Evaluating Inclusive Design Tools: An Insight

Over the years, there are a number of tools and methods developed to support inclusive design, and new tools and methods are being developed to plug existing gaps or meet new needs. However, there is a lack of evidence of how effective, or to what extent, these tools are used by design practitioners. This paper presents a study conducted with both professional designers and design students in evaluating a selected range of inclusive design tools. It was found that the designers had little awareness of the available tools and there was a significant difference between the viewpoints of professional designers and design students. Interface and visual presentation of the tools had a great impact on the perceived usefulness of the tools. The insights gained from the process are being used to assist the development of new tools that communicate user data to designers.