Towards a Taxonomy of Design Exclusion: Converging the physical and psychosocial across (dis)ability, health, and neurodiversity

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Initial definition and dimensions of psychosocial inclusivity in design were established in a recent PhD study led by Dr Nickpour (Lim, Giacomin and Nickpour, 2020). Building on the key findings, this PhD study addresses three key research questions:


1. How could dimensions of design exclusion be classified into a taxonomy?


2. What are the scenarios in which design exclusion happens and how could these scenarios be effectively captured, categorised, and represented?

3. How could a taxonomy and library of design inclusion inform and facilitate inclusive practice and policy, and in what format is it best experienced?

CONTEXT

Within the field of inclusive design there is a big current gap in knowledge regarding people’s psychological and sociological needs. Inclusive design has over the years produced many excellent design criteria to deal with the physical obstacles which people face, but not much attention has been paid to the psychological, sociological or value-related obstacles which people face. The focus has been mainly on matters of physical accessibility, functionality, usability and comfort. While this has been a fundamental and instrumental aspect of providing inclusive solutions, however such focus does diminish the concept of inclusivity to mere accessibility.

A question worth asking is, are we becoming truly more inclusive, or simply moving towards an illusion of inclusion which is ‘realistic’, ‘achievable’ and ‘measurable’. And is there a common ground between the ideal and the real? We ask these questions in the context of Design, and as designers, ask what truly inclusive design mean? What exclusion by design means and entails? And how can design contribute to inclusion?

It is therefore an imperative to investigate how to facilitate more ‘holistic’ forms of inclusion in order to build a society that is/ aims to be ‘truly inclusive’.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

This Phd aims to address the study, consideration, and facilitation of psychosocial inclusion which encompasses not just the physical but the cognitive, emotional, social, cultural and ideological aspects of ones experience in order to inform the current practice of inclusive design.

Initial definition and dimensions of the psychosocial inclusivity in design were established in a recent PhD study led by Dr Nickpour. Building on the key findings, this PhD study has two main aims: 

  1. Develop a taxonomy and library of Design Exclusion 
  2. Develop psychosocial inclusive design criteria  
OUTCOME

Expected deliverables:

  • Create a Taxonomy of Design Exclusions (critical and interdisciplinary review of literature) 
  • Build a library of ‘Exclusion Scenarios’ based on the design exclusion taxonomy (case study review and empirical studies) 
  • Inclusive design road map (outcome from literature review)
  • Develop psychosocial inclusive design criteria  

Contribution to knowledge:

  • Taxonomy of design exclusion