DESIGN.

DIFFERENT
Vol 1, October 2020 THE HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR DESIGN

1
 Writers
Bree Aljaf, Jo-Anne Bichard,
Rama Gheerawo, Ninela
Ivanova, Chris McGinley,
HELLO...
This publication describes the work of the
Jeremy Myerson, Gail Ramster, Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the
& Jonathan West Royal College of Art that took place
between October 2019 and September
Editor 2020. Written in magazine format,
Rama Gheerawo it features articles from our team focusing
on the creative power of inclusive design
Design and management – a process whereby designers include the
Elizabeth Raby widest number of people – and now seen
as one of the most important components
Photographers of modern design. We hope you enjoy the
Adam Hollingworth, Petr Krejci, ideas contained within.
Design & Architecture Norway,
The Hong Kong Design Centre The magazine title comes from this simple
& Pratt Institute Gallery, idea: we design with a difference, to make
New York. a difference. We Design.Different!

Printing
Full Spectrum,
fullspectrumpm.co.uk

© 2020 The Helen Hamlyn

Centre for Design,
CONTENTS INCLUSIVE DESIGN.................................... 2
An overview of our practice
Royal College of Art
PROJECT PATHWAYS................................ 4
Ways to get involved with the Centre
Design.Different
The Helen Hamlyn
Centre for Design
THE NEED FOR LEADERSHIP .................... 5
Creative Leadership across disciplines
Vol. 1, October 2020

This publication is licensed under

DESIGN AGE INSTITUTE............................ 8
A national centre for design and ageing
a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND
Licence. Some Rights Reserved.
This licence permits the copying,
INCLUSIVE DESIGN FOR
reuse and distribution of this BUSINESS IMPACT.................................. 10
material. You must credit the Exploring new pathways for buisness
licensor, you can only use
the work for non-commercial AGE & DIVERSITY..................................... 14
purposes, and you may not create Supporting all ages and backgrounds
adaptations of the work without
prior consent of the publishers. HEALTHCARE............................................ 20
Tackling issues in health and care
Published by
The Helen Hamlyn Centre INCLUSIVE DESIGN FOR
for Design, Royal College of Art,
4 Hester Road,
SOCIAL IMPACT....................................... 26
Communities, toilets and global change
London SW11 4AN

T: +44 (0) 207 223 7705

PHD............................................................. 30
A summary of PhD project work
hhcd@rca.ac.uk
www.hhcd.rca.ac.uk

2 1
 INCLUSIVE DESIGN
Rama Gheerawo – Director
“My wish has always been
that young designers should,
when they leave college,
step into the lives of the
people they are designing
DESIGN AND RACE
2020 was a year when conversations
about race resonated across the world.
We need to move beyond the monolith of
mono-culturism and go beyond the single-
shaded experience. Exclusion by race or
for and with. The Centre culture is rife and at a time when this is

In 1994, the Centre defined the term to win significant funding from Research
plays an important role in being heralded globally, design needs to be
accountable and not run from hard truths
inclusive design, framing it as the empathic England to set up the Design Age Institute, achieving tangible inclusive or critical conversation. Design touches
involvement of people in the design
process. In the 26 years since, we have
a national centre for design and ageing
building on our 29-year history (see more
design outcomes both within almost every aspect of our life, but is it
really diverse and representative, both as
stood true to this idea, continually evolving on page 8). and outside of the RCA.” a profession, and in term of its impact?
its application through projects,
collaboration and dissemination. Over the This work would not be possible without Helen Hamlyn Design in this century has to ensure
years, we have worked with around 200 the Royal College of Art, which has longevity through diversity, without
organisations on over 300 projects, and incubated and developed the Centre resorting to tokenistic approaches. The
trained thousands of individuals in this over the years. Importantly, I want to same sun rises and sets on us all every day,
creative philosophy. acknowledge Lady Hamlyn and Helen but that day can bring a radically different
Hamlyn Trust, who have walked this experience depending on our age, ability,
Inclusive design is an idea that has come journey with us over the years and gender or race – just a few of the many
of age. It is very much of the times as continue to give so generously of their aspects of human diversity that are often
we navigate pandemic and protest, and time and support to enable everything not considered. Inclusive design is well
as the changes and challenges of 2020 that we do. poised to play a role but the definitions of
redefine the world around us. We see exclusion need to be expanded.
inclusive design as a powerful and I hope you enjoy the ideas and projects
conscious response, something that contained within this magazine. In 2010, we partnered the publication of the
should be in every designer’s toolbox, Innovating with People book with Onny
and part of every creative conversation. Eikhaug, calling for an expansion of
There is a kind of brilliance that comes inclusive design definitions to include race.
from designing for and with people, Now is the time to enable this, spanning
especially those who are underserved or activism, actionism and action to ensure
excluded by the mainstream. It pushes a democracy of approaches. And now is
our designers and researchers to reach the time to ask - how can design open its
greater heights and arrive at ideas that are doors and windows to a variety of
more relevant, useful and socially beneficial. experiences and cultures … and ensure
that they stay open?
We deliver inclusive design projects in
collaboration with academia, government,
business and the public sector and our
structure is simple. We have two Research
Areas (Age & Diversity, and Healthcare)
and two Impact Areas that apply inclusive
design within the business context, and
to social issues at a global level.

The Centre was founded in 1991 to look

at how design could support an ageing
population. This idea was ahead of its time
with ageing now sitting beside the
environment as a major challenge for us all
globally. It was therefore a real milestone
2 3
 “Evolving our leadership
THE
What if most of what we have been taught about leadership
is wrong? From what leadership looks like, to who we hold
mindset from outdated up as leaders. From the frameworks that tell us how to be
models of yesteryear to a leader, to imposed definitions of what leadership is.

NEED
We need to rethink leadership and this is at the heart of
become visionary, our work in Creative Leadership (see page 13). This looks
empathic and creative, at upskilling individuals and organisations across the
three values of empathy, clarity and creativity.
will be one of the most
transformational
FOR
The World Economic Forum agrees. In an article entitled
‘Humane Leadership Must be the Fourth Industrial
achievements Revolution’s Real Innovation’, they said, “We have a
this century.” problem: something is broken here. The old leadership

LEADERSHIP
model does not work and is actually getting worse.
A big shift in management and leadership is a long
-overdue change.”

