Poster: 'Living Rooms'

Keywords: Design, Home, Independence, Future Old

Our investigation aims to inform the design and construction of a physical Living room environment that can be utilised as a test lab in evaluating theories and conceptual designs in response to the ageing population and independent living. The study will aim to define the problems and barriers associated with maintaining independence, quality of life and care at home in later life. Many users are unable to define what their needs are and can find it difficult to articulate them. The research proposes that the use of objects and prototypes in user-centred design research may aid enquiry into user needs and provoke new scenarios for investigation. The enquiry suggests that user issues that may not be verbalised could be recognised through the use of prototypes and that new knowledge may be established through 'doing' rather than 'saying'. Requirements for future products may emerge out of direct experience of using concept prototypes.

Professor Paul Chamberlain, Sheffield Hallam University
12 months, £23,178