The impact of input during the design of an assistive technology product

The design of products is a complex and expensive process. The design of everyday products can be challenging. When the product being designed is an assistive product it can become even more difficult. Companies that produce assistive products face all of the same design and business related issues of any other company along with many additional ones that can make the design of assistive devices even more challenging. This dissertation will examine the special challenges that are faced by designers of Assistive Technology (AT) products. It will then examine the design process and discuss how the design process itself can be utilized help address the challenges of designing AT devices. Finally, the results of a study to measure the effect of input during the design process will presented.;My personal interest is in studying and improving the process of design. I feel this is especially important in the design of AT. One of the study participants referred to people who do not require the use of AT as C.R.A.B.s, or Currently Regarded as Able Bodied. Nearly everyone in their lifetime will find a need to use an assistive device of some sort, whether because of the effects of age, accident or some other reason. Finding improvements in the design process is will benefit users and producers of AT in many ways. My hope is that this study will make a small contribution that will help advance design methods to help to encourage new innovation and enable the creation increasingly better products.