PROJECT PATHWAYS
2020 has only reinforced this, with leaders increasingly
called into question as we navigate pandemic and protest.
Different forms of leadership, particularly those that
show empathy and compassion, are being seen as more
successful than traditional top-down, authoritative models.

Creative Leadership is not simply an abstract concept, or a

There are a number of ways to engage with • Membership of advisory boards, review set of strategies. Many individuals and organisations have
the Centre and experience the value of an panels and academic or industry- benefitted from our model, experiential learning and
inclusive design approach: facing committees practice over the last decate. Participants include large
multinationals and medium-sized organisations,
• Short projects lasting up to three • Authorship of articles for mainstream
governments and civil servants, start-ups and
months to conduct initial investigation and academic publication
entrepreneurs, and academics and students.
into an idea
• Online, open-source resources from
• Design spins with Centre staff and RCA publications to tools such as We run open masterclasses, bespoke sessions and
students focusing on a particular topic www.designingwithpeople.org workshops in Creative Leadership. Our courses are
for emerging leaders, established leaders, and anyone
• Year-long research engagements where
who was never encouraged to be a leader.
an RCA graduate employed by the
Centre conducts a deep-dive design
The next RCA Creative Leadership Executive Masterclass,
project to address your issue
led by HHCD Director Rama Gheerawo and Innovation
• Partnering on academic bids leaning
on our inclusive design research
CONNECT Fellow Dr Ninela Ivanova will take place on 26–28
October 2020. To register or for more information,
To keep up to date with the Centre activties, news,
capability and methods please contact short-courses@rca.ac.uk.
forthcoming events and job openings, follow us on social
• Working with the public and private media. A complete list of our conferences, publications, as
We are also establishing a Creative Leaders Circle to
sector project providing customer- well as our project archive and staff profiles can also be
rethink leadership together. To join in or for more
centred research and design expertise found on the RCA website.
information, please contact hhcd@rca.ac.uk.
• Bespoke or open workshops and
@hhcdesignrca
training sessions in inclusive design,
design thinking and creative leadership “Create better leadership
• Conference, workshop and event @HHCDesign at every level, and you
support and partnership
create better decisions
• Keynote, interviews and platform
presentation on a range of inclusive
Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at every level.”
topics and subject areas
4 5
 NEW OLD IN NEW YORK
The Design Museum’s NEW OLD exhibition, curated by
INCLUDE 2019
Every two years, since 2001, we have held
IN SESSION TALKS
In summer 2020 the RCA featured its
the Helen Hamlyn Professor of Design Jeremy Myerson, the Include conference series that brings leading thinkers and practitioners in
opened in New York at the Pratt Institute Gallery on together practitioners, academics, conversation with notable guests from
6 February 2020 on the latest leg of its international tour. business people and students to discuss across the creative industries. Helen
The opening was marked by a private view for the New developments in inclusive design and look Hamlyn Professor of Design Jeremy
York design community, a special evening for RCA alumni at the ‘state of the art’. In November 2019, Myerson and Director Rama Gheerawo
living in the US, and a public lecture in which Myerson we took the tenth edition of the conference opened and closed the series with the
interviewed the American inclusive design pioneer Pattie to the US. Design Core at the College for following sessions:
Moore before taking the audience on a tour of Creative Studies hosted the event in the city
9 June: The New Geographies of
the exhibition. of Detroit, a fitting location for framing the
Innovation featured international
future of inclusive design.
writer, advisor and event producer John
For the New York show, the NEW OLD exhibition was
Thackara, one of the world’s leading
substantially updated with five new American design As the Founding Partner, the Centre
advocates for a more sustainable
projects, and specific US demographic data. Five Pratt supported with presentations from Rama
approach to design, in conversation with
Institute faculty members also contributed exhibits to Gheerawo, Chris McGinley and Jonathan
Jeremy Myerson
the revamped show. NEW OLD was forced to close amid West, and workshops run with Onny
the lockdown due to the pandemic at the end of March. Eikhaug from Innovation for All and 18 June: Open Sourcing Leadership
During lockdown, Jeremy Myerson participated with Pratt Christopher Patnoe from Google. – A Creativity Conversation brought
and the charity Emerging Aging NYC on a virtual tour of together Christopher Patnoe, Head of
the show prior to a physical reopening of the show in A special session, programmed by the Accessibility Programmes at Google,
the autumn. NEW OLD, initiated and is sponsored by the Cooper-Hewitt featured inclusive design and Rama Gheerawo to talk about their
Helen Hamlyn Trust, first opened at the Design Museum leader Patricia Moore with other personal leadership practices and
in London in January 2017, where it was seen by 80,000 speakers throughout the conference ‘trade secrets’
people, before touring to Poland and Taiwan. coming from the local community,
23 July: Is Design Really Humanity’s
the US design scene and Detroit itself.
Best Friend? involved writer, broadcaster
The conference captured US ambitions
and art historian Tim Marlow, the newly
and achievements in inclusive design.
“New Old has appointed Director and Chief Executive
of the Design Museum in London, and
everything you Jeremy Myerson, in a conversation about
the role of designers and design museums
need for a in coming together to build a better post
-Covid world
techno-utopian 30 July: Exclusion! Why Design should
be doing more curated by Rama
retirement.” Gheerawo, included Dori Tunstall (Dean,
Faculty of Design at OCAD University in
The Guardian Toronto, Canada and the first black Dean
of a Faculty of Design), Carole Bilson
(President of the Design Management
Institute and previously the first African-
American woman to lead global design at
a major corporation) and Mark Rutledge
(the first Indigenous National President
of the Society of Graphic Designers of
Canada and Lead Designer at Animiki)
The recordings, transcripts and the Q&A
are available on the RCA website at: www.
rca.ac.uk/short-courses/session-talks/

6 7
 DESIGN AGE
The Design Age Institute is part of Dr Gerard Briscoe – Research Fellow
the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at At the Design Age Institute, Gerard Briscoe
the RCA and is a collaboration with the is exploring supply-side design expertise
Oxford Institute of Population Ageing at and technology futures in establishing
“We need to stop Oxford University, the National Innovation innovation ecosystems for the
Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University, longevity economy. He specialises in
designing for the

INSTITUTE
the International Longevity Centre UK interdisciplinary design-computing
and the Design Museum. It is funded by research, focusing on designing digital
needs of older Research England and is dedicated to cultures for preferable technology futures,
supporting the UK Government’s Grand including inclusive design for equity in
people, and start Challenge on Ageing. emerging technologies for all abilities.

