Designing for the Future encouraging product designers to

Designing for the Future encouraging product designers to address issues around ageing and longevity Philippa Aldrich The Future Perfect Company @Designing. Future Philippa@thefutureperfectcompany. com

Introduction • UK getting older – enormous demographic transition • No longer niche – new mainstream • Majority of people 50+ feel UK businesses ignore them • Traditional assistive technology products following medical model – stigmatising and unpopular • Gap for products designed for older people which complement their activities, home & lifestyles and meet and stimulate their aspirations

Aging 2. 0 Source : www. aging 2. com

Barriers to market • Who are you calling old? “Older people want products and marketing that relate to them at their age but don’t want products and marketing that relate to them because of their age” Dick Stroud • Is it a medical device? • Cultural challenge of the public/private divide

Innovations

Designing for the Future • Collaboration between The Future Perfect Company and University of Brighton, Faculty of Arts • Student design competition – very open brief • Industry input – workshop, dragons den and final judging • Network and continuing support • Award winning projects

Designing for the Future • Themes • Loneliness, social exclusion, memorial, celebration of life lived, older parents, intergenerational interactions, dementia, face-blindness, mental agility, telecare, mobility. . • “It’s not just about the stuff” • user-led, empathic, aspirational, meaningful, creative, surprising, engaging, inclusive, fun

Designing for the Future