Following the commercial success and popularity of the products launched by B&Q and its partnership with The Royal College of Art Helen Hamlyn Centre, B&Q has embraced inclusive design as a vital part of its product development process.
The company has introduced a ‘Daily Living Made Easier’ range of household items and in 2004, in conjunction with its parent organisation Kingfisher, published industry guidelines on inclusive design.
Naturally, Kingfisher and B&Q’s interest in inclusive design is not purely philanthropic. Research by the Future Foundation suggests that by 2020 almost half of Europe’s adult population will be over 50, and at present one in seven of Britain’s population is classed as disabled. This represents a massive market opportunity for those companies that embrace a more inclusive approach to product development.
The guidelines aim to provide Kingfisher companies, their consultants and suppliers with a better understanding of inclusive design principles and the benefits they can bring both to the business as a whole and its customers.
Identifying the physical, sensory and cognitive impairments suffered by many people the guidelines suggest ways to accommodate these in the design process. They include practical tips on designing more accessible products using a range of principles such as clearer graphics, colour, typography, or instructions, and help designers consider ergonomics and factor grip, force, weight and balance issues – as well as people’s cognitive impairments – into their designs. Different research methods are included – and, importantly, advice is also given on the best ways of marketing inclusive products.
B&Q has come a long way since it first partnered with The Royal College of Art Helen Hamlyn Centre in 2000. Inclusive design is now central to B&Q’s product development strategy, reinforcing its corporate goal to be ‘a great company that can be trusted to respect the quality of life of all the people and communities we touch’. The company will always been known as a supplier of cost effective DIY solutions, but in an increasingly ageing population, all B&Q’s customers can now choose well-designed products that they are able to use, as well as those they can afford.
