All Ricability tests include assessments carried out by older and disabled people themselves. These tests are carried out in people’s own homes, in a laboratory or in the wider environment depending on the product and the information that is needed. All these tests are designed to reflect the real life use of the product being tested and are designed to rigorous statistical standards.
Specialist panels can be individually recruited for individual projects. However Ricability has joined forces with Intertek Research and Performance Testing, one of Europe’s leading consumer testing laboratories. We have jointly set up a unique panel of some 350 disabled people who live within reach of the laboratory in Milton Keynes.
Key features of the panel
- includes people with impaired sight, hearing, mobility and grip, those with learning difficulties and all age ranges
- additional members can be recruited if needed tests can be carried out in the home, laboratory or the wider environment
- 4,500 square metres of laboratory space
- 40 specialist laboratory staff, including statistical and ergonomic expertise
- extensive facilities – for building rigs, carrying out observed trials and full performance testing
- photography and video facilities
- unrivalled experience in carrying out tests with disabled people.
What we offer
Working with our Inclusive Design Panel, Ricability is able to design and manage tailor-made research to:
- assess a product or service’s usability for people across the range of disabilities
- carry out longitudinal or reiterative tests as part of longer term product development
- run focus groups and carry out other qualitative research to provide in-depth information about products and their use
- advise on design which will maximise the potential markets through an inclusive approach.
Ricability user tests have included:
- central heating controls
- the main types of domestic appliance
- telephones
- emergency alarm equipment
- devices for transferring wheelchairs users into cars
- a range of childcare equipment for use by disabled parents
For further information on using research to identify needs, as well as the basic research toolkit, see Ricability's report Guidelines for product design and testing.
