Developing Cabinet Prototypes for a Universal Design Kitchen

Abstract

Older women want kitchens that can adapt to their changing needs and allow them to continue to prepare meals in their own homes. This article described the development of cabinet prototypes for a universal design kitchen that can accommodate a wide variety of users, regardless of their age or ability. Information gathered in each phase of the project provided input into the further evolution of the prototypes. During Year 1 focus group and ethnographic interviews were conducted in conjunction with the videotaping of participants (for ergonomic analysis) while they prepared a typical meal in their own homes. Design issues were identified, culminating in the construction of free-standing kitchen furniture with modular components that were easily adjustable by do-it-yourselfers. Year 2 focused on further refining the prototypes, analyzing the ergonomic benefits of the cabinets, and obtaining feedback from consumers and providers on the usability of the cabinets. Participants first cooked one food using the modules in a traditional arrangement; then they rearranged the modules into a configuration of their choice and prepared the same food again. Participants invariably arranged the modules into configurations that improved the ergonomie characteristics of the cooking experience. The multi-pronged research design yielded important insights about user characteristics, as well as the usability and appeal of kitchen cabinets with universal design components.