Towards Better Design, 2010

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.This survey is one outcome of the i~design research programme, which aimed to provide population-based data on user abilities that can better inform product design. A specific objective was to understand how decisions made by industrial designers have an impact on the number of people who will have difficulty with their products. The survey gathered information on general health, vision, hearing, mobility, reach, dexterity, cognitive function, anthropometrics, demographics, technology experience and psychological resources. Collecting all these measures within a single survey helps to understand co-occurring ability losses and their impact on product interactions.Main Topics:In preparation for sourcing funding for a larger survey, this was a pilot survey intended to demonstrate proof of concept in terms of: measures that are feasible to obtain by a team of interviewers visiting people in their own homes; the measurement, quality and usefulness of the data gathered. Standard Measures: Near and distance vision was measured by LogMAR letter charts; hearing was measured by speech in noise testing detecting numbers against ICRA noises; dexterity was measured by power grip strength and Moberg pickup test; cognitive function was measured by standard techniques used in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing