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ThinkingMima Moments, Caitlin McMullan, Senior Inclusive Design Researcher
Caitlin McMullan joins us to discuss the importance of co-design and learning from lived experiences, reflects on positive shifts in accessibility across cultural spaces, and explores how small, thoughtful design decisions can create meaningful impact at a larger scale.
What inspired you to pursue a career in design?
My career has taken a lot of different routes, but always comes back to my interest in design. I studied jewellery design at Glasgow School of Art - I was really interested in craft and designing for the body. From there I went into prosthetic design and research following my amputation in 2015, which kickstarted my interest in inclusive design.
What does inclusive design mean to you?
That’s a difficult one to answer! For me, it means giving everyone the opportunity to participate. It’s important that we create spaces and experiences that are accessible and welcoming for a diverse range of people. To achieve this, it’s all about co-design and co-creation. If people aren't able to share their lived experience, then we aren't able to progress.
What’s a small change every designer could make today to be more inclusive/user centred?
Again, co-design! Talking to people who are actually going to be using your products, spaces, services or experiences. It is vital for people to engage with and learn from those who they are designing for. We all come with our own biases, and our own experiences. Being able to speak to a wide range of people with different perspectives will hugely enhance your design.
It is so vital for people to learn from those who they are designing for. We all come with our own biase and experiences and these are always very different. Being able to speak to a wide range of people with different perspectives will hugely enhance your design.
You’re interested in theatre and cultural spaces, what’s happening in that sector right now that excites you from an inclusive design perspective?
A lot of cultural spaces are taking a very holistic approach in terms of accessibility. It doesn't feel like they are trying to just meet the provided standards. I have seen vast improvements within this sector that I haven't seen elsewhere. This is exciting, especially for a sector that is quite under funded. To be making this difference, with the limited budgets they have is great to see. It also feels a lot more collaborative, rather than just a tick box.
An example of somewhere doing this really well is the Wellcome Collection. It's not just about the visitor experience, they also integrate this focus into their programming as well which is very exciting. The V&A also has disability focussed programming at its core with the exhibition Design for Disability. It's not only working with disabled consultants, it's also about working with disabled artists, to provide the platform and share this experience.
What does the micro and macro mean to you?
The macro is thinking about the broader vision - the expanse of how to create change. The micro is going into the tiny details of how we do that. Trying to enhance design for everyone.
When you think big but act in small, thoughtful adjustments, those details can end up having a really significant impact on a much wider population.
Written by:
Caitlin McMullan
Senior Inclusive Design Researcher
Caitlin is a Glasgow based researcher and access consultant and works across sectors to offer support, guidance and experience in ensuring a cohesive approach in accessibility and inclusion. Her research in Design for Disability has been published by Routledge and presented at Trent International Prosthetics Symposium.
