The Economic Explanation of Inclusive Design in Different Stages of Product Life Time
Year: 2019
Editor: Wartzack, Sandro; Schleich, Benjamin; Gon
Author: Li, Fang (1,3); Dong, Hua (2)
Series: ICED
Institution: Tongji University
Section: Innovation engineering
DOI number: https://doi.org/10.1017/dsi.2019.244
ISSN: 2220-4342
Abstract
The static data obtained from user research are not sufficient to accurately reflect the change of the user's needs and capabilities in different contexts. Not paying enough attention to the economic feasibility of design solutions makes inclusive design face challenges in commercialization. In this paper, the user's demand is regarded as a function of the dynamic interaction between the user's characteristics and the environment. The inclusion problem is defined from an economic perspective. By distinguishing the stages before and after the delivery of a product, different economic properties of the product are defined. Then the two stages are analysed from the perspective of investment and consumption respectively, and the competition criterion of inclusivity distribution and the reasons for exclusion are deduced. According to the causes of different problems in the two stages, the research direction of inclusive solutions is pointed out, and the economical sustainability of inclusive design is analysed. This paper emphasizes that the goal of inclusive design lies not only in the partial and temporary elimination of exclusion, but also in how to distribute the freedom of choice.
Keywords: Inclusive design, Design theory, Design methodology, User centred design, Design economics