Japanese Inclusivity

It is well known that Japanese digital companies do not embrace inclusivity in the design of their digial exports. Sony, for example, has largely ignored the message that the over 50's 'baby boomers' with their disposible income may not be able to use some of their products or in the very least find them difficult. Many of Sony's products with their "high-tech features" and "multi-functionality" (Sony Barrier-Free Charter) have become barriers to the old, visually impaired and handicaped. Manuals are often difficult to understand and hard to read, products have small buttons, with near illegible labels, generally they are designed for optimum aesthetic and sytle purposes, ones that will ensure a quick and successful sell to the general public. The reason, i believe, that these products do not fail in terms of sales is that there is no alternative. The old and handicaped just have to struggle on with what is provided.

There have however been products that have been developed which do cater for the visually impaired. The Muji wall-mounted CD player was designed without the reaslisation that it would be perfect for a less able consumer. the design intuitively suggests a wall-mounted fan that will propell a breeze of music into the room. With this idea in mind there is a simple cord that acts as an on/off switch, a volume knob on top of the casing, and the speaker built in. This simple design, as well as looking good, can be used by anybody - yound, old, visually impaired - with ease, and can enjoy usng without thought.

On the other hand. Japan appears to be very aware of the use and advantages of inclusivity in product design. On prepaid phonecards, shopping cards or bus tickets they tend to include distinctive notches in their sides to identify their functions. They have translated this simple, yet effective idea to supermarket products such as mix-ups between cartons and food wraps, and even between cans of drink - although the lack of space means that only a few characters can be displayed. They are used to differentiate between alcoholic products and soft drinks, and ususally say alcohol or the name of the brewery like "kirin".

This discovery for me has highlighted just how being visually impaired completely impeeds you from going about every day life and tasks. I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be able to differentiate between a can of Coca-Cola and a can of carling, it must be incredibly frustrating. Anything, therefore that aleviates this annoyance would be such an asset to the lives of these people. It is simple and cheap. It is something that i think Britian should embrace more.

On train stations also they provide braile on hand rails to give information to blind users. The fact that this information is conveyed using such a prominent and continuous place - there are handrails in all stations - means that the information is of course always found in the same place and therefore easy to find. The braile labels give u an arrow and say which ticket gate you are being taken to and other information like that. Handrails near exits tell you the name of the exit you are at.


The Japanese demonstrate that their society is more aware of visually impaired people, but that they do not translate this idea into the products they sell to other countries. If Britain was to make a stand and demand that they provided more inclusive products, and above all demonstrate this through not buying them, then they would be forced to use some of those excellet ideas they have in their electronic products.