designing for Colum Lowe – Institute Director Sidse Carroll PhD – Research Fellow
Colum is a senior design leader with a Sidse Carroll holds a Master of Arts in
Colum Lowe – Director, Design Age Institute their wants.” significant track record of developing Architecture from Denmark’s Aarhus
inclusive products and services. He has School of Architecture from 2011 and a PhD
been Head of Design at a range of degree from the Royal Danish Academy of
organisations and his experience also Fine Arts, Copenhagen from 2020. Before
The populations of most developed nations not make the time they do have somehow
includes running several design firms. moving into research, she practiced as an
are ageing, and those individuals have a less valid, and does our relative youth put
He holds an MBA in Design Management architect working on projects spanning
disproportionate amount of a nation’s us in a place of privilege that we
from the University of Westminster and the health sector, care homes and
wealth and disposable income. By 2030 unconsciously abuse?
originally trained as a product designer public institutions.
one quarter of the population of the UK
at Chelsea School of Art.
will be over 60, and by 2040, 63 pence in This is the focus of the new Design Age
The Institute is currently recruiting.
every pound spent will be by someone Institute, based in the Helen Hamlyn
Melanie Smith – Institute Manager To work with the Institute, please
over 55. This raises some interesting Centre for Design at the RCA. We aim to
Melanie is a creative and operational leader see the RCA vacancies board
questions: why does this audience feel look at desire in the ageing economy,
with substantial experience in running (jobs.rca.ac.uk) or email Institute
poorly served by mainstream brands; to overcome past market failure and help
progressive design initiatives that challenge Manager Melanie Smith
why is there an assumption that as you get products and services to market.
the status quo and provide accessible (dai-hhcd@rca.ac.uk) for
age you become less of a consumer; Products and services that improve the
solutions to societal challenges. She holds more information.
and what products and services would have lives of an increasingly ageing population
a BA (Hons) in Fine Art (UCCA), a PGCE
to be designed to appeal to this audience? will help us all live longer, happier, more
in Design & Technology and an MEd
independent lives.
Researching Practice (2020) both
We do not have the answers to all these
from the University of Cambridge.
questions (yet), but what we do know is
the answer isn’t a ghastly grey plastic and
aluminium aid, or mechanical contraption
that looks like it was dreamt up by Heath
Robinson. We might go as far to suggest
this market failure is a clear case of cart
RCA 2020: Designing for Generations
before the horse? If products and services
In summer 2020, Colum Lowe looked across the
are not being designed and produced
graduating RCA student projects and a selection of work
from a place of desirability, that older
that resonated with his ambitions for the Centre. Here
consumers truly want, is it any wonder
he describes two of them:
they are not buying them?
Constanza Valderrama’s Grandmother (2020) Alzheimer
In this era where we are becoming
and the fragility of memory (pictured above) Print on post-it
increasingly conscious of unconscious bias,
notes. A simple idea, brilliantly executed and truly evocative
is this another ‘ism’ we need to be aware of?
for those who have experienced dementia first hand.
Not ageism per se, but the unfounded belief
that older consumers are somehow less
Sarah Willemart’s FAMILIA product designs (pictured left).
interested, less relevant and less worthy
Beautiful, desirable (and functional) products for an
of effort and consideration. Facing a shorter
audience that often have to put up with clunky, agricultural,
future than a younger consumer should
cost-driven devices. These are products I would have.
8 9
 INCLUSIVE DESIGN FOR
A CASE IN POINT “Human-centric design is
Over the course of our long-standing collaboration with
one of the key elements of
TATA Consultancy Services, we have created people- this engagement as the
centred solutions to chatbots and voice-assistive

