‘sign-point’ – a winning concept 19/07/2012

From 21 – 23 June 2012 Mark and Matt were invited to take part in a 24-hour inclusive design challenge in Lisbon, Portugal. Mark’s team had a particularly successful outcome, winning both the judges’ and the people’s choice awards for their ‘sign-point’ concept.

The event was organised by Professor Ligiá Lopes from Porto University, Julia Cassim from the RCA Helen Hamlyn Centre, and the British Council. The challenge requires creative professionals and students to respond to a complex design brief within a 24-hour period. There were four teams, each including a design partner with a disability. Each team was given a different brief, relating to an area of Lisbon, specifically chosen as it posed particular challenges to the design partner. The common challenge for all the teams was the need to create an inclusive solution, increasing the level of pleasure experienced by all – not just the design partner.

Mark’s team worked with Ana Sofia who only has 10% vision and has lived in Lisbon her whole life. They were asked to focus on an elevated area of natural beauty with a panoramic view of the city. In order to reach this viewpoint, you must travel on the Gloria Lift – a traditional funicular elevator built in 1885. Increasing the pleasure of a viewing experience for someone with only 10% vision was a tough challenge however, Mark’s team realised that, as sighted tourists, they were ‘blind’ to the history and heritage of the area whilst Ana had vast experiences and stories to share. Thinking about the wider challenge, and moving away from the more obvious physical issues, allowed them to come up with a more inclusive solution. Their ‘sign-point’, situated at the viewing area, would allow people to share their experiences through audio recordings or by uploading pictures or video footage. Not only would this make the site more accessible to both sighted and visually impaired people, but also for people with hearing difficulties, poor literacy or foreign travellers who do not speak Portuguese.

Both Matt and Mark feel that they learned a lot (in an intense and very short space of time!) about both the challenges and benefits of collaborative design work.

For more information and pictures see – http://designincludesyou.org/