CCDN 271 assignment 2

Abstract and Thesis Statement

A growing problem in today’s society is the amount of poverty around the world and the multitude of problems it brings with poverty. Where there is most of the world’s wealth in a percent as low as ten percent and the majority of the world’s population in poverty and some at the edge of starvation. With the technology of today’s age many designers will find that there are many more options available to solve the problems in third world countries.  With this project I aim to research the efforts of designers concentrating more on design for the other ninety percent (third world countries), helping with sustaining a better living condition to face the many problems for those in third world countries living in poverty. I will argue that designers of the world should be putting more of their attention to “design for the other ninety percent” as it will collectively help improve the living standards in third world undeveloped countries so they can live a life that everyone deserves. Beginning with Ilse Oosterlaken. (2009) Design for Development: A Capability Approach. Design Issues 25:4, 91-102, this will provide me with an overview of an analysis of the development of design for “the other ninety percent” and an idea on what should be done about this to start making a change for people living in third world countries. Another source that I will be studying is a video retrieved from TEDIndia (2009) which provides a good example of some of the serious problems that are faced in third world countries and what methods were used to help solve these problems. 

References:

Ilse Oosterlaken. (2010) Design for Development: A Capability Approach. Design Issues 25:4, 91-102.

TEDIndia. (2009) Jane Chen: A warm embrace that saves lives. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_chen_a_warm_embrace_that_saves_lives.html

CCDN271 Assignment 1.

The topic I chose was design4theOther90%



Design for inclusivity: a practical guide to accessible, innovative and user-centered design is a book that as a background first explains how times are changing where more people are starting to live in urban areas rather than rural (united Nations, 2005) this book then addresses its main point on how the world is now starting the approach of inclusive design where everyone is included in the thought process when making new designs. With the intention that everyone, old, male, female, crippled etc. will be able to use the product and not just the “mainstream” 20-45 years of age to provide products and services than can be used by everyone essentially expanding and making a new “mainstream” which is “barrier free” (Roger, 2007, p. 2). Although this book is communicating the idea of global design it is focusing a lot on the background of the excluded in the past and what companies are doing nowadays to include them in their design range.

In this book there is a main focus on designing for the other ninety percent as it is design not sought out for the wealthiest but inclusively and within that looking at part of that ninety percent that isn’t included in the past and how that small group is slowly being involved into it.

One of the issues in the book is looking at whether inclusive design is a marketing advantage (Roger, 2007, p. 57). With valid points being made about sales increasing in companies that switched to a more inclusive business strategy making it quite convincing of noticeable advantages to being pro inclusive design. There are examples such as product development practitioners who with being “inclusive design-aware” selectronic shower showing the significant rise in sales (Roger, 2007, p. 58) while it looks like a promising business strategy some weaknesses too this argument seem to be that there are examples that seem to be more specifically designed for the crippled or old even though in a sense it is inclusive considering non cripples and young people can use it but considering the design has mainly the thought of easy use for crippled or old people ultimately shifts it from being inclusive too specific design.

References:
Roger.C (2007) Design for inclusivity : a practical guide to accessible, innovative and user-centred design. Aldershot : Gower ; Burlington, VT : Ashgate Pub.

United Nations(2005), World Urbanizing Prospects: The 2005 Revision(New York, NY: Department Economic and social affairs, Population Division).