ECHO: A Framework for Inclusive Assistive Tech
A design framework for assistive technologies that centers socio-technical context, cultural heritage, and dignity, especially in communities historically overlooked by dominant design methods.
ROLE
Design Researcher, Framework Strategist, Writer
CONTRIBUTIONS
Led the development of the ECHO Framework through literature review, expert interviews, and multi-round remote design challenges that tested and refined the methodology.
PROJECT TYPE & DURATION
Masters Thesis, Design Research & Framework Development - 5-month project
RECOGNITION
Honorable Mention, Berkeley MDes Thesis Awards 2024 - Social Justice & Practice category
What does inclusivity mean when one world sets the standard for all?
What does inclusivity mean when one world sets the standard for all?
What does inclusivity mean when one world sets the standard for all?
Inclusive design is often framed as universal, but most frameworks used today were developed in the West, for Western contexts. When applied elsewhere, they miss crucial differences in infrastructure, culture, and history. As a result, assistive technologies often fail, not because they don't work, but because they weren't designed for this world.
Inclusive design is often framed as universal, but most frameworks used today were developed in the West, for Western contexts. When applied elsewhere, they miss crucial differences in infrastructure, culture, and history. As a result, assistive technologies often fail, not because they don't work, but because they weren't designed for this world.
Inclusive design is often framed as universal, but most frameworks used today were developed in the West, for Western contexts. When applied elsewhere, they miss crucial differences in infrastructure, culture, and history. As a result, assistive technologies often fail, not because they don't work, but because they weren't designed for this world.
A typical sidewalk in Accra, Ghana.
A typical sidewalk in Accra, Ghana.
A typical sidewalk in Accra, Ghana.
Function means little when the context is ignored. Inclusive design must begin with the environments people actually move through.
Function means little when the context is ignored. Inclusive design must begin with the environments people actually move through.
Function means little when the context is ignored. Inclusive design must begin with the environments people actually move through.
Culture is infrastructure too.
Culture is infrastructure too.
Culture is infrastructure too.
Barriers aren't just physical. They're historical, cultural, and aesthetic. Western assistive devices often reflect Western ideals of beauty and dignity, which can clash with local perceptions in places like Ghana. The result? Devices that erase rather than reflect the people who use them.
Barriers aren't just physical. They're historical, cultural, and aesthetic. Western assistive devices often reflect Western ideals of beauty and dignity, which can clash with local perceptions in places like Ghana. The result? Devices that erase rather than reflect the people who use them.
Barriers aren't just physical. They're historical, cultural, and aesthetic. Western assistive devices often reflect Western ideals of beauty and dignity, which can clash with local perceptions in places like Ghana. The result? Devices that erase rather than reflect the people who use them.
Beauty and dignity aren't universal. Designing for dignity means understanding what it looks like in different cultures.
Beauty and dignity aren't universal. Designing for dignity means understanding what it looks like in different cultures.
Beauty and dignity aren't universal. Designing for dignity means understanding what it looks like in different cultures.
Left: Standard walking canes in the US
Right: Ghanaian handcrafted walking sticks
Left: Standard walking canes in the US
Right: Ghanaian handcrafted walking sticks
Left: Standard walking canes in the US
Right: Ghanaian handcrafted walking sticks
Where most frameworks fall short.
Where most frameworks fall short.
Where most frameworks fall short.
Standardized design methods often prioritize user needs and usability, but many default to Western assumptions and overlook cultural nuance and socio-technical context. On the other hand, justice and community-driven methods amplify marginalized voices, yet sometimes lack the structure needed for broader adoption.
Standardized design methods often prioritize user needs and usability, but many default to Western assumptions and overlook cultural nuance and socio-technical context. On the other hand, justice and community-driven methods amplify marginalized voices, yet sometimes lack the structure needed for broader adoption.
Standardized design methods often prioritize user needs and usability, but many default to Western assumptions and overlook cultural nuance and socio-technical context. On the other hand, justice and community-driven methods amplify marginalized voices, yet sometimes lack the structure needed for broader adoption.
In interviews with experts from organizations like Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab, TOM, and Ghana Blind Union, the same tension emerged: existing methods don't fully account for the complex realities of the Majority world.
In interviews with experts from organizations like Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab, TOM, and Ghana Blind Union, the same tension emerged: existing methods don't fully account for the complex realities of the Majority world.
In interviews with experts from organizations like Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab, TOM, and Ghana Blind Union, the same tension emerged: existing methods don't fully account for the complex realities of the Majority world.
ECHO offers a third path: a practical, inclusive methodology that embraces complexity without flattening. It's grounded in the realities of today, whilst making space to imagine new futures.
ECHO offers a third path: a practical, inclusive methodology that embraces complexity without flattening. It's grounded in the realities of today, whilst making space to imagine new futures.
ECHO offers a third path: a practical, inclusive methodology that embraces complexity without flattening. It's grounded in the realities of today, whilst making space to imagine new futures.
ECHO balances usability with cultural relevance, socio-technical realities, and the empowerment of those most often excluded.
ECHO balances usability with cultural relevance, socio-technical realities, and the empowerment of those most often excluded.
ECHO balances usability with cultural relevance, socio-technical realities, and the empowerment of those most often excluded.
Enabling Contextual Human-centered Outcomes.
Enabling Contextual Human-centered Outcomes.
Enabling Contextual Human-centered Outcomes.
ECHO is a six-phase, iterative framework for designing assistive technologies that are grounded, resonant, and inclusive. It guides designers to question assumptions, investigate socio-technical and historical context, co-create with communities, and design in ways that reflect identity, place, and culture.
ECHO is a six-phase, iterative framework for designing assistive technologies that are grounded, resonant, and inclusive. It guides designers to question assumptions, investigate socio-technical and historical context, co-create with communities, and design in ways that reflect identity, place, and culture.
