A survey of design exclusion

A range of domestic products has been assessed using the seven-capabilities introduced earlier (see data / user information). The user pyramid (below) shows the result of the survey of exclusion for everyday products.

Excluded by design?

Mapping product demands and exclusion on to the user pyramid. Each product was given an overall score using the equation:
weighted disability score = worst + 0.4 x (second worst) + 0.3 x (third worst)

User capability losses are divided into ten levels, with the lowest band (1) representing the mildest impairment and the top level (10) being the most severe. Different shading is applied to differentiate mild impairment (score 1-2); moderate impairment (score 3-6); and severe impairment (score 7-10). The whole user pyramid represents 8 582 200 adults with functional impairments, 20% of the GB adult population.

The percentages shown when you hover your mouse over the levels in the user pyramid represent exclusion across the whole GB population. For example, products scoring 5 will exclude 6% of the GB adult population by the functional demands they made upon users.

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