A lack of user information prevents application of design standards to assistive technology
What is it about?
While product designers normally follow international standards and apply ergonomic data - usage patterns, body dimensions etc. - to achieve better design outcomes with anticipated higher usability of a new product, this bread & butter method is unavailable in the design of disability products due to a lack of user data. Such user data for a user population with disabilities cannot be collected because no underlying standard exists.
Why is it important?
Without a standard to measure user data of disabled people, product design of disability products will continue to fail international product design standards. In the absence of adherence to design standards, disability products will continue to lack certified quality, suffer from limited usability, and their procurement will cause systemic high cost due to an increased risk of incorrect prescription.