Presentation from the Intelligent Mobility Conference, Nottingham. January 2018

1. 24 January 2018
Prepared for Midlands Intelligent Mobility
Conference
Inclusive design for mobility.
Considering the needs
of older users

2. 1. Intelligent mobility
2. Some macro trends around older users
3. A survey we conducted of older travellers in the UK
1. Transport modes used
2. Current challenges faced
4. Solve for older users, fix for disability - does this work?
5. Designing mobility solutions with universal benefits
Contents

3. open inclusion
@openforaccess
We provide:
• User insights from disabled & older people
• Authentic and expert audits
• Innovation and universal design thinking
• Inclusion solutions, tools and training
• Governance support and value analysis
Open Inclusion
An accessibility and innovation consultancy

4. We identify and remove hurdles between
customer and product or service providers
so that both can achieve to the
fullest of their ambitions.
Open’s essence

5. We have a user panel of +350 people who
- Have sensory impairments
- Have mobility/dexterity impairments
- Are cognitively diverse
- Have complex (mixed) conditions
- Are over 65 years old
We do mainly qualitative user research,
both behavioral and attitudinal. In physical,
digital and hybrid environments.
Guidelines are not sufficient guides
Ask your users. Gain real insights
Authentic insight

6. Intelligent mobility?

7. Intelligent mobility?

8. Intelligent mobility

9. Intelligent mobility
“Intelligent”
because it does more for the users, more easily or efficiently than it does now
due to technology enabled solutions supported by real-time information.
“Mobility”
includes all modes or urban public and private transport and mobility solutions.
Anything motorized, or not, that helps people get from A to B. From walking or
a bike to powered scooter, cars, buses, ferries and trains.

10. 4 macro trends that make designing for older users very relevant
1. Ageing
population
Increasing proportion of older people (+65) particularly the
proportion and number of older old (+85). By 2040 1 in 4 people
across the UK will be +65.
2. Geographic
redistribution
This population of older people is not evenly distributed across the
UK. They are more likely to live in rural and semi rural areas and
increasingly so
3. Additional needs As we age we acquire more impairments including mobility,
dexterity, sensory (hearing and vision) and cognitive function.
4. Technology
enablement
Technology is making it easier to solve for varying users needs and
preferences. Inclusion is getting cheaper, easier to use and
mainstreamed

11. We are getting older
Our bodies are changing, not necessarily our attitudes!

12. % of the UK population over 65 years old % of the UK population over 85 years old
Source: ONS 2017
1/ We are getting older as a society

13. 2/ Older people are increasingly choosing to live in rural areas

14. Source: FRS 2015/16
Percentage of each age category who have at least one impairment that would be classed as a disability (EA)
By gender and age
3/ As we age we incur impairments at an increasing rate

15. 4/ Technology is making adaptive solutions more pervasive,
cheaper and easier

16. We ran an online survey from our panel
Survey conducted: January 2018
Participants: n = 16
Ages: 66 to 92
Based across the UK
Rural/village, town and urban
If in doubt - ask
How do older people travel? What do they want?

17. Stated impairments
56% mobility
25% vision
25% hearing
25% dexterity
6% speech
6% memory
What specific inclusion needs were most relevant?

18. Modes of transport
75% Driven by friends/family
63% Caught a local train
63% Walk (<1 mile)
56% Urban bus
56% Regional train
56% Taxi
50% Drive own car
44% Regional / national bus
44% Underground
25% Walk (>1 mile)
How do older people travel? What modes do they use?

19. People age very differently -
confidence, social interactions, attitudes
and ability to see, hear, think, react etc.
Older people are not a
single demographic group

20. Participant 2
Most frequent to least
1. am driven by family
2. regional train
3. public urban bus
4. local train
5. regional bus
6. private hire vehicle
7. taxi
Participant 1
Most frequent to least
1. walk (< 1 mile)
2. cycle
3. walk (>1 mile)
4. public bus
5. local train
6. regional train
7. London underground
8. aeroplane
When arranging transport modes by regularity
There were major usage differences
across the surveyed group

21. Public transport - current barriers Category
Cannot walk to public transport Mobility
Putting mobility scooter on public transport. Mobility
Lack of buses locally and non lowered curbs. Mobility
The train station is 1.5 miles away and Victorian, so I
cannot get across to the other platform. There is no lift. Mobility
High step or gap to get on train or coach Mobility
Railway stations that have stairs and no lift. Mobility
Pushchairs who cannot or will not fold for me to access
the wheelchair bay Mobility
Buses are overcrowded. Standing involves risk of falling Mobility
Holding on when moving Mobility
Standing for longer than 10 mins Mobility

