together so far by putting together an unconference to refresh and revitalise the disability and ageing debate.

 

Our aim is to move people away from society's stereotypical generalisation and labeling of disability and ageing to one of acceptance and respect for who people really are. And inject some style and fun into proceedings as well of course!

We believe the world is made up of people who have a range of varying abilities, with each person having their own personal strengths and qualities. We are passionate about harnessing these strengths to empower people to live as independently as possible. Universal design taps into this by focusing on meeting the needs of as many people as possible, to make either a product or service accessible. By mainstreaming accessibility, this can help to remove any stigma attached, while making people's lives that bit easier and in turn more manageable. For us, universal design means accessibility for the masses.

 

We recognise that we should further develop relationships between product and service designers and users. We want to give people the chance to influence the debate and ensure those who design products, services and technology accept universal design as the norm.

 

We're currently pondering on calling the event "We are Enabled by Design: making design truly universal" and are looking to hold it in central London in June.

 

So, we'd LOVE your input! The following themes are important to us and we are thinking of focusing on these on the day:

 

• Design including Product, Urban, Service, etc
• Technology
• Policy
• Employment and Leisure

Those who will be coming along will include people from a large and diverse network including: experts from each of the four themes above, designers, technologists, policy makers, disability/health/age related organisations and charities, health and social care professionals, media (both mainstream and trade) and most importantly users.

 

How can you contribute? Well, it's easy. We need help with:

• support at the venue and event
• sponsorship whether it's in kind, gift economy or hard cash
• ideas on who you would like to present and topics you may be interested in
• offers to speak or run a session
  
• who you would like to see exhibit at the event
  

If you have any other ideas please do let us know, either in the comments section below, on our facebook page or on twitter.

 

Watch this space in the coming weeks for more information about the event. Let's together make 2010 the turning point and get serious about the universal design debate.

 

Doesn't time fly by when you're having fun?!? This has definitely been the case for us, here at Enabled by Design HQ. It only seems like five minutes ago that we were on the look out for a budding test-driver extraordinaire, back in June earlier this year. Their challenge, if they wished to accept it, was to take the Volaris S7 rollator out for a spin and really put it through its paces. David Lazell, our knight in shining armour, came forward and the rest, as they say, is history. To find out how David got on, you can watch the video below:


 

Volaris S7: The Rollator Road Test from Enabled by Design on Vimeo.

David certainly seemed rather taken with the Volaris S7, so much so that he was planning to buy one for himself. You can read more about David's test-driving experience here.

Impressed with what you've seen and heard so far? Fancy taking a Volaris S7 for a test-drive too? If so, let us know here.

Enabled by Design has been super-excited about setting up its very first matchmaking test-drive. We're really passionate about getting the conversation going about "assistive equipment" in general, but just as importantly about those everyday products that can help to make life that little bit easier. We think an important part of this is to get our community testing products, so that they can share their honest feedback on whether products work for them and how they might be improved in the future. Not only does this help other people make an informed decision when buying a particular product, but it will also help to influence future product design and development going forward.

As our community grows, we'd love for Enabled by Design to become almost the "Which?" of the assistive equipment world, with the emphasis being on information provided by people who've actually used the products for themselves. So if you're a business who's looking for feedback on a product or service or you fancy yourself as our next test-driver extraordinaire, please do get in touch.

We'd just like to say a very big THANK YOU to David Lazell (you've been a star!!!), Doability UK and our friends at thinkpublic for making the rollator road test possible! : )





STOP PRESS

At the end of last month I was lucky enough to be part of the first ever myPublicServices, an 'unconference' focusing on citizen engagement with public services online, organised by our friends Patient Opinion.

The day for me was kicked off with a taxi ride through the busy streets of London towards the Abbey Centre, a converted wash house and baths in the heart of Westminster. After a much needed cup of tea and a quick catch up with some familiar faces, it was time to make my way to the main hall to speak as part of the day's opening session.

By this time, the room was already buzzing with expectation and chatter. James Munro from Patient Opinion was the first to speak, describing what the day would involve, as well as sharing his insights into how and why people should be involved in helping to shape public services from the bottom up.

