Accessible, user-friendly, intuitive: inclusive design establishes diversity as the norm and develops solutions that make everyday life more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. In this way, it contributes to the promotion of an inclusive society in which no one is marginalised.
by Oliver Herwig
LAVA is a care shower chair for people with age-related disabilities that promotes their autonomy without barriers thanks to its functionality and appearance. It was awarded the Hessian State Prize for Universal Design in 2024. | Photos: Lola Behrens
Helga K. leans over her daily newspaper, glides a prism over the headlines, pauses and sighs. The 88-year-old suffers from poor eyesight caused by a metabolic disorder that is gradually blinding her. ‘It’s incredibly boring’, says the once avid reader and interior designer. She doesn’t use a tablet and regrets that she missed out on the smartphone revolution. But at least she still lives independently in her own home. Every day brings new challenges: deciphering small print when shopping, opening stubborn packages and operating household appliances that seem designed for bodybuilders. Rehabilitation aids like walking frames? Helga K. says no. ‘I’ve spent my whole life appreciating good design, so I’m not going to push a grey monstrosity around’, she says.
She is not alone in her struggles, but feels abandoned by an industry that largely ignores older people. But the statistics tell a different story: Germany is ageing. Some 18.4 million people over the age of 65 currently live between Flensburg and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, making up around 22% of the population, and this figure is set to rise. By 2035, the proportion is expected to be 27.4%. This trend appears irreversible. Boys born in 2020 can expect to live an average of 78.5 years and girls 83.4 years – a doubling of life expectancy in the last 150 years, according to the latest statistics.
‘I’ve spent my whole life appreciating good design, so I’m not going to push a grey monstrosity around’
– Helga K. (88), interior designer
Designing for Everyone
Focusing solely on the Boomers or Generation Z ignores the broader societal shift. As sociologist Hartmut Häußermann has observed, “No age group is more intrinsically diverse than older people”. Moreover, seniors are part of a diverse society with different backgrounds and cultures that are often inadequately reflected in our everyday environments.
Diversity requires more than inclusive language. It’s about recognising and respecting differences and championing everyone’s right to participate in society despite disabilities. This ranges from clear communication and accessible symbols to lifts next to stairs and inclusive attitudes. Even those with no direct experience – such as breaking a leg or pushing a pram – can empathise and help when faced with barriers such as out-of-order lifts.
Design facilitates this shift in perspective. People with disabilities are a significant part of society. We need adaptable environments that respond to different needs and systems that don’t marginalise people with disabilities. Accessibility is not just about compliance – it is a mindset. Participation, like sustainability, must become standard practice and an integral part of design education.
New Simplicity
Simplicity remains key. Intuitive, clear processes are essential, especially for inclusivity. Design must move beyond marketing-driven approaches to prioritise broad usability. “Accessibility is not just a legal standard, but an opportunity to improve the user experience for everyone,” stressed Jörg Heidrich of Robert Bosch at the German Design Council’s ‘Shaping Society! Conference’. Accessibility isn’t just an obligation, it’s a strategic way to optimise design.
But design alone isn’t enough without acceptance. It’s about connecting with people. Even accessible design is only part of the solution. The rest is about fostering acceptance and improving quality of life, as outlined by the Generation Research Programme (GRP) at LMU Munich. Their four-stage model includes: Accessibility as the foundation, Usability for ease of use, Acceptability for market acceptance and stigma-free products, and Joy of Use for aesthetics and emotional engagement. “Sustainable solutions emerge when we understand user needs beyond the obvious,” said Tobias Stuntebeck of Whitecane, who spoke at the conference about innovative aids for the blind and visually impaired.
Breaking Out of the Niche
‘We need spaces where people feel comfortable and objects that can be used intuitively and effortlessly’, says Carolin Pauly, executive director of the Institute for Universal Design. She stresses that universal design is not about designing ‘for the elderly’. ‘We want to take it out of the niche’, she explains – away from the realms of care and compensation. Universal design develops holistic environments and services for a diverse society. Whether it is called inclusive design or design for all is secondary; its social impact is what counts.
Discriminatory objects are outdated, yet users often associate oversized buttons or large fonts with ‘weakness’. This is an opportunity for designers to create products that promote independence and inclusion. As our world becomes more diverse, it’s important to consider everyone’s needs from the outset – to design products, services and environments that are truly inclusive.
‘Accessibility is not just a legal standard, but an opportunity to improve the user experience for everyone’
– Jörg Heidrich from Robert Bosch
Better Together
This isn’t utopian idealism, but the legitimate aspiration of many. A world of universal, inclusive design could be clearer, simpler and safer. ‘Good design is as little design as possible’, says Dieter Rams. It’s about making functions clear, intuitive and accessible to all. An ergonomic bread knife with an angled blade is an example of this – it helps people with limited mobility while increasing ease of use for everyone. This new simplicity benefits everyone.
Marie Kurstjens’ COOK/ABILITY kitchen tools go even further with individually adjustable knives, spatulas and mixers. The handles can be adjusted via an app for better accessibility and greater independence – meeting different user needs beyond physical impairments.
Lola Behrens’ LAVA shower chair is an example of inclusive design, combining accessibility and autonomy with a bold aesthetic. Its extended armrests make standing easier, while its clean lines facilitate hygiene. Although primarily designed for rehabilitation, it’s also valuable for those recovering from surgery or for pregnant users.
This is what inclusive design achieves – solutions that meet different needs with minimal extra effort. Intelligent innovations such as Vorkoster, a reusable pH-sensitive food packaging that signals spoilage, or Hélène Fontaine’s i-si – Easy-to-Open container with ergonomic features, prove that such ideas can and should become industry standards.
These are the solutions the world has been waiting for – simply good for everyone. That’s the essence of inclusive design.
Related Events and Awards:
The hybrid event ‘Shaping society!’ took place on 6 December 2024 at the Evangelische Akademie Frankfurt and was broadcast via livestream.
Shaping Society! Conference
The German Design Council’s Shaping Society! conference merges visionary ideas with tangible solutions, inspiring designers, entrepreneurs, and all those working at the intersection of design and social responsibility.
Hessischer Staatspreis Universelles Design
(Hessian State Prize for Universal Design)
This nationwide award recognises companies, start-ups, designers, architects, creative minds, non-profits, and students contributing to an inclusive, sustainable future.
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About the Author
Dr. Oliver Herwig, journalist and presenter. Design expert for AD, FR, FAZ QUARTERLY, nomad, ndion, NZZ and SZ; design theorist at the University of Art and Design Linz and the HfG Karlsruhe. Winner of the Karl Theodor Vogel Prize for outstanding technical journalism and the COR Prize for ‘Living and Design’. Has worked and studied in England, the USA and Norway. He has been a science journalist in Tübingen, guest editor at *wallpaper in London, and editor-in-chief at nomad. Author of around three dozen books on architecture and design, including Michele De Lucchi, Flying Buildings and Entertainment Architecture.
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