Designers challenged to include disabled

Don Norman’s cool. I would like to see government support for bringing novel and useful designs to market, though. To often you only see cool things, but no one can afford them.

Designers challenged to include disabled - CNN.com

The future of design could see the divide between able-bodied and disabled people vanish.
Don Norman , design Professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, and the author of The Design of Future Things, is issuing a challenge to designers and engineers across the world: Create things that work for everyone.
“It is about time we designed things that can be used by ALL people — which is the notion behind accessible design. Designing for people with disabilities almost always leads to products that work better for everyone.”
Once the champion of human-centered design — where wants and needs of individuals are the primary consideration in the design process, Norman now believes accessible activity-centered design is a better approach.
This approach creates designs by looking at the job a person needs to achieve in using a particular technology.
Norman told CNN that including disabled people in this thought process would create better technologies for all people, regardless of their level of ability.
“Make cans and bottles that a one-handed person can open and guess what, many people will find it makes their lives easier when they only have one free hand.
“Showers and baths can be made better and safer for all. Make things better for the hard of hearing or seeing and guess what, similar benefits for all,” he said..

Children’s Book Bank: regent park

Children’s Book Bank looks like a cool place. I have to go visit, and drop off some books. I like the idea of giving away free books to children.

The Children’s Book Bank is a charitable organization designed to support children’s literacy by providing free books and literacy support to children in lower income neighbourhoods.

The Children’s Book Bank presently operates one location at 350 Berkeley Street in Toronto, and offers a range of gently used and new books secured through donation, school and community book drives. Staffed by volunteers and working within the community, The Children’s Book Bank focuses on the literacy needs of children aged 2-12 and works to support and develop each child’s interest in and success with reading. In addition to providing books, The Children’s Book Bank offers literacy support and programming.

A visit to The Children’s Book Bank is much like a visit to a familiar and well loved children’s book store. The space is safe, warm and inviting and is intended to create a wonderful oasis for the children; a place where they can relax and experience the magic of books and enjoy reading.