Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. Groom, and welcome to this Oak National Academy Design and Technology lesson, Inclusive Design in Industry, from the Key Stage 4 unit Inclusive Design: Mental Health and Wellbeing.

This is such a fascinating topic with so many real-world applications, so I hope that you are looking forward to it as much as I am.

So, let's get going.

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to explain how inclusive design applies to a range of industries and careers.

You'll start to see that these ideas go far beyond school projects.

They connect directly to real workplaces and real people.

Let's begin the lesson by introducing our keyword.

Human-centered design means focusing on human users, their needs, experiences, and diversity.

Transferable skills are abilities that can be applied across different careers or sectors.

And sectors are simply areas of work or industry.

For example, healthcare, transport, digital design, these are all sectors.

And you're gonna see how all of these keywords and the associated ideas link together as we move through the lesson.

So, here's our outline for today.

We'll start by exploring where inclusive design is used before looking at how design thinking extends beyond the classroom into a real-world career and industry.

So, inclusive design is a human-centered design approach.

It makes sure that product, services, and environments are useful and welcoming to as many people as possible.

It recognizes that people differ in age, ability, culture, and circumstance.

If you imagine a busy train station or shopping center, somewhere with a crowd, well, within that crowd, no two people are exactly alike.

Inclusive design aims to meet all those diverse needs, not just one type of person.

So, rather than designing for a single average user, inclusive design creates flexible and adaptable outcomes.

When industries adopt this approach, they promote mental health and wellbeing by reducing frustration, anxiety, and barriers to participation.

If you think about public spaces like libraries or transport hubs that use clear signage, calm colors, and adjustable lighting, these features don't just help people with particular needs, they improve comfort and confidence for everyone.

So, let's check that we understand what we've heard so far.

Here's a quick question.

Why might designing for an average user lead to exclusion or stress for others? Is it a, because it encourages designers to use higher quality materials? Is it b, because it ignores differences in the users' needs and abilities? Is it c, it increases manufacturing costs? Or d, it focuses too much on user emotions? Pause the video while you choose your answer, and when you are ready to see if you are right, hit Play.

Of course, the answer was b, it ignores differences in users' needs and ability.

Now, inclusive design is used in every sector, meaning every field of work.

The same human-centered principles apply whether you're designing in engineering, architecture, digital design, or even product design.

Every one of these industries relies on understanding people's experiences.

So having thought about that, which of these statements best describes how inclusive design applies across sectors? Is it: a, it's mainly used in assistive technology and medical products? b, it's only relevant to users with physical disabilities? c, it can improve experiences for a wide range of users in different industries? or d, it is used only when legal standards are required? Pause the video, hit Play when you're ready to check if you we're correctly.

That's right.

The answer was c.

it can improve experiences for a wide range of users in different industries.

So, if we take the healthcare sector, in healthcare, inclusive design considers both emotional and physical experiences for patients, visitors and staff.

It goes beyond accessibility by focusing on comfort, dignity, and anxiety reduction.

That might mean creating spaces where people feel calm, respected, and in control, even in stressful environments like hospitals.

And here are a few examples of that.

So, hospital furniture that can be reconfigured for different users.

For example, adjustable height seating for both adult and children.

Waiting areas designed with natural light and calming colors to reduce anxiety, and the production of information graphics that use plain language and friendly visuals rather than complex medical jargon.

All of these help everyone feel welcome and supported.

Let's check that you've understood what we've just talked about.

Which of these best demonstrates inclusive design in healthcare? Is the answer: a, installing ramps only for wheelchair users? b, adding specialist equipment to one treatment room? c, using complex medical symbols to look professional? or d, designing spaces that reduce anxiety and support comfort for all users? Hit Pause while you have a think about the answer.

And when you're ready to see if you are right, press Play.

So, of course, I'm sure you've got this one right.

The answer was d.

It's about designing spaces that reduce anxiety and support comfort for all users.

It's not about ramps for one group, or specialist rooms for a few, but spaces that work well for everyone.

We move on to the transport sector.

In transport, inclusive design creates positive experiences for every traveler.

It's about clarity, predictability, and emotional comfort: helping people feel confident, not rushed or confused.

When travel feels smooth and understandable, it directly supports our mental wellbeing.

So, some examples of this include things like clear wayfinding systems for a busy transport hub, consistent layouts across stations, and friendly, intuitive ticketing interfaces.

If you think about how calm you feel when signage is clear and announcements are reliable, and you can use the ticketing machine, that's inclusive design improving wellbeing.

So, let's check that you've understood what we've just talked about.

How does inclusive design in transport improve wellbeing? Is the answer: a, does it focus on smooth experiences and confidence for all travelers? b, it provides specialized routes to certain user groups only? c, it removes all information to simplify environments? or d, it makes travel faster by removing staff interactions? Pause the video while you think about your answer, and hit Play when you're ready to see if you were correct.

Of course, the answer was a.

Included design in transport improves wellbeing because it focuses on smooth experiences and confidence for all travelers.

