Abstract: This paper estimates the population to be influenced by China’s policy of postponed retirement age and provides design strategies and suggestions in the workplace for the ageing workforce from the perspective of inclusive design. First, the literature review about western design principles and practices for the ageing workforce is conducted. It is estimated that China would face approximately 100 million elderly workers in the near future with diverse physical conditions and demands. However, the design research and practices dedicated to ageing workforce in the workplace are comparatively weak in China. Inclusive design, one of the design approaches mainly focusing on ageing problems in developed countries, as well as its theory and methodology, could act as a good reference for Chinese policymakers and designers. Then based on the concept of inclusive design, a human-centered design model is established and design suggestions from four aspects are presented. Finally, two cases are further discussed to illustrate the idea of inclusive design.
Key words: ageing workforce; inclusive design; human-centered design
China will have around 100 million workers aged 50-65 by 2045 due to the retirement age rise policy implemented under the pressure of a severe ageing problem. Ageing leads to the impairment or loss of various human capabilities and may significantly influence senior workers, especially those still in workplace. Inclusive design, as one of the user-centered design approaches, is an increasingly prominent movement in the context of the ageing society of developed countries in the past two decades. It appeals to design mainstream products and services given its concept of being “accessible to and usable by as many people as reasonably possible, without the need for adaptation or specialist design[1]”. Currently, there are many inclusive research and design practices focused on ageing workforce, which may provide some references for Chinese policymakers and designers.
China has witnessed an increase in the elderly population and at the same time a decline in the workforce, which poses various challenges not only for policymakers but also for designers. According to the latest statistical communique from the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBSC) in 2016, the proportion of the population aged 60 and above is 16.1%, which is predicted to reach 35% by 2050[2]. Fig.1 illustrates the demographic change for the ageing population in China. At the same time, the number of working-age adults in China may fall by more than 10% by 2040, which would translate into a net loss of 90 million workers as pointed out by the World Bank report in 2015[3]. Recently, Chinese government plans to gradually raise the statutory retirement age from 60 to 65 for men and from 50/55 to 55/60 for women (blue-collar workers/ white-collar employees) as a policy response to the shrinking workforce and the ageing population. Raising the retirement age could provide around 100 million more workers by 2045, noted by Ma Li, director of China Population and Development Research Center[3]. Those 100 million workers aged 50-65 will have a greater range of requirements than ever before. It requires designers to think about how our working environment and communications could be adapted and adjusted for this particular workforce. It brings challenges but also opportunities for designers in China.
Fig.1 Ageing population and its proportion in China from 2004 to 2030 (NBSC)
According to the definition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a country or region becomes an ageing society when people aged 60 and above take up 10% of its population, or when the group of 65-year-old and above accounts for 7% of the population[4]. Referring to this definition, almost all of the developed countries have entered into the ageing societies since 1960s. It is reported that by 2020, nearly half of the adults in the European Union will be over the age of 50[5]. The demographic changes in developed countries have influenced their workforce.
定义3个常数A、B和C，它们只和方程(11)中的构件长度，构件1的角度θ1和变量角度θ2有关，以简化方程(11),即
People may experience one or more capability losses along with ageing. “Longer life spans mean almost certain experience of age-related capability loss. Reductions in eyesight, hearing, mobility, dexterity and cognition will happen to us all, and disability will be a common experience[6].” Fig.2 illustrates the prevailing capability losses for the UK population. 14.7% of the population have less than full motor ability, 8.7% with less than full sensory ability, and 5.7% with less than full cognitive ability[7]. According to the latest survey by China Disabled Persons’ Federation in 2010, there are over 85 million physically challenged people in China, representing 6% of the total population[8]. The percentage of different groups with certain disabilities is shown in Fig.3. It should be pointed out that the data represent the number of people defined as “disabled”, in which those people with capability impairment or loss are not included. The total population in need for better design in workplace is actually much larger than that.
Fig.2 Prevailing capability losses (inclusive design toolkit website)
Fig.3 Percentage of physically challenged people in China in 2010
众所周知，中国人具有善于隐蔽、不溢于言表的性格，认为含蓄是一种美。无论是日常的生活学习、文学话语还是艺术欣赏，都体现出含蓄的特点。然而，另一方面，含蓄性意味着人们不太喜欢真实直接地表达自己的思想意愿，从而使准确、快速深入地理解明白他人的思想看法变得困难。而隐喻，作为人类的一种思维方式和认知方式,能帮助人们更容易理解他人的看法、猜透他人的态度。正如张磊（2010）在认知隐喻的社会功能分析一文指出，“隐喻有着显著的社会意义”，隐喻性表达具有委婉功能，感情功能等社会功能。
The demographic change in China with an increasing number of senior workers will bring many challenges and also opportunities to designers as follows:
①The increasing number of senior workers will take up a greater share of the market and become the majority in the future. With diverse capability impairments or losses, they may be neglected by bad designs. Therefore, designers and managers should reassess user requirements of their products and services.
②For those elderly people aged 85 and above, various capabilities losses such as vision and hearing impairment are common, which should be considered and echoed in the mainstream designs.
