Meet Gabe - A 22 year old living with one arm
Common Obstacles
Gabe explained that most environments and/or products are not made for people with disabilities
“A common obstacle is having to adapt to spaces or products that weren’t really made with you in mind, while also not letting comparison with others discourage you”
Promoting Inclusivity
Gabe stated that design can be empowering when account for disabiities is automatically taken into consideration when designing, rather than an afterthought.
“Design can [empower people] by treating different abilities as part of the normal, not as a special case”
Features that Would Improve Accessibility
Gabe said that having some goals in mind like flexibility and independence is important for inclusive design
“Things that give users more control, like adjustable settings, alternative ways to interact, and designs that are easier to use independently”
Daily Real-World Challenges
“Opening ground beef packages. The corner seal is hard to pull apart because you need a good grip and leverage”
Major Challenges
Assumption of Two-Handed Products
Most products assume that users have:
• Two hands
• Grip strength that is equal in both hands (≥ 82 lbs)
• Full range of motion in limbs
Features of Products are Not Adaptive
Products lack:
• One-hand adaptability
• Voice control
• Positioning of products is adaptable
• Easy-usability of mechanism
Social Impact
Gabe touched on the point of normalizing different abilities
This statement represents how differences in ability can affect:
• Confidence
• Participation in social settings
• Emotional well-being
Design Ideation
