ABSTRACT
Design as a discipline has changed significantly over the years, with a move towards greater user participation and the involvement of multi-disciplinary design teams. In many respects design in assistive technology has been left behind in the wake of this evolutionary development, but this is hardly surprising given that products in this area are designed with the medical needs of a particular client being paramount. Often products need to be extensively modified to the needs of an individual client, which brings to the sector the attributes of a craft industry rather than the mass production associated with modern industrial design. The emphasis on function is necessary in assistive technology, but products also need to be constructed based on a broad understanding of potential users’ needs, rather than solely on the opinions of medical experts whose concerns are primarily with the clinical condition of the client. Methods are needed which allow end-users of such technology to make some contribution to their development, and which address broader issues such as quality of life and acceptance of technology.
