Short answer
Designers must consider the social and attitudinal dimensions of accessibility, not just the physical, to create truly inclusive environments and experiences.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Tourism Management (2023)
- Method
- Qualitative research
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Mega-events offer a unique opportunity to identify and dismantle both physical and attitudinal barriers faced by people with disabilities, thereby enhancing accessible tourism. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Tourism Management. Using Qualitative research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers must consider the social and attitudinal dimensions of accessibility, not just the physical, to create truly inclusive environments and experiences.
Mega-events can expose and address disability-attitude gaps in destination design.
Mega-events offer a unique opportunity to identify and dismantle both physical and attitudinal barriers faced by people with disabilities, thereby enhancing accessible tourism.
Tourism Management · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Mega-events can serve as catalysts for significant national commitments to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
- 02While physical infrastructure improvements are often prioritized, persistent negative attitudes and stigma can still hinder full social inclusion and mobility for people with disabilities.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers must consider the social and attitudinal dimensions of accessibility, not just the physical, to create truly inclusive environments and experiences.
How to apply
When designing for public spaces or events, conduct thorough user research that includes understanding and addressing potential attitudinal barriers faced by diverse user groups.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, actively seek out perspectives from marginalized groups.
- 02Consider how your design might influence societal perceptions and attitudes.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on a critical, often overlooked aspect of accessibility (attitudes).
- +Provides a real-world case study of policy and design integration.
Limitations
It can be challenging to directly measure and change societal attitudes through design interventions alone.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of the study provides rich insights but may limit generalizability. Future research could employ mixed methods to quantify attitudinal shifts.
Think critically
To what extent can design interventions truly influence deeply ingrained societal attitudes, and what are the ethical considerations involved in attempting to do so?
Design Principles
"Inclusive design requires addressing both tangible and intangible barriers to user participation."
Designers and planners can leverage the high visibility and societal focus of mega-events to drive systemic change. This approach moves beyond mere physical accessibility to address the crucial attitudinal barriers that limit full inclusion and participation for people with disabilities.
What This Means for Your Design
Big events like the Olympics can help make places more accessible for people with disabilities, but sometimes people still have old-fashioned ideas that make it hard for them. Designers need to fix both the physical stuff and try to change people's attitudes.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the inclusion of attitudinal research in your user needs analysis.
- 2.Reference this study when discussing the broader social impact of design decisions.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the critical need to address the 'disability-attitude gap' in design, emphasizing that while physical accessibility is paramount, it is insufficient without concurrent efforts to dismantle stigmatizing social attitudes. Mega-events, as demonstrated by the Tokyo 2020 example, can serve as powerful catalysts for such change, prompting designers to consider the broader societal impact of their work beyond mere functionality.
Source
Tourism Management
Leveraging accessible tourism development through mega-events, and the disability-attitude gap
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about mega-events can expose and address disability-attitude gaps in destination design?
- Designers must consider the social and attitudinal dimensions of accessibility, not just the physical, to create truly inclusive environments and experiences. Evidence: Tourism Management (2023).
- Why does "Mega-events can expose and address disability-attitude gaps in destination design." matter for design?
- Designers and planners can leverage the high visibility and societal focus of mega-events to drive systemic change. This approach moves beyond mere physical accessibility to address the crucial attitudinal barriers that limit full inclusion and participation for people with disabilities.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers must consider the social and attitudinal dimensions of accessibility, not just the physical, to create truly inclusive environments and experiences.
- What were the main findings?
- Mega-events can serve as catalysts for significant national commitments to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.. While physical infrastructure improvements are often prioritized, persistent negative attitudes and stigma can still hinder full social inclusion and mobility for people with disabilities.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Tourism Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing for public spaces or events, conduct thorough user research that includes understanding and addressing potential attitudinal barriers faced by diverse user groups.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on a single mega-event and may not fully capture the long-term effectiveness of implemented policies or the diversity of experiences across different disability types.