BUSINESS IMPACT
technologies. Building on this, in 2018 we partnered again
intent is to enrich the
to improve the operational efficiency of staff and experience of both the front
customer experience of a world-renowned international
airline. Taking a holistic approach, we addressed three
line staff and the travellers.
discrete and interlinked areas of delivery within the RCA has brought their
airline Operations Control Centre (OCC) – Technology,
Environment and People.
unique, well-researched
approach that encompasses
The design team set to work by employing our home-
Dr Ninela Ivanova – Innovation Fellow
grown model of Creative Leadership. Its three values of
creative design, clarity and
empathy, clarity and creativity, inspired by the principles empathy and this has been
of inclusive design, were implemented to match up
one of the key strengths of
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR physical, technological and psychological factors and to
offer a people- and values-based framework for innovation, the overall solution.”
INCLUSIVE DESIGN growth and organisational development.
Balaji Jagannathan, TCS Global Head –
Exactly one year ago, I was appointed Whilst all of the above still hold true, there
A new set of guidelines for a ‘Gold Standard’ was set for Strategic Initiatives | Travel &
Innovation Fellow in the Helen Hamlyn are bigger questions that are reshaping the
the design of operations control with people-centred Hospitality
Centre for Design to lead the newly created design dialogue: What is business impact?
criteria and specific design interventions in each of the
Inclusive Design for Business Impact area. How can inclusive design practice help
three focus areas described above.
The challenge before me was exciting businesses transform and prosper in a
– build a lab, build a team, lead new models volatile and uncertain world?
of business engagement – and so much
greater than I had imagined. Big questions, In addressing the above, pertinent
challenges and opportunities lay ahead. considerations include systems and
complexity thinking that influence the
In 2005, inclusive design was written into structures within which design operates.
British Standards (BS 7000 – 6:2005). What does it mean to add value, to create
The case for including people with profit, and to ensure economic and
diverse needs and aspirations became societal impact? We need to be thinking
‘a key element in an inclusive business much wider and deeper about what
strategy’. Better understanding of changing inclusive design can do in relation to
consumer requirements would ensure evolving business models and processes
profitability based on better alignment for the post-pandemic recovery era.
between offer and market need.
In the current space of AI, blockchain and
Effective people-centred design would other disruptive technologies, inclusive
give a competitive edge by enhancing design has a role at the forefront
innovation opportunities and brand value. of enabling solutions that are agile,
And beyond products and services, people-centred, collaborative, creative
inclusive design would help bridge the and innovation-focused.
mission and values of organisations, be
more inclusive of staff, investors and other
key stakeholders, thereby maintaining
workforce loyalty, improving efficiency,
enhancing motivation and ensuring that
essential skills are retained within the
company or organisation.
Isometric of the Office space
Illustration by Philip Buckingham
10 11
 NEW PATHWAYS FOR BUSINESS 2020 ACADEMIC DESIGN MANAGEMENT #CREATIVITYSHOTS
How does inclusive design directly impact, transform, CONFERENCE: IMPACT THE FUTURE BY DESIGN On-the-ground ethnographic design work
and create new pathways for business, industry and of researchers Ivelina Gadzheva and Juliette
Director Rama Gheerawo and Innovation Fellow Dr Ninela
global markets? Inclusive Design for Business Impact Poggi (working on Air-Control-Reimagined)
Ivanova represented the Centre at the first fully digital
works across industry sectors to help achieve impact inspired a series of HHCD #creativityshot
academic conference of the Design Management
that leads to better business outcomes. These videos that highlight the value of inclusive
Institute (August 2020). This included:
considerations include talent development and staff design in developing innovative solutions.
wellbeing, leadership capacity building, and including • Research+Business collaboration case study on The first video features the re-design of a
stakeholder, user, customer and client groups. It focuses developing people-centred technologies together with high-visibility vest for aircraft engineers,
its delivery in four key themes. TATA Consultancy Services which emerged through observation of
hands-on work, behaviour and technology
• Positioning paper on Creative Leadership co-authored
requirements.
with our neuroscience partner Dr Melanie Flory,
Director of MindRheo
• Paper presenting the research and development for
the ‘Innovating with People’ book, with Onny Eikhaug,
published in 2010 with a second edition in 2019
PEOPLE • Case study on the application of our Creative
Delivering education, capacity-building Leadership model in co-designing an airline
workshops and personal developement Operations Control Centre
underpinned by our Creative Leadership
• Rama Gheerawo in a panel discussion for designers
research.
and design managers preparing for a diverse workforce
of the future
PROCESS • Dr Ninela Ivanova as peer-reviewer and co-chair for
Reimagining performance indicators in Design Research-Led Innovation CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
the new business landscape, and looking
to mutually align individual aspirations with
MASTERCLASS
organisational values, processes and Creative Leadership Masterclass at the
management practices. KNOWLEDGE OF DESIGN WEEK AT RCA (November 2019), was attended by
THE HONG KONG DESIGN CENTRE people drawn from the media, design,
architecture, business, start-ups and
TECHNOLOGY Building on our long-standing relationship with Hong universities. Participants took part in
Partnering with cutting-edge developments Kong Design Centre, we delivered an Open Sourcing two half-days of experiential learning
across the field, to help design state-of-the Leadership workshop at the Knowledge of Design Week in leadership. empathy and creative skills
-art, people-centred and sustainable (August 2020). HHCD Director Rama Gheerawo was a that relate to working practice, team
solutions. panel member for emerging technology and design for performance and organisational objectives.
the future of health in the post-pandemic era.

PLACE
Advancing human experience and
engagement in the blend of physical and THE AGILE WORKPLACE 2.0
digital lifescapes, and building on the
ORGATEC, a leading international trade fair for modern
extensive legacy of workplace and
working, and Frame, a global media brand for interior
wellbeing projects.
designers, challenged architects and designers to propose
solutions for a truly agile workplace (June 2020).
Dr Ninela Ivanova presented a selection of the Centre’s
projects on design for workplace wellbeing at a virtual
workshop, to guide and inspire Polish architecture
company Workplace Solutions – one of the three finalists
– in their outcome design.

12 13
 THE GUINNESS PARTNERSHIP The concept we are now developing is a
product and service proposition designed
Our current projects are at various points of completion. with residents for residents. The installation
Design is often about constraints and dealing with is called ‘CommuniTree’, an interactive
complexity, but Covid-19 presents a new challenge we’ve communication hub for residents. It is a
had to work around. The first of our showcased projects means to showcase residents’ skills and
is with housing association The Guinness Partnership, led interests with others in the community,
by Research Associate Imran Nazerali. This sits in the providing a channel for communication
context of the UK’s recent acknowledgment of its under and connection. Additionally, it acts as a
-served ageing population, noticeable through initiatives way to celebrate new arrivals, flipping
such as the UK government’s £98 million healthy ageing what is often an invisible and unannounced
programme and the launch of our very own Design Age experience into a positive opportunity to
Institute (see page 8). immediately connect and feel a sense of
belonging. This project is currently being
With Guinness, we’ve been examining developed for trial at select Guinness
communal spaces in housing for older Partnership housing for older people
people, exploring ways to amplify residents’ schemes across England.
voices and connect those who feel invisible
Dr Chris McGinley
2020 has been a year unlike any other in within their communities. The current
pandemic has certainly highlighted the
– Senior Research Fellow modern times. In many ways, issues importance of these themes, alongside the
pertinent to the Age and Diversity

AGE
critical need for homes to meet people’s
differing needs. The project explores how
Research Space have been magnified we can improve older people’s sense of
through the Covid-19 lens. Within our community; we’ve used design research
as a means of identifying new opportunities
research group this year, we have been and creating interventions for healthier
challenged to think on our toes as our communities within people’s living spaces.
projects have shifted from face-to-face
engagements and in situ explorations,
to remote conversations and creative

AND
kits couriered to those we want to
engage in the design process. Everything
we do has been creatively renegotiated
to allow for meaningful exchange of
thought and understanding of the
experiences of our collaborators.

14
DIVERSITY 15
 INCLUSIVE FUTURES Despite the unusual challenges of 2020,
many have been enjoying the flexibility of
In our second showcased project, Heart engaging in new ways from home. With The
n Soul at The Hub, we are leading ‘Inclusive Hub, we have experienced a shift from
Futures’ – a core project that forms part of being intensely face-to-face at the
a Wellcome Hub interdisciplinary residency. wonderful space at Wellcome, to new
It is a co-design project that looks at the work-modes where our neuro-diverse
world we all live in from the perspective of co-designers are engaging in remote ways.
people with learning disabilities and autistic These new modes cater for individual
people. We’ve started exploring how we preferences to be accommodated where
could overcome frustrations and tensions they rarely have been before; our co-
caused by objects, spaces and experiences designers are genuinely leading new
and how the world could be a better place visions and directing artists as they
for everyone in it. visualise what their inclusive futures
could be.
In February 2020, the Inclusive Futures
exhibition opened at Wellcome Collection,
creating the chance to engage with the
research through seeing and hearing the
voices of the people on the project. As the
DESIGNING FOR ADHD
Wellcome Collection is currently closed Our final showcase project is Remote Extra
an online version is available here: -clinic Monitoring of ADHD in the NHS,
www.heartnsouleye.com/inclusive- otherwise known as REMAIN. One in
futures-installation 25 children have Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Over a
lifetime, these symptoms can negatively
affect people’s education, ability to form
and maintain friendships, and later on,
job prospects, relationships and health.
Medication can help manage symptoms,
but close monitoring is needed to avoid
side-effects from under or overprescribing.