ECHO is a six-phase, iterative framework for designing assistive technologies that are grounded, resonant, and inclusive. It guides designers to question assumptions, investigate socio-technical and historical context, co-create with communities, and design in ways that reflect identity, place, and culture.
Swipe through the phases of the ECHO framework. Each phase centers local expertise:
Swipe through the phases of the ECHO framework. Each phase centers local expertise:
Swipe through the phases of the ECHO framework. Each phase centers local expertise:
Need-Knowers are individuals with lived experience of the socio-technical environments, actively involved in co-creation.
Knowledge-Bearers are indigenous individuals or those with deep cultural/historical knowledge, contributing contextual insights.
Need-Knowers are individuals with lived experience of the socio-technical environments, actively involved in co-creation.
Knowledge-Bearers are indigenous individuals or those with deep cultural/historical knowledge, contributing contextual insights.
Need-Knowers are individuals with lived experience of the socio-technical environments, actively involved in co-creation.
Knowledge-Bearers are indigenous individuals or those with deep cultural/historical knowledge, contributing contextual insights.
Stress-testing the framework.
Stress-testing the framework.
Stress-testing the framework.
I led two remote design challenges with designers in Ghana to evaluate ECHO in practice. Each designer used the framework to generate solutions for blind communities, surfacing its strengths and areas for growth.
I led two remote design challenges with designers in Ghana to evaluate ECHO in practice. Each designer used the framework to generate solutions for blind communities, surfacing its strengths and areas for growth.
I led two remote design challenges with designers in Ghana to evaluate ECHO in practice. Each designer used the framework to generate solutions for blind communities, surfacing its strengths and areas for growth.
The exercises validated key phases like Situate and Investigate for grounding in lived experience, while Adapt and Democratize pushed deeper thinking around localization and sustainability. Their feedback shaped the final iteration of the framework.
The exercises validated key phases like Situate and Investigate for grounding in lived experience, while Adapt and Democratize pushed deeper thinking around localization and sustainability. Their feedback shaped the final iteration of the framework.
The exercises validated key phases like Situate and Investigate for grounding in lived experience, while Adapt and Democratize pushed deeper thinking around localization and sustainability. Their feedback shaped the final iteration of the framework.
Designer Hanson Akatti envisioned a cane that reflects both pride and place, blending function with cultural form.
Designer Hanson Akatti envisioned a cane that reflects both pride and place, blending function with cultural form.
Designer Hanson Akatti envisioned a cane that reflects both pride and place, blending function with cultural form.
'I really appreciated the prompt to investigate colonial legacies. As a Black designer who studied design through a Western lens, I find that it is important to break Western hegemony and this is one of the ways to do it.'
'I really appreciated the prompt to investigate colonial legacies. As a Black designer who studied design through a Western lens, I find that it is important to break Western hegemony and this is one of the ways to do it.'
'I really appreciated the prompt to investigate colonial legacies. As a Black designer who studied design through a Western lens, I find that it is important to break Western hegemony and this is one of the ways to do it.'
— Hanson Akatti, Ghanaian artist and designer
— Hanson Akatti, Ghanaian artist and designer
— Hanson Akatti, Ghanaian artist and designer
Reimagining what Inclusive Design can be.
Reimagining what Inclusive Design can be.
Reimagining what Inclusive Design can be.
Over 80% of people with disabilities live in the Majority World, yet most assistive technologies are still designed without them in mind. Designing in these contexts means working with realities that dominant frameworks often ignore.
Over 80% of people with disabilities live in the Majority World, yet most assistive technologies are still designed without them in mind. Designing in these contexts means working with realities that dominant frameworks often ignore.
Over 80% of people with disabilities live in the Majority World, yet most assistive technologies are still designed without them in mind. Designing in these contexts means working with realities that dominant frameworks often ignore.
ECHO asks: What if we designed from places that are usually not designed for? It reminds us that design methods are not neutral. They reflect the worlds they come from, and building new worlds calls for new approaches.
ECHO asks: What if we designed from places that are usually not designed for? It reminds us that design methods are not neutral. They reflect the worlds they come from, and building new worlds calls for new approaches.
ECHO asks: What if we designed from places that are usually not designed for? It reminds us that design methods are not neutral. They reflect the worlds they come from, and building new worlds calls for new approaches.
ECHO is just the beginning. It can be tested, refined, and extended across design disciplines. On going work includes a toolkit to support adoption and a speculative blind cane concept that demonstrates how cultural symbolism and functional care can coexist in future assistive tech. One day, it could even ground a certification for designers committed to equity, context, and cultural intelligence.
ECHO is just the beginning. It can be tested, refined, and extended across design disciplines. On going work includes a toolkit to support adoption and a speculative blind cane concept that demonstrates how cultural symbolism and functional care can coexist in future assistive tech. One day, it could even ground a certification for designers committed to equity, context, and cultural intelligence.
ECHO is just the beginning. It can be tested, refined, and extended across design disciplines. On going work includes a toolkit to support adoption and a speculative blind cane concept that demonstrates how cultural symbolism and functional care can coexist in future assistive tech. One day, it could even ground a certification for designers committed to equity, context, and cultural intelligence.
FOCUS AREAS
Inclusive design, systems thinking, framework development, speculative design, design research, assistive technology
TEAM
Shameemah Fuseini-Codjoe in partnership with 6 Ghanaian designers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
With deep thanks to Bryce Johnson (Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab), Emily Sheldon (African Health Innovation Center), Maayan Keren (Tikkun Olam Makers), and Isaac Gyamfi Tiiga (Garu Community Based Rehabilitation Center) for their insight and generosity throughout the process.