If we look at the digital sector now, in digital design, inclusive thinking recognizes that users vary in age, literacy, confidence, and digital familiarity.

Designers aim to create interfaces that welcome everyone, not just technology experts.

Inclusive digital design is about reducing frustration, supporting choice, and building trust.

So, some practical examples of this in the digital sector are using plain language instead of technical jargon.

Organizing content in a predictable order so users can navigate easily, showing information with a clear visual hierarchy, meaning that the most important elements come first, and offering optional nodes like dark mode, or larger text sizes that boost accessibility.

And together, these make digital experiences calmer and more human.

So, what best defines an inclusive digital interface? Is it: a, one that relies on specialist training to use? b, one that hides advanced options from new users? c, one that adapts to different user preferences and experiences? and d, one that focuses only on brand style and visuals? Pause the video, and then when you're ready to move on and check that you've got the answer right, hit Play.

So, of course, the answer is C.

It's one that adapts to different user preferences and experiences.

If we think now about architecture and interior.

In architecture and interior design, inclusive thinking creates environments that feel comfortable for everyone, considering light, sound, texture, layout, and movement.

The sensory factors shape how we feel and work in a space.

For example, you might have a bedroom with adjustable lighting to suit mood or the time of day.

A busy library designed with acoustic control to reduce noise, or a food court that includes living walls, plants, that help absorb sound and improve air.

Each one supports comfort and wellbeing.

So, which of these options shows inclusive thinking in interior design? Is it a, focusing only on decorative color choices? Is it b, creating adaptable spaces that suit different comfort levels and tasks? c, adding separate furniture for each individual user? Or d, using identical lighting and furniture for every room? Pause the video, hit Play when you're ready to see if you we're right.

So, of course, the answer is b.

Creating adaptable spaces that suit different comfort levels and tasks shows inclusive thinking in interior design.

Well done.

Now it's your turn.

So, we've got three stages to this practice task.

First of all, we'd like you to define human-centered design and explain it's important in inclusive design.

2, I want you to describe how inclusive design can be applied in the transport sector to support mental wellbeing.

And 3, I'd like you to design a small inclusive space, perhaps a classroom corner, a waiting area, a library zone, and it needs to make sure that this supports mental wellbeing using inclusive design principles.

So, to help you do this, you might want to think about who is this small space for, how it will help with wellbeing, and which of the features that you include will show inclusive design.

So, lots to get on with there.

Pause the video, and when you want to check back on some model answers or some suggestions as to how you might have approached these tasks, hit Play to resume.

So, here's some feedback to tell you what you could have included in your answers.

And I'm sure you might have included many of these things.

So, well done.

So, if we define human-centered design, "Human-centered design is a design approach "focused on the needs, abilities, "and experiences of real users.

"It's important in inclusive design "because it ensures products and environments "are suitable for diverse people, "improving accessibility, comfort, and wellbeing." If we describe how inclusive design can be applied in the transport sector to support mental wellbeing, we might say this, "Inclusive transport design "includes clear signage, audio announcements, "and intuitive ticket system.

"These features reduce confusion and anxiety, "helping users feel confidence "and less stressed during travel." Now, here we've got an example of the type of small space that you might have designed.

So, here what we've designed is a quiet corner in a classroom.

So, there's soft seating, an adjustable lamp, and plants.

Students can choose to sit alone or with others 'cause there's a variety of seating.

There will be calm colors and soft textures to create a soothing, inclusive atmosphere for everyone.

There's a window for natural light, that's where it's being positioned.

And you can see there are adaptable, movable tables and stools that can be used for a variety of reasons.

This shows a great example of how simple choices can support everyone's wellbeing.

So, we're going to move on now to think about design thinking beyond the classroom.

So, design thinking is a human-centered process that helps us understand people's needs, find challenges, develop ideas, and test solutions.

In inclusive design, it ensures we consider emotional, sensory, and cultural differences throughout the process, not as an afterthought.

So, let's check what we understood about inclusive design thinking.

Which statement best describes inclusive design thinking? Is it a: a method that prioritizes empathy and understanding of diverse users? b, a step-by-step approach to making products cheaper? c, a process used only in accessible design? d, a process focused only on removing physical barriers? Pause the video, and when you're ready to check if you we're right, hit Play.

So, of course that's right, the answer was a, inclusive design thinking is a method that prioritizes empathy and the understanding of diverse users.

But inclusive design also develop transferable skills.

These are abilities that apply across careers.

Empathy, creativity, and critical reflection are useful in technology, engineering, healthcare, education, and all sorts of other sectors.

These are qualities that employers really value.

They can show that you understand people and that you are able to solve real problems in an inclusive way.

So, why is design considered a transferable skill? Is it because: a, it's mainly used for art-based projects? b, it helps designers use specialist tools in any workshop? c, it combines creativity, empathy, and problem-solving? or d, it applies only to physical product manufacturing? Have a think about the correct answer, pause the video, and when you're ready to check your answer, hit Play.