Traditional monitoring has proven unreliable.

Paper questionnaires rarely get back to the
doctor and differences between parents’
and teachers’ assessments on the same
child are common. The REMAIN team is
developing a wrist-worn activity tracker
to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and
treatment of ADHD.

REMAIN has fully embraced the ‘cultural

probe’ approach to design research,
engaging families and children with ADHD
Above: Accessible diagram about inclusive research
in rich conversations and co-design
in The Hub. Artwork by Ben Connors
processes. The kits created with our
Right: Heart n Soul co-designers at their Inclusive research partners at KCL have been
Futures exhibition. Photography by Wellcome Images. arriving at homes presented as crafting
gift packages, a welcome respite from
monotony of the lengthy lockdown.
Children, siblings and parents are designing
wearables that are comfortable, appealing
and, critically, socially acceptable.
16 17
 WHAT NEXT?
Doubtless, 2020 has been
a challenging year in many
ways. From the protests at
the death of George Floyd
to the sense of inequality
around the effects of the
pandemic, unheard voices
that are not fairly
represented sensed
the urgency and were
compelled to act. Our
lockdown has allowed time
for reflection, and this has
clearly presented the
genuine need for inclusion
in all we do. Exploring this
through projects such as
Heart n Soul at The Hub
(pictured right) will be
crucial to further understand
future routes for inclusion.

In the Age & Diversity

research space, we’ll be
striving to ensure the post
-Covid-19 experience, or the
‘new normal’ as many are
calling it, heralds a genuine
step-change in inclusion.
We’ll be re-engaging
citizens, communities,
business and industry with
the clear message that we
must design in ways that
are inclusive – the potential
to affect lasting change
through design has never
felt more timely.
 

Accessible diagram about inclusive research from

Heart n Soul at The Hub. Artwork by Ben Connors

18 19
 HEALTH
INCLUSIVE DESIGN AND HEALTHCARE 2020
Within this situation, the projects undertaken in Healthcare
always collaborated with forward-looking clinical
researchers and industry, and strived to move towards
a better provision of healthcare, no matter the subject.
Over the course of numerous projects, it is apparent that
the hardest part of any journey of an innovation from
research to the frontline is the challenge of effective

CARE
and applied implementation.

Healthcare is now in the midst of transformation, and

change has had to happen at a much faster pace. Witness
the completion of the Nightingale Hospitals, the huge
growth in GP phone and video appointments, and the rise
of ‘Hospital at Home’ services. Implementation is high on
the agenda. Doors are starting to open, and opportunities
are emerging. Digital health has long been championed,
and innovation efforts have proliferated, but only now
during a pandemic has there been a real effort to bring
them into frontline use.

Jonathan West, Senior Research Fellow

The coronavirus pandemic has brought huge changes

to the Healthcare Research Space. Not only has the
subject of our work changed in countless ways, but
significant adjustments to how we work have had
to be made in a very short time.
Looking back at healthcare before March 2020, it was
not particularly high on national agenda. In-patient
stays in monolithic hospitals were the norm, as was
the assumption that the first engagement with the
health service was a trip to the local GP surgery.
Beyond this, there was a move within research and
innovation to do more with telemedicine, do more
community healthcare, and avoid in-patient stays
where possible. Such efforts were often frustrated
by the slow pace of change; speeding up the
innovation was the subject of much research.

20 21
 GAMECHANGE VR TORSION
For the past two years, we have been The Healthcare research team has
developing a Virtual Reality (VR) treatment collaborated with Barts & The London
for people seen in psychosis services with Hospital to explore how the problem of
a team led by Oxford University. This is now testicular torsion may be better understood
in full clinical trials, one of the first of such by adolescent boys. Testicular torsion can
treatments to reach this stage. occur for a variety of reasons, but medical
help must be sought rapidly to prevent the
Research Associate Indira Knight is now condition from deteriorating. Research
exploring some interesting findings which Associate Imran Nazerali has been working
emerged during the research, particularly with researchers, clinicians, teachers and
how people ‘emerge’ from VR. People adolescents on this pilot project to produce
reported a feeling of ‘still being in VR’ after digital materials to help raise awareness
removing the headset. This is now the and understanding of torsion, as well as
subject of our research; we are asking how tools to help take correct steps if it occurs.
this effect might be reduced, and what
impact this has on learning in VR.

PASS – PRESERVING ANTIBIOTICS

THROUGH SAFE STEWARDSHIP
The project aims to promote good
stewardship of antibiotics, and therefore
reduce the growth of antimicrobial
resistance (‘superbugs’). Research
Associate Rosanna Traina has worked
with UCL statisticians and UCL Centre for
Behaviour Change to discover where design
might make a difference to stewardship.

The lockdown has had an impact on the

project; we could no longer co-design in
person with frontline staff in care homes
and hospitals. As the three-year project
is drawing to a close, we have had to design
“Testicular torsion is an
interventions remotely via phone and video
calls with clinical staff. The main outputs
embody underlying principles which are
emergency condition.
very relevant to the pandemic. They include
digital interventions for better infection
It’s important that all
detection and management in care homes
and on hospital wards. men are aware of the
symptoms.”
Shabnam Undre and Nadine McCauley,
Urology Foundation

22 23
 COVID-19 RESPONSE WHERE NEXT
In the early stages of lockdown, we put There are direct lessons to be learned from
out a call to all our clinical collaborators the pandemic, specifically how we co-
asking if we could help. We were able design and research remotely. But as the
to connect designers to makers in dust is settling and as we emerge from
the early efforts to create protective lockdown, it is clear that inclusive design
visors, and help a manufacturer on their has a vital role in the new healthcare
testing kits. Two contacts led to more landscape, creating a future which moves
extensive interventions which helped away from monolithic hospitals, and is
directly with efforts in the early stages of more distributed and digital. This will
the outbreak. We worked with University undoubtedly bring new challenges: if more
College London Hospitals (UCLH) to healthcare is to be delivered at home by
create new maps and signage for their informal carers, a genuine focus on these
Covid-19 theatre and recovery complex. very human needs is even more crucial.
This helped clinical staff who were
redeployed to understand PPE zones, and
the location of vital equipment. We also
designed the instructions for self-swabbing
for Public Health Wales, now in use in all
drive-through and home testing kits.
Credit goes to Juliette Poggi and Imran
Nazerali for their work.

