Evaluating Assistive Product With Designers: How To Understand And Address User Stigma Around Visible And Invisible Disability

Abstract

At the DRS conversation held on June 24, 2024, in Boston, researchers from Brunel University engaged in a discourse with ten audience members from diverse global backgrounds on the issue of user stigma in assistive product design. The purpose of this conversation was to delve into the potential challenges faced by disabled users when utilizing assistive products and to propose innovative design strategies aimed at eliminating stigma, fostering social inclusion, enhancing understanding of people with disabilities, and ultimately promoting the construction of a more barrier-free and equitable living environment. Through this discussion, participants gained a deeper understanding of the concept of disability and how design can effectively intervene to mitigate the associated stigma.