PComp “All Technology is Assistive” Reading Response

I found this article to be really fascinating. Starting in IMA, I always was taught that whatever we make, we have to think long and hard about how we can make said thing more accessible to more people (e.g. colors that wouldn’t be challenging to mix up for someone with sight problems, adding alt text to images online for people who need it, etc.). It’s all true — as designers and artists we have to keep in mind people across the globe who might use our products, even if they aren’t always the same as us — it’s not a ‘us/them’ thing, it’s just an ‘all of us’ thing. But, I found this article to be interesting in expanding on that idea to include just general things that make technology not only accessible, but assistive. We don’t have to always contain our projects to assist people with disabilities, but we should also include things that are assistive and help people in their every day routines wherever they are across the globe. The article had a great mix of projects that were designed specifically for target disabled groups, such as those with hearing issues, autism, or physical walking issues, while also including ideas such as a bench to be installed outside on a lamp post for elderly folks in nursing homes, or just something to be held in hand to help practice a “power stance.” The article overall is a great reminder for us to be inclusive, accessible, and assistive in our design, and to always be watching out for people across the world who need new tools each and every day.