Design and Technology Workshops
What?
The Blackwood Foundation held 11 consultation and engagement workshops across Scotland in the autumn of 2010. The workshops were truly Scotland-wide, ranging from Kirkwall on Orkney to Peebles in the Borders, and stopping at several points in-between.
We spoke to people with a disability, sensory impairment or support requirement and explored the issues of design and technology. We looked at what works for people, what doesn't, and what thoughts, recommendations and aspirations people had for future solutions.
Read the full report about the workshops
Why?
What we hoped to gain from these workshops was a better understanding of day-to-day living experiences of people with a range of differing circumstances. We wanted to understand how design in a range of contexts can aid or hinder independence, and how improvements in design could be identified and developed. Similarly we wanted to understand better the supporting role that technology plays, what works for people, what doesn't, and what technology could do for people in the future to support and enhance their independence.
How?
We worked in partnership with Capability Scotland to design and deliver the workshops. Ownership Options provided sponsorship support and also partnered with us to record the workshop outcomes. Working through housing associations, local authorities, support providers and third sector organisation we promoted the workshops to a large number of people. Over 100 people attended the workshops, shared their experiences and provided feedback. The data from the workshops was analysed and interpreted by the Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research and their report is available to download below.
What next?
We took three key lessons from the workshops.
- People have an incredible level of expertise and innovation that they use to improve their daily lives. We believe we must give a voice to this expertise.
- There are very limited opportunities for people to engage in the development process for new designs and new technologies. We want to change this.
- People often don't know what is available to support their independent living. We are working to make this information more widely available.
These key lessons have already started to influence the work of the Blackwood Foundation and they will guide our future projects.
Read the full report about the workshops