“It will be some

time before we
know the full extent
of the impact of
disruptions to health
care during Covid-19
on people with
non-communicable
diseases.”
Dr Bente Mikkelsen — Director of the Department
of Noncommunicable Diseases at The World
Health Organization

24 25
 INCLUSIVE DESIGN PUBLIC TOILET RESEARCH UNIT
The Public Toilets Research Unit (PTRU) is a focused
research group within the Centre under the umbrella of
Inclusive Design for Social Impact. The PTRU builds on

FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

a combined 30 years of public toilet research experience
that includes design guidance, academic papers, book
chapters, film contributions and the award winning
InnovationRCA project, the Great British Public Toilet
Map (https://www.toiletmap.org.uk).

Led by Professor Jo-Anne Bichard and Senior Research

Associate Gail Ramster, PTRU promotes an accessible,
inclusive and equitable approach to the design of publicly
accessible toilet provision, both in the built environment
and through open data for social good.
How can Inclusive Design growing interest in this understudied area,
and building a community of like-minded
work with individuals and support. Networks feature strongly in our
communities to create social work here.
impact in a global context? Projects have also tackled issues such as
mental health, suicide and obesity, looking
Inclusive Design for Social Impact is a new
at social, economic, environmental and
area that takes the principles and practice
situational factors that contribute.
of inclusive design and applies them to
We will now work with Visiting Scholar,
areas of global and social need. Inclusive
Sean Donahue, from ArtCenter College of
design has tended to focus on the
Design to develop pathways and projects.
individual, so here, we look at the new tools,
This will be an exciting expansion of
methods and frameworks that are needed
inclusive design capability and application.
in order to engage with communities,
neighbourhoods and groups as well.
Design tends to concentrate on developed
economies, but what about the global
context, the global south, and the needs
of people from diverse cultures in context?
These projects help us expand the
definition of inclusivity.
Many of you may have noticed the issue Toilet Day. As a resource site, TINKLE will
This area builds on previous projects at of public toilet access becoming of central also act as a network for architects,
the Centre, that worked with migrant concern as Covid-19 lockdown eased. The designers and those undertaking and
workers in the Middle East, design for expertise of the PTRU was called upon with interested in toilets research to contact
older people in Hong Kong, and conducted Jo-Anne and Gail contributing to the British other researchers and experts, access
innovation workshops in Fukushima Standards Safe working guidelines during research and design guidance, and assess
following the May 2011 tsunami. An the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific current policy with regards to provision.
important initiative that started this year reference to safe toilet provision for Its aim is to generate real world impact
is our Public Toilets Research Unit, a employees and customers. through policy, public engagement and
pathfinding research and design initiative spin-out innovation.
that looks at one of the critical activities The PTRU is now working on a resource
of daily living. We are already seeing site to bring together design guidance, For more information please contact
standards, academic research and ptru-hhcd@rca.ac.uk
expertise in public toilet design and service
Prof Jo-Anne Bichard (far right) speaking at Fifth delivery. The Toilet Innovation and New
UN Women Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Knowledge Exchange (TINKLE) will be
Global Leaders’ Forum, Rabat, Morocco, 2020 launched on November 19 2020, World
26 27
 DESIGNING WITH COMMUNITIES OUR FUTURE FOYLE
Over the last decade we have expanded Our Future Foyle is an ongoing cultural and health project
our design research to include designing focused on the River Foyle in Derry/Londonderry. Since
with communities as opposed to just March 2016, extensive co-design engagements have been
focusing on the individual. carried out with over 15,000 individuals from the local
community as well as national stakeholders and
A ‘community’ might be anything from a international experts. This innovative project is
community group made up of active spearheaded by our collborator, the Public Health
citizens, right through to anyone who Agency Northern Ireland.
simply lives, works or studies within the
boundaries of the area we are looking at. The project aims to improve the health and social
We address through design an issue that wellbeing of everyone using the riverfront of the River
is affecting that community, by developing Foyle, through rejuvenation and animation of the banks
concepts that relate to the local context and bridges as a shared positive space. Four elements will
of their neighbourhood. be delivered: Foyle Aware, Foyle Bubbles, Foyle Experience
and Foyle Reeds. Having gained cross-departmental
We see designing with communities as government support as a flagship ‘Programme for
being distinct from community engagement Government’ project, an estimated £25million investment
in that we include community participation is anticipated with the hope of achieving significant health,
not just at the start but across all stages economic, and tourism benefits for the city and
of the design process. Our projects - such wider region.
as Our Future Foyle, Creative Citizens,
Ageing In A Vertical City and In The Shade Centre and project alumni, Ralf Alwani and Jak Spencer
- have done this to different degrees, currently lead the project through their studio, Urban
whether that is initiating or reframing the Scale Interventions. This is a people-centred design and
brief with community groups, co-designing innovation studio based in Northern Ireland. Born from
ideas, or local people creating and taking the Helen Hamlyn Research Associates Programme
ownership of outputs. and supported by Public Health Northern Ireland, the
studio specialises in design research, strategic policy,
It is part of a co-design methodology, a way creative stakeholder engagement and design delivery.
of designing with people instead of
designing for people, by involving them 1. CLARITY OF INTENTION Further updates on the project can be found on the
in an active and ongoing way. studio’s Instagram @urbanscaleinterventions or website