Then it was my turn to talk about how my own experiences and frustrations had led me to feel that my needs were not being met and my decision to do something about it. For more on what I was speaking about, you can check out the slides from my talk below:
Following on from me was Channel 4's Tom Loosemore, who spoke about his work with the 4iP (4 Innovation for the Public) fund and the importance of the 'my' in myPublicServices. Novelty brownie points go to Tom for coming with the notes for his speech scrawled on a napkin, who needs PowerPoint?!? ; )

All this food for thought was making us hungry! Over tea, coffee and some tasty cake (kindly baked by some of the attendees), there was definitely a lot to talk about!

The second part of the day was less structured with people breaking out into various sessions run in parallel, based on the six themes: voice, place, design, vision, experience and support. I ran a session with Carrie Bishop, one of the original Enabled by Design team members at the first ever Social Innovation (SI) Camp. In this group we talked about SI Camp, what it involved, what we learned and those all important next steps. Interested in finding out more? If so, you can check out the slides from the session here:
Always a sign of a good day, before we knew it, it was time for things to come to a close. During the closing session, Dan McQuillan talked about the importance of the day and where we go from here. Paul Hodgkin, Chief Executive of Patient Opinion, then invited us to write one thing on a postcard that is an important challenge for ourselves and what we would do to overcome it. These will be photographed and shared at a later date, so we'll let you know when these become available to view. And lastly but no means least, James Munro drew the day to a close, phew not bad for a days work eh?!? The BBC certainly thought so too, giving the event the media coverage that it so deserved on their website!

For me, the day was a fantastic showcase of how people are harnessing the power of the internet to build on the government's current service provision. I don't see this as a case of trying to replace public services outright, but of enhancing them in a way that can only be achieved from the outside in. If news headlines are anything to go by, as a country we're going to be more and more reliant on social enterprise to fill the shortfalls in public spending. Of course, this leads to the natural question; how can we finance this sustainably? The world of myPublicServices is still in its early stages, so it's likely to take some time to refine the business model that will do the job. But don't worry, we're all working on it!
We'd just like to say a very big THANK YOU to the Patient Opinion team for all the enthusiasm and hard work they put into organising such an interesting and thought provoking event. Roll on next year, we say! ; )

Having done my bit, I was happy to take my seat and listen to the other speakers covering topics such as market research, inclusive design and behavioural economics. This was followed by a lively panel discussion chaired by the RCA's (Royal College of Art) Jeremy Myerson and workshop session.

Interestingly there was a real consensus that the language used, to describe products that support independent living, really does need to change. Many agreeing that the term Assistive Technology is useful for people working in the field, but not necessarily to the general public.

I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on Assistive Technology, both in terms of the language used and how it could be improved, as well as the presentation. Thanks!

I've recently been contacted by Glasshead, a television production company, who are filming a Design and Technology series for the BBC aimed at primary school students. The series will focus on different aspects of design, with one programme dedicated to exploring the design and testing of assistive products used by people with disabilities, to support independent living.

If you have a disability and would be interested in discussing (on camera) how you use assistive equipment to make your day-to-day tasks more manageable, they'd love to hear from you! They're ideally looking for people based in or around London or Birmingham, who are happy to be filmed in their own homes and will be available within the next month.

For more information, you can contact Tim Froggatt by email or phone 020 8742 6817.

Yesterday saw Enabled by Design and fourteen other innovative projects marking the one year anniversary of being on the Next Practice Programme, at an event hosted by the Innovation Exchange. The day was set up with the aim of each project sharing their progress and learning over the past year, but it also gave me the chance to catch up with my co-founder, Dominic Campbell.
 
During a much needed tea break, while munching on my carrot cake, Dom introduced me to a new word that he'd come across recently and thought would be just my cup of tea. Oops, sorry no pun intended! : )


Beauty + Utility = Beautility


The word was Beautility and is a mash-up of the words beauty and utility. Dom had read a blog post by Tucker Viemeister called 'Designing for Beautility: Where Beauty Meets Utility' in which he explained:

"I have coined this word Beautility because I want people to realize that even in our mercenary world, beauty is not just about flower displays. Beautility is a new way of framing beauty, as something that serves a function, that elevates it to the bottom line. When things have a name and people can point at it, then it will be easier for them to appreciate the value. Designers are key drivers in the beauty business. The design profession's job is to create Beautility!"