So, that's right, design is considered a transferable skill because it combines creativity, empathy, and problem-solving.

Now, empathy helps designers imagine how experiences feel for different people and anticipate barriers.

Here, the role of empathy within inclusive design means making no assumptions about what users need, and instead listening to them, observing them, and learning from them about their needs.

For example, an interior designer might think about how light levels affect concentration and mood.

A web designer might test how motivation and confidence influence a learner, using a language app.

Both are using empathy to design better experiences.

Now, inclusive design also encourages experimentation and iteration: trying out ideas, testing them with users, and improving them.

Reflection helps designers notice their own biases and include multiple perspectives.

It's not about getting it right first time.

It's about listening and refining as much as possible to get closer and closer to that perfect product.

So, why is empathy important in inclusive design? Is it because: a, it helps designers understand and respond to diverse user experiences? b, it ensures all users are treated the same way? c, it focuses only on physical accessibility? or d, it helps designers copy other people's ideas? Have a think about the answer, pause the video, and when you're ready to see if you we're right, hit Play.

Of course, the answer is a.

The main reason empathy is important in inclusive design is because it helps designers understand and respond to diverse user experiences.

So, inclusive design thinking is valuable across lots of different sectors.

In community sectors, it can help to improve participation.

In architecture, helps people focus and feel they belong.

In healthcare, it supports wellbeing and confidence.

In digital design, it creates systems that work smoothly for different users.

In education, it enhances engagement and participation.

And in product and engineering design, it makes everyday objects intuitive.

So, let's have a think about what we've just seen.

In which sector could inclusive design skills be valuable? Is it: a, only in disability product manufacturing? b, in any field where empathy and problem-solving are valued? c, only in graphic design and marketing? or d, only in architecture and interiors? While you're thinking about your answer, pause the video and when you're ready to see if you're right, hit Play.

So, of course, in which sector could inclusive design skills be valuable? In any field where empathy and problem-solving are valued? Inclusive design teaches adaptability, the ability to think flexibly and respond to human difference.

Employers value people who can listen, collaborate, and innovate inclusively.

Inclusive design isn't just a classroom topic, it's a mindset for life.

It can help in a variety, of professional and career situations, especially where understanding other people really matters.

So, let's think about why employers value inclusive design skills.

Is it: a, because they focus on marketing rather than users? b, they make product cheaper to produce? c, they demonstrate empathy, creativity, and problem solving? or d, they replace teamwork and communication skills? Pause the video while you think about your answer, and hit Play when you're ready to continue.

Of course, the answer is c, they demonstrate empathy, creativity, and problem-solving.

Brilliant work.

So let's move on to our second task.

And again, we've got three different things to have a go at here.

So firstly, I'd like you to define transferable skills in design and technology.

Secondly, explain how empathy improves inclusive design.

Okay, so explain how empathy can improve outcomes in exclusive design.

And thirdly, describe two careers where inclusive design thinking is valuable, and and explain why for each.

So, pause the video to keep these tasks up on your screen.

Have a go at them, and when you are ready to see some model answers, hit Play, and we'll share some of those with you.

Okay, so hopefully you're ready to check your responses to the ones that we have provided here.

Some models that you might have a similar response to, you might have some of these elements, or if you don't, you could always add these into your own that you've got in front of you.

Totally up to you.

So firstly, if we were to define transferable skills in the context of design technology, we might say that, "Transferable skills are abilities that can be used "in many different subjects or careers, "such as creativity, empathy, and problem-solving," giving some really good specific examples there.

So, hopefully you were able to do the same.

Secondly, if we were to explain how empathy can improve outcomes in inclusive design, we might have said this, "Empathy helps designers understand "different users' experiences and emotions.

"This leads to solutions that make people feel comfortable "and confident, not excluded or overwhelmed." Think about the third question now, that you needed to describe two careers where inclusive design thinking is valuable and explain why it's so valuable in both careers.

So, you might have talked about in digital design, you might have said that, "Inclusive design thinking "ensures websites and apps are easy "for everyone to navigate, regardless of their confidence, "language, or experience." And you might have also said that, "In interior design, inclusive design thinking "helps create spaces that support wellbeing for everyone.

"For example, a classroom of office "designed with adjustable lighting, flexible furniture, "and calm colour schemes that allows different people "to focus and feel comfortable, "promoting a sense of belonging." And you might have looked at something like architecture or something similar.

Any of the other examples that we've gone over in this lesson, I'm sure you had very similar responses.

So, well done.

So, to summarize today's lesson, human-centered design focuses on understanding diverse users.

Inclusive design principles can be applied across all sectors.

Designers use transferable skills like empathy and creativity, and design thinking supports wellbeing and innovation everywhere, particularly through that idea of inclusive design thinking.

Thank you for paying such great attention to today's lesson.

I hope you found it is interesting as I did, and we can't wait to welcome you back again for another Oak National Academy Design and Technology lesson in the future.

Goodbye.