Member News

“All the developed and developing nations on our planet will be facing aging populations, longer life spans, and the host of social and economic issues accompanying these realities as the century progresses. How the design community responds to these challenges in the decades ahead will directly affect the quality of lives for millions of people worldwide."

The latest issue of the Design for All newsletter focuses on Women in Design who are speaking about universal design products consciously crafted with the elderly and disabled in mind.

“As a designer, the one consistent ingredient I have found to be true is that people of all abilities are unique, regardless of their age, ability, gender or social status in life,” says Guest Editor Stephanie Battista, IDSA, senior design program manager of wearables at Modern Edge in Portland and a speaker at the 2014 Southern District Design Conference. “To have the opportunity to design for all is such a pleasure.”

Patricia Moore, FIDSA, credited as the pioneer of universal or inclusive design, is best known for an experiment she undertook from 1979-1982 where, at the age of 26, she reduced her natural capacities and manufactured blurred vision with glasses, altered her posture, reduced her range of motion and way of walking with bandages and ill-fitting shoes. For three years and in over 100 North American cities, she passed for a woman in her 80s.

In the December 8, 2014 issue of the Design Law perspectives e-newsletter, Perry Saidman, IDSA, provides his analysis of the oral argument in the Apple v. Samsung appeal held in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on December 4, 2014. Click here for more information.