This word is extremely relevant to what the Enabled by Design community stands for. Some people assume that Enabled by Design is solely interested in making assistive equipment look good, which is one very important part of the jigsaw puzzle. However, an equally if not more important factor is whether a particular product is functional and does the job well. It's all very well having a bit of kit that looks pretty, but if it's not fit for purpose or fiddly to use, it's more likely to end up in the cupboard under the stairs than be used for its intended purpose : S

We'd love to hear your examples of Beautility in action! Or, if there are any products out there that could do with a bit of a Beautility treatment ; )

Let us know by adding a comment below, on our facebook page or if you prefer you can tweet us here.

Team EbD x

A recent post on www.enabledbydesign.org looking for a secondhand theracycle reminded me of a blog post I've been meaning to write for quite some time...

Earlier this year at Naidex 2009, I met Guy Harris who was developing the idea of a website to buy and sell secondhand assistive equipment such as mobility scooters, wheelchairs and the like. Six months later, at last month's Rehacare in Dusseldorf, I heard someone calling my name, much to my surprise! It was Guy and he had lots of news to share about his website www.disabledgear.com, which has now launched and is quickly gathering momentum.

Guy felt that there was a very real need for affordable kit and a place for people to buy it, as well as sell assistive equipment that is no longer needed or used. The result is DisabledGear.com. Although the site is mainly dedicated to buying and selling secondhand items, there are plans in the pipeline to further develop the range of new products on offer too...

Having had a good look around the website, I wasn't able to find a specific area to post/add wanted items (sorry blakesma), but perhaps you could submit an advert clearly marked WANTED. Would this work for you Guy?

DisabledGear.com is a much needed marketplace for secondhand assistive equipment, so go and check it out for yourself!

Having stumbled across this rather lovely TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talk from design critic, Don Norman, I just had to share it in the hope that other people would enjoy it as much as I did.

Don Norman's talk is disarmingly friendly and I love his ability to tell stories to demonstrate the three levels that we perceive an experience:

• Visceral - intuition/feelings (subconscious)
  
• Behavioural - the actual doing (subconscious)
  
• Reflective - thoughtfulness (conscious)

Would love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy! : )

Late Sunday afternoon I'd settled down on the sofa, cup of tea in hand, to read the Sunday papers when I stumbled across an interesting article in the Observer about the future plans of pram/pushchair manufacturer Bugaboo.


This year Bugaboo celebrates its 10 year anniversary and this very milestone seems to have got its team thinking. Not satisfied with being responsible for designing the 4X4 of pushchairs, they now want to try their hand at designing a wider range of products based on the theme of "mobility for life" including not only their staple of prams/pushchairs but also the new additions of walking frames, bicycles and bags.

So what can Bugaboo bring to the mobility product market, I hear you ask? Well, to start with I would say that their previous form should hold them in good stead. They already have a proven track record when it comes to pram/pushchair design and many of their features would transfer quite nicely to other mobility products such as walking frames, wheelchairs and mobility scooters:

The last point may be a bone of contention for some people, as Bugaboo pushchairs don't come cheap. However, founder Max Barenburg is quick to point out that "the product is worth it, you get value for money". Bugaboo products are most definitely an investment, but as long as they deliver on what they promise I'm sure that most people will not be disappointed.

Another reason for my interest in Bugaboo is their openness to listen to what their customers actually want, a trait that is very close to our hearts here at Enabled by Design. Doing this has led to a number of design developments to their prams, including improved suspension, a smaller, more lightweight version and a change in the tread of the tyres due to the rather messy issue of dog poo (yuck!).

A quick google search (yes, sad I know!) on the Bugaboo brand revealed that earlier this year Bugaboo collaborated with Paul Frank Industries to launch a collection of Bugaboo Cameleon prams/pushchairs covered in fabrics featuring signature Paul Frank characters (see below). Surely this must be a sign that Bugaboo is a fun and playful brand, just what the mobility product world needs I say! Who's with me?

So it's most definitely a case of watch this space and Bugaboo if you happen to be out there listening, the Enabled by Design community would love to get involved in your product development, so please do give us a shout! ; )

PS. By complete coincidence (really! perhaps she read the Observer article too?) a member of our community (KatieKate) inspired by pram accessories has recently added a post to our Ideas Factory looking for ideas to design a 'boogie board' for wheelchairs so her friends can hitch a ride. Check it out and add your comments/ideas here.

Team EbD x