Gender and the Diversity of the Human Body as Challenges for the Inclusive Design of Wearable Technology

Abstract

Particularly since the 1990s, there has been an active discussion on inclusive design and on the possibility of designing products that would be suitable for every kind of user. Wearable technology products that need to be in close contact with the user’s skin to function must be a good fit for the user’s body. As wearable technology has transitioned from a specialty of the “quantify-yourself” movement to a widespread, everyday item, the companies that create these products compete to appeal to ever-larger user groups. This study investigates how product designers in wearable technology companies interpret the idea of inclusive design when developing their products to fit large and diverse groups of users. Drawing on four case studies, this research shows how the diversity of the human body poses practical challenges for inclusive design. Yet, the findings also show that in addition to the biological differences between human bodies, inclusive design is also influenced by cultural understandings of gender.