IKEA debuted Omtänksam, which means “thoughtful” in Swedish, in 2017 to bring together comfort, functional assistance and IKEA’s design aesthetic in a series of household goods. At the latest event, the company committed to expanding its accessible products to include items for people with disabilities and illnesses.
It’s extremely important when talking about inclusive design to talk about implementation. Once you’ve gained an understanding of what inclusive design truly is (and isn’t), the task becomes making it a driving force to create products for everyone.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