22. Public transport - current barriers Category
Limited car parking Multiple
Taxis refusing assistance dogs Multiple
It is increasingly difficult to press the correct buttons to
purchase a ticket from a machine due to my hand
tremor. I prefer to buy tickets from station staff, if
available Dexterity
Announcements in audible form Hearing
Read bus numbers from a distance Vision
Identification of the bus route numbers Vision
Finding the right bus or train at a stop or station
Vision/
Cognitive
Access barriers older travellers face
Public transport - sensory, dexterity, cognitive

23. Private transport - current barriers Category
Getting walker/scooter out of car because of weight. Mobility
My left leg does not bend much, so any car has to have
wide opening doors and needs to be high, for me to get
in and out. Mobility
Some cars are too high or low to get into or out of,
need to open door fully to get in and out.
Some parking spaces are too narrow. Mobility
Accessible parking and space at the side of car to get
out. Some accessible spaces do not have the hash
markings on both sides. Also some on road parking not
having enough room to open tailgate to get scooter in
and out. Mobility
No disabled bay or all bays already filled. Mobility
Cannot take static chair in car so only accept lift if close
enough to walk Mobility

24. Private transport - current barriers Category
When they [taxi company] calls me on my mobile Hearing
Shutting the door and putting my seatbelt on Dexterity
Access barriers older travellers face
Private - hearing and dexterity

25. Walking or cycling - current barriers Category
Increasing immobility as hip and knee joints
stiffen and become painful when walking. Mobility
Pain, unable to walk more than a few metres,
I use a rollator around the house as I hate to
think I might be stuck in the chair forever. Mobility/ Pain
Pain, and stiffness of my joints walking
especially on uneven ground, gravel etc. Mobility/ Pain
Uneven pavements Mobility
Shared space, overgrown hedges, general
clutter such as street furniture Mobility
Obstacles such as cars on pavements, wheely
bins etc Mobility
Access barriers older travellers face
Walking and cycling - mobility

26. Access to friends/family, shops, work (paid and voluntary), healthcare providers,
entertainment and other daily living needs that provides:
• Independence
• Safety
• Communication and physical design adapted to their needs
• Time efficiency (duration, regularity and reliability)
• Cost efficiency
Not too many new things to learn. Simplicity or consistency.
Although “discovering” new challenges and technologies can be a pleasure too.
What older users want

27. Awareness and adoption of autonomous transport

28. We spend a lot of time designing the bridge, but not
enough time thinking about the people who are crossing it”
Dr. Prabhjot Singh
Director of Systems Design
Earth Institute
“
These challenges provide the seeds for innovation
and great inclusive design

29. Solving for older travellers' needs requires good inclusive design that will also
support the needs of younger people with a disability or temporary access needs
Older people have a higher propensity to incur impairments and co-morbidities
• mobility / dexterity
• hearing
• sight
• memory
• other cognitive decline
Good solutions for older transport users, may by default
solve access needs for disabled passengers

30. Older people with access needs
• May identify as “just getting older”
• May adapt slowly working around
the access need rather than directly
addressing it
• May use adaptive technology and
simple universal design “hacks”
Younger people with access needs
• May identify as disabled or d/Deaf,
wheelchair user or blind etc.
• Are more likely to directly address
the access need. e.g. get a hearing
aid, learn braille, BSL, use
advanced assistive technology
• May become part of a community
of people with similar access needs
A few main difference exist between older and younger
people with access needs – as a generalisation

31. Greater digital adoption and skills
Have higher education levels
Question and challenge more
Are working later in life
Greater economic resources
Higher service expectations
Travel more and more adventurously
Have better overall health for longer
Are living longer
The “new” old

32. Good insight: user research, measures and analysis
Effective government policy: leading to budget decisions, standards and legislation
Good public infrastructure
Simple, effective design principles
So what is needed - the broader framework

33. • Design for ease of learning
• Consider ease of use including access, egress and in motion
• Consider full needs of end-to-end journey
• Use real-time data such as seat availability and schedules to reduce uncertainty
• Provide multi-modal communication options
• Create / maintain urban spaces that are safe for people who have reduced mobility
• Design solutions that cater for multiple co-existing impairments
• Recognise emotional as well as functional needs
So what does this mean for inclusive design principles
for creators of smart mobility solutions?

34. “When we design for disability first, we often stumble upon solutions that
are not only inclusive but also are often better than when we design for the
Elise Roy
US Attorney and inclusive design advocate
“
Understanding and designing for the needs older and
disabled users will catalyse more innovative solutions

35. christine@openinclusion.com
Twitter: @openforaccess
www.openinclusion.com