Short answer

Designers must move beyond designing for isolated disabilities and actively seek out and collaborate with users who have multiple or complex needs to ensure their designs are truly inclusive and effective.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: Academic Publication (2023)
Method: Workshop and collaborative forum
Evidence: Moderate effect

Focusing accessibility design efforts on single impairment categories overlooks the complex needs of many users, necessitating direct involvement of individuals with multiple disabilities in the design process. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Academic Publication. Using Workshop and collaborative forum, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers must move beyond designing for isolated disabilities and actively seek out and collaborate with users who have multiple or complex needs to ensure their designs are truly inclusive and effective.

Study

User-Centred DesignRecentModerate effect

Designing for Multiple Disabilities Requires Inclusive User Research

Academic Publication · 2023

Key Findings

01Current accessibility research often focuses on single impairments, which is an oversimplification of disability.
02A significant population of users has complex needs that are not adequately addressed by single-impairment focused designs.
03Directly involving users with multiple disabilities in the design process is essential for creating truly inclusive assistive systems.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When undertaking a design project involving accessibility, actively recruit and involve participants who represent a range of disabilities, including those with multiple or intersecting needs, throughout the research and development phases.

Project actions

01When selecting participants for user testing, aim for diversity that reflects the complexity of real-world users, not just single-issue cases.
02Consider how different assistive technologies might interact or conflict for users who rely on multiple devices.

Method & Evidence

AimHow can design practices be adapted to effectively incorporate the perspectives and needs of users with multiple or complex disabilities into the development of accessible technologies?

MethodWorkshop and collaborative forum

ProcedureThe research involved a workshop designed to bring together accessibility researchers and practitioners to discuss challenges and opportunities in designing for users with multiple disabilities. Participants shared perspectives, debated current paradigms, and fostered future collaborations.

ContextAssistive technology and accessible system design

Variables

IVUser disability profile (single vs. multiple/complex)

DVEffectiveness and inclusivity of assistive technology design

CVType of assistive technology, specific design features being tested

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Highlights a critical gap in current accessibility research.
+Advocates for a more inclusive and user-centered approach.

Limitations

Recruiting and effectively engaging participants with multiple or profound disabilities can be challenging due to logistical, ethical, and communication barriers. Standard research methods may need significant adaptation.

Reliability & validity

The reliability and validity of findings from a workshop can be limited by the subjective nature of discussions and the specific group of participants. Generalizability to the broader population of users with multiple disabilities may be low.

Think critically

What are the ethical considerations and practical challenges when trying to involve users with profound or multiple disabilities in a design process, and how can these be mitigated?

Design Principles

"Inclusive design requires understanding and accommodating the intersectionality of user needs, particularly for those with multiple disabilities."

Traditional design approaches often segment user needs based on singular disabilities. However, real-world user experiences are frequently multifaceted. By actively including individuals with complex or multiple disabilities in research and design, practitioners can develop more effective and truly inclusive solutions that address a broader spectrum of user requirements.

What This Means for Your Design

When you design something to help people with a disability, don't just think about one problem. Many people have more than one challenge, so you need to ask them what they really need and include them in making the design.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this research when justifying the selection of a diverse user group for your design project, especially if your project has accessibility considerations.
2.Use the findings to inform your user research methodology, advocating for inclusive recruitment and participation.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This design project acknowledges that accessibility is not monolithic. Research by Theil et al. (2023) indicates that focusing solely on single impairments oversimplifies disability and fails to address the lived experiences of users with complex needs. Therefore, this project prioritizes inclusive user research, actively involving individuals with multiple disabilities to ensure the developed solution is truly effective and equitable.

Source

Academic Publication

Accessibility Research and Users with Multiple Disabilities or Complex Needs

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about designing for multiple disabilities requires inclusive user research?: Designers must move beyond designing for isolated disabilities and actively seek out and collaborate with users who have multiple or complex needs to ensure their designs are truly inclusive and effective. Evidence: Academic Publication (2023).
Why does "Designing for Multiple Disabilities Requires Inclusive User Research" matter for design?: Traditional design approaches often segment user needs based on singular disabilities. However, real-world user experiences are frequently multifaceted. By actively including individuals with complex or multiple disabilities in research and design, practitioners can develop more effective and truly inclusive solutions that address a broader spectrum of user requirements.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers must move beyond designing for isolated disabilities and actively seek out and collaborate with users who have multiple or complex needs to ensure their designs are truly inclusive and effective.
What were the main findings?: Current accessibility research often focuses on single impairments, which is an oversimplification of disability.. A significant population of users has complex needs that are not adequately addressed by single-impairment focused designs.. Directly involving users with multiple disabilities in the design process is essential for creating truly inclusive assistive systems.
What research method was used?: Workshop and collaborative forum.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Academic Publication.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When undertaking a design project involving accessibility, actively recruit and involve participants who represent a range of disabilities, including those with multiple or intersecting needs, throughout the research and development phases.
What are the limitations?: The research is based on a workshop format, which may not capture the full breadth of challenges or represent all user groups. The specific methodologies for engaging users with complex needs are still under development.