We’ve learnt and improved with each

2. BROADER BRIEF = LONGER urbanscaleinterventions.com.

project, and noticed unique issues and

distinctions. As they involve large numbers
PROCESS
of participants, time and trust are essential
in developing relationships, creating 3. BUILDING TRUST
engagement, and developing new methods
to aid participation. They may also have
complex relationships to navigate between
4. PACING THE PROJECT
ourselves, the community and the
project partners. 5. VALUE WHAT ALREADY EXISTS
Our eight lessons, described in the
forthcoming Designing with Communities:
6. MAKE ENGAGEMENT ACCESSIBLE
Lessons from The Helen Hamlyn Centre
for Design, reflect what we find works — 7. BE VISUAL + STIMULATING
and what to look out for — when designing
with communities (see right).
8. LEAVE RESPONSIBLY
28 29
 PHD SUPERVISION
Silke Hofmann: her research is titled ‘Rethinking design
aesthetics of post-mastectomy lingerie’ and focuses on
the needs of women affected by breast cancer, including
those who opt out of reconstructive procedures and live
one-breasted or non-breasted after surgery. Undertaking
inclusive design processes have given participants the
opportunity to visualize and articulate their individual
lingerie needs. Silke now has a better understanding of
Prof Jo-Anne Bichard - Professor of Accessible Design Silke Hofmann how women experience clothing, especially their bras, after
breast cancer. Silke is funded by the Arts and Humanities
Research Council, London Doctoral Design Centre. She
The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design offers can be followed @silkihofmann on Instagram.
a unique PhD training experience for
candidates interested in the investigation
of advanced inclusive and people-centred
design theory and practice. Supervision of
HHCD PhD candidates is undertaken in
partnership with RCA Schools and
Programmes. This dual approach
provides the PhD researcher with expert
supervision in their School’s chosen
discipline coupled with the knowledge,
experience and practice within inclusive
design led by the HHCD.
The HHCD currently co-supervises eight PhD candidates
with the RCA Schools of Design, Communication and
Architecture. All candidates have an inclusive and people
-centred focus to their research, and are practice based.
Laura Salisbury
The following PhD candidates are partnered with the
School of Design and co-supervised by Professor Jo-
Laura Salisbury: this is a practice-based investigation
Anne Bichard and Dr Chris McGinley (HHCD) with Dr
entitled ‘Facilitating stroke rehabilitation using material
Chang Hee Lee; Anne Toomey; Dr Elif Ozden-Yenigun;
and structures in garment design’ which works inclusively
Dr Laura Ferrarello and Dr Nick De Leon.
with those affected by stroke and leading neurologists
to question current approaches to upper limb recovery.
Brendan Commane: his research centres on ‘an
The research has developed patent-pending textile nano
investigation into the surroundings of dementia focused
structures that provide targeted, continuous support by
care homes with support from assistive technology and
modifying neural responses to improve recovery. Laura
media’. This incorporates inclusive practices with those
has recently been awarded MedTech and Advanced
with dementia as well as families and care home staff.
Materials grants from Research England and the Henry
The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted Brendan’s access
Royce Institute to further develop materials, scoping wider
to those he would be collaborating with, however Brendan
applications beyond stroke. Laura is a Stavros Niarchos
feels this has channelled him into thinking more creatively
Foundation Fellow. Connect with Laura on LinkedIn.
about inclusive processes that have to be maintained
at a distance.

Brendan Commane
30 31
 Peiqi Wang: her research focuses on Nick Bell: his practice-focused research is in
‘Establishing trust between parents and communication design. It centres on ‘Infrastructuring
medical personnel in neonatal care by open peer-driven design processes that nurture social
designing information behaviour’. The work commons’ and is situated in an ethnically and religiously
explores the relationship between parents diverse neighbourhood in North London, working
and medical personnel in neonatal units in inclusively across the age spectrum. Nick found the
both the UK and China, and how designing national lockdown due to Covid-19 helped focus his
from an inclusive perspective might provide development of participatory cultural probes and has
new insights of trust and service delivery resulted in successful engagement across the community.
between parents and medical specialists Nick can be followed on Twitter at @nickbell_design.
at this important stage of a child’s and
parents’ life. Peiqi has also had to reform The following PhD candidate is partnered with the School
her research in light of the pandemic and of Architecture and co-supervised by Professor Jeremy
is now exploring how digital ethnography Myerson and Dr Maria Shéhérazade Giudici:
can be used in the medical setting.
Maria Paez Gonzalez: her PhD research is titled ‘Supreme
Sarah Britten-Jones: her research involves (In)formality: The Productive Mastery of Silicon Valley’s
essential elements of reflexive ‘Tech’ Corporate Architectures’ and uses a case study
ethnographic practice in inclusive design, Peiqi Wang approach to understand how interiors, architecture, and
both for herself and her supervisors. Her landscape, influence work and the worker, especially in the
research is titled ‘Designing the learning rapid environment of design and development within the
university’ and explores how an institution world tech capital Silicon Valley. Maria’s research is
dedicated to learning often fails to learn supported by Haworth (US & EU).
itself. Sarah is working inclusively with
university staff to understand and identify Whilst the HHCD is primarily focused on Design,
the pinch points and barriers that prevent Communication and Architecture research, we welcome
innovation within the university itself. The enquiries across the RCA Schools including potential
current global pandemic has provided collaborative research in the history of inclusive and
fresh perspectives on organisational participatory design and practice based processes in
practices within crisis situations. community focused art. If you are interested in
undertaking a PhD with an RCA School and the HHCD
The following PhD candidates are please contact research@rca.ac.uk.
partnered with the School of
Sarah Britten-Jones
Communication and supervised by
Professor Teal Triggs and Professor
Jo-Anne Bichard:

Wenbo Ai: this research has used

ethnographic design methods in China to
explore ‘Empowering Design Literacy and
Engagement in Health Promoting
Hospitals’. Wenbo has undertaken a
series of workshops with older adults
and young children around issues of
health management, to explore the role
design has in communicating health
promoting messages. Wenbo is also now
exploring the challenges of inclusive design
brought about by the global pandemic.

