An interaction that most people go through on a daily basis, and take for granted, is with their fridge. If I were to redesign this, it could go a couple ways depending on the disability in mind. If my users were blind, I would try to integrate voice commands and responsivity based on verbal sound waves. Additionally, the fridge could frequently put out little vibrations through the floor and walls to warn the user when they are coming close. If my users were physically disabled, I might supplement the fridge with a remote that allows the user to open and close the door, as well as prompt various shelves to pop out further. If my users had a skin condition that caused them to be sensitive to colder temperatures, I would design the fridge so that it functions like a vending machine with a dispenser. The user could input bits of information through voice or text about the various foods or groceries in their fridge, and summon exactly what they’re looking for on command. This could be a useful feature even for those of us who don’t necessarily need it, as I’ve found a lot of times I can lose certain items if they are behind a lot of other foods and jars I don’t need at the moment. A fridge dispenser with lots of sized storage boxes or spaces could be very useful, proving once again that designing with inclusivity in mind benefits everyone.
After having watched the videos about accessibility, my perspective has definitely changed. As Liz Jackson stated, designing something without accessibility in mind and trying to adapt it later generally doesn’t yield as good designs as ones that consistently explored inclusivity. Designing for accessibility is not a burden or an afterthought, but something that is necessary for progression in technology.
