Everybody Technology
Why Now?
Good technology and design improve our lives in countless ways: by transforming what we can do and how we feel. But currently the benefits aren’t universally shared. Mainstream products are too often designed without disabled users in mind. And specialist access products usually score better on functionality than design, with their users too often feeling stigmatized and left out from the technology products everyone else is using.
Access Technology urgently needs an upgrade. It’s expensive, quickly obsolete and under-invested. Ask the people using it. But it exists because mainstream technology doesn’t meet disabled user’s needs. The time has come to stop making technology for the disabled 20% and start designing new technology for the 100%.
Everybody Technology: What is it?
Technology so smart, so simple and so powerful it works for everybody.
Everybody Technology is an approach to product design that aims to achieve social inclusion by inserting insight about disability groups into the product development processes of mainstream and access technology companies.
The Target:
Market beating products designed to incorporate both able and disabled users’ needs, which promote emotional wellbeing and social inclusion whilst generating business value for their creators.
Everybody Technology is based on the idea that Access Technology, made by niche manufacturers working alone is not efficient. And that large, mainstream companies are well placed to make technological products that work for disabled users and can equally also work for every user. This happens by simply designing for a wider market earlier in the design process. The best example is the Apple range, which are by far the most “accessible” devices and are also the most demanded smartphones and tablets in the mass market. Equally there will always be a demand for specialist access technology products to enhance these products for the further specific needs of their users.
We believe that by developers working with designers, disabled users and experts, products that are easier to use for all will result.
The audio-described version is here
Vision
“I dream that all people with disabilities should be seen for who they are, not the machines they use. So I ask that you create with everyone in mind, consider every need, and go beyond perceived limits. From a challenge the brilliant can become even better. Those who can, join together and create technology for everybody.”
Stephen Hawking, 2012
We've created the short film above(duration: 1 min) to persuade those who can, to create technology for everybody. You can help us spread the word to technology companies by sharing it!
On Twitter: use #EverybodyTech or share the link: http://youtu.be/2Tel9UvJfws
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