Wenbo Ai Nick Bell Maria Paez Gonzalez

32 33
 THE HELEN PEOPLE PATHWAYS
HAMLYN DESIGN Four of our current colleagues tell us how the Centre
and inclusive design impacted their career pathways:

AWARDS
The annual Helen Hamlyn Design Awards
recognise the best Royal College of Art
student projects that use design to
improve people’s lives. It is a competition LAURA SALISBURY
that rewards creativity in people-centred
I’m a fashion technologist and design researcher who
design across all disciplines of the RCA.
graduated from UAL: London College of Fashion.
I started my PhD at the Centre in October 2017.
This year, we gave out five awards across
the themes of disability, inclusion,
Since then I’ve been involved in several industry projects,
travelled to knit studios within the UK and abroad, filed
DR GERARD BRISCOE
technology and creativity, with a total
a patent, and gained valuable partnerships to conduct I am a design researcher in technology
prize money of £7000.
technical material testing. Importantly, I’ve worked futures, focusing on interdisciplinary design
closely with over 40 brain injury survivors for two years, -computing research in designing digital
The Snowdon Awards, sponsored by the The Helen Hamlyn Design Awards 2020
gaining insights into their behavioural needs and working cultures for preferable futures. I first learnt
Snowdon Trust, were given to: Neloufar also presented a Fixperts Award for the
with them to develop specialist textiles. Inclusive design about the Centre through a collaboration
Taheri, graduate of Innovation Design best Fixperts project by students in a global
is a way of thinking differently with others, to consider on the London Creative and Digital Fusion
Engineering for Shir, a frugal system network of 45 universities teaching the
multiple perspectives and really question the ‘norm’. programme. This inspired me to pursue a
for mothers in refugee camps who are learning programme created by Professor
career in design research, initially in social
unable to lactate (pictured); and Lwanga Daniel Charny.
design at the Glasgow School Art. I am now
Mayola Tikaka, from Architecture for
a Research Fellow at the HHCD’s Design
Democratising Healthcare, focusing The winning project was Luggage
Age Institute, building on my experiences
on alternative medicinal practices Alternative for Ben from Joe Arrowsmith,
to research equity in designing emerging
within South African healthcare. Harvey Badcock, Ben Biddell, Teresa
technologies for all abilities – ranging from
Georgantzi, Ben Hughes and Max
aiding the differently able to enhancing
The Award for Digital Inclusion, sponsored Younossi at Brunel University, England.
the fully able to become ‘superhuman’.
by TCS, was won by Finlay Duncan from
Innovation Design Engineering for This year the judges presented an
IVELINA GADZHEVA
StaticType, a new typing system for people additional Fixperts Award – Designing I got my Masters degree in Design for All
with physical disabilities. in a Pandemic. The winning project was in Sweden and then started searching
Folding Work Area for Children from Yuval for places where I could actually put into IMRAN NAZERALI
Lady Helen Hamlyn, founder of the Helen Bar-Shalom and Amit Fisher at Holon practice what I’d learned. In my home
I am a curious, empathetic and adaptable innovation
Hamlyn Trust, gave two personal Awards Institute of Technology, Israel. country, I was running an NGO called
designer who cares about people. I graduated as part
for Creativity to: Sophie Horrocks from Design for All Bulgaria but in 2018 I got
of the fifth MA/MSc Global Innovation Design cohort
Global Innovation Design for Sensaura, Finally, the Helen Hamlyn Alumni Awards my dream job and started on a project
at the RCA and Imperial College London and discovered
that helps people with low vision to are given to previous Research Associates at the Centre with a major business. This
the Centre through my time studying there. Being part
navigate the world; and Emilia D’Orazio of the Centre in recognition of their opportunity introduced me to some of
of the HHCD during this uncertain time has been a
& Saumya Singhal from Service Design ongoing work. The Alumni Award for the most brilliant minds in inclusive
tremendous learning curve for me and has built my
for AcrosSilos which enables joined-up Business Impact was awarded to Megumi design; it also expanded my horizons in
capabilities and resilience as a designer who wants to
approaches within local governments. Fujikawa, Design Lead, Panasonic (HHCD using human diversity to create social
make real-world change within the landscape of innovation.
2003—2005); the Alumni Award for Social inclusion internationally. In the future,
I intend to use the valuable time I’ve had at the Centre
Impact was awarded to Yusuf Muhammad, I am interested in what the education
to evolve how I approach future complex challenges that
director of Plumis and designer on BBC2’s system and what inclusive design can
can make the world a better place.
Big Life Fix (HHCD 2008—2010). do for children and young people.

34 35
 PARTNERS

PEOPLE COLLABORATORS
• Rama Gheerawo – Director • The Alzheimer’s Society
• Jeremy Myerson – Helen Hamlyn Professor of Design • Arts and Humanities Research Council
• Dr Jo-Anne Bichard – Professor of Accessible Design • Chinese Health Education Centre
• Dr Chris McGinley – Senior Research Fellow • Clapton Common
• Jonathan West – Senior Research Fellow • College for Creative Studies
• Dr Ninela Ivanova – Innovation Fellow • Design Core Detroit
• Dr Katie Gaudion – Senior Research Associate • Design Management Institute (dmi)
• Gail Ramster – Senior Research Associate • The Design Research Society
• Gianpaolo Fusari – Senior Research Associate • DLab at Kyoto Institute of Technology
• Dr Rosanna Traina – Research Associate • Hantun Village Clinic
• Indira Knight – Research Associate • Headway East London
• Juliette Poggi – Research Associate • The Henry Royce Institute
• Imran Nazerali – Research Associate • Inclusive Africa
• Dr Will Renel – Research Associate • JASSO, Japan Student Service
• Dr Imogen Privett – Visiting Researcher Organisation
• Ivelina Gadzheva – Visiting Researcher • MedTech Superconnector
• MindRheo
• Bree Aljaf – Administrator • National Institute of Health Research
• Jane Savory – Research Centres Manager (NIHR) Dementia Researcher
• Aoife Shanley – Head of Research Centres • Oxford Brookes University
• Vicky Mann – Administrative Assistant • Peking University Third Hospital
Neonatal Department
Design Age Institute • Perma Corporation
• Colum Lowe – Director • Timi Art School
• Melanie Smith – Institute Manager • Wuhan University Stomatological
• Dr Gerard Briscoe – Research Fellow Hospital.
• Sidse Carroll PhD – Research Fellow
Special Mention
PhD Candidates • Royal College of Art staff and students
• Wenbo Ai • Project participants
• Nick Bell • Commissioned designers
• Sarah Britten-Jones
• Brendan Commane
• Silke Hofmann
SPECIAL THANKS...
• Maria Paez Gonzalez Lady Hamlyn and the Helen Hamlyn Trust
• Laura Salisbury
• Peiqi Wang

36 37
38