该方式所采用的土体砖模方式在施工较大厚度大面积板体在施工过程中具有以下优势：①成功避免了大面积支撑系统安装过程中的质量不可控问题，提高了结构浇筑施工安全性；②土体本身的稳定性、承载力和平整度相较于满堂模板支架系统均更加稳定，避免板体不均匀沉降产生裂缝的风险；③减少了支撑和支护系统的使用，降低了施工成本，缩减了施工时间；④施工场地在地面，布置方便，便于施工组织。
The above suggestions may serve as guidelines for inclusive design for the ageing workforce. In order to illustrate these guidelines more comprehensibly, the paper will discuss about a few cases in the next part.
Research and practices focusing on ageing workforce should be put on agenda in China. This study tries to answer the questions below:
④What are the challenges and opportunities for designers facing the emerging ageing workforce in China?
本次实验研究区域为某地垂直高差较大且地形复杂的山地。本研究基于测区RTK实测的点云，在构建的高精度DEM中进行内插获得内插的高程Z，然后与实测的高程进行对比，得到误差为0.21 m的DEM高程精度数据，如表1。
两次获得法国摄影联合会组织的“国家自然竞赛”奖，在2002年和2003年的美国摄影协会名人录中位居世界第10位自然类摄影师，1998年被英国皇家摄影学会提名为自然摄影奖，在肖像摄影大师杯2009年业余节中获奖，2011年想像虚拟布宜诺斯艾利斯-阿根廷国际展览中获最佳作者，2011年在法国国际展览中获第二名。
⑤How do developed countries take care of the ageing workforce through inclusive design?
④Involving users throughout the design process;
It is significant for workers as well as designers to understand that capability impairment or loss is nothing special or rarely seen but something that all of us may experience when entering into the ageing stage. Particularly under China’s current policy of retirement age rise, we are all expected to work longer. We, as designers, not only design for those elderly workers but also for ourselves in the future.
吴耕说：“读书人骨头软，降了就降了吧，比砍头好。我希望不要打仗，不要有叛军，长安城里的每一个人都好好地活着，有打仗的工夫，回厨房弄几个小菜多好。”
⑦What are the design practices for ageing workforce in developed countries and what can we learn from them?
1 Methodology
This study focuses on design strategies of the ageing workforce, so the first step is to identify the population scale. An online survey has been conducted to calculate the population influenced by the policy of retirement age rise in China, which concludes that around 100 million people are influenced. Then this paper discusses the design challenges and opportunities in China.
A literature review is carried out to discuss the design strategies in developed countries to deal with the ageing workforce with a particular focus on inclusive design.
Based on previous research, this paper suggests a model of human-centered design and offers further advices on the design for senior workers.
In order to illustrate the idea, two cases from Helen Hamlyn Centre (HHC) of Royal College of Art (RCA) are discussed here.
试验表明，当样本数500较低时，CNN-2C算法相对于CNN-3C和CNN-4C算法准确率较高，但是样本数达到750之后，CNN-3C算法准确率逐步提高，试验结果显示CNN-3C算法的确能够提供比CNN-2C、CNN-4C网络更好的性能。
2 Literature Review
This critical literature review looks at ageing problems and relevant designs for the workplace.
市场的基本特性之一是具有自发扩展性，市场机制的运作必然导致向一切资源配置领域的拓展，包括自然资源配置领域。十八届三中全会决定中，提出建立系统完整的生态文明制度体系，其中特别强调了市场机制的作用，提出实行资源有偿使用制度，推行节能量、碳排放权、排污权、水权交易制度，建立吸引社会资本投入生态环境保护的市场化机制。在此背景下需要认真研究如何理顺水治理中的政府与市场关系，使政府和市场在水治理中更好地发挥作用。
2.1 Seven principles of Mace[9]
BS 7000-6:2005 provides a technical guidance in response to the needs of companies hoping to design inclusively in UK, aiming at helping their adoption and their commercial prospects[13]. The standard provides business cases built around five key drivers and opportunities, and encourages organizations to: adapt to market changes such as population ageing, new legislation, technological change and the adoption of inclusive design by competitors; understand changing consumer expectations and lifestyles; provide user-centered design through the implementation of ergonomics and human factors principles; maintain workforce loyalty particularly in the context of an ageing population and changing expectations with regards to retirement; build and sustain corporate reputation through innovation and new product development[6].
2.2 Transgenerational design[10-12]
The concept of “transgenerational design” is proposed by James Pirkl and his colleagues at the University of Syracuse to advocate products, services and environments which meet the needs of people across a wide range of age and ability. Transgenerational design is a response to the ageing population and the need for products and environments, and as pointed out by Jeremy Myerson, it can be adapted to both young and old people living and, most importantly, working in the same environment[6].
2.3 British standards 7000-6: design management systems: managing inclusive design[1]
Ron Mace develops and refines a set of seven principles or criteria of universal design, against which designs can be judged. They are: equitable use; flexibility in use; simple and intuitive to use; perceptible information; tolerance for error; low physical effort; size and space for approach and use.
2.4 Inclusive design research projects of Helen Hamlyn Centre of Royal College of Art
The Helen Hamlyn Centre is located within the postgraduate creative community of the Royal College of Art. It conducts a lot of design research and projects with the industry to help improve people’s lives. It has three research labs: Age & Ability, Work & City and Health & Patient Safety. The approach taken by each lab is inclusive and interdisciplinary. Work & City research lab investigates how designers can make living and working more inclusive and sustainable. Publications about its work can be found on HHC website[14].
GLP-1具有保护心血管系统的作用，并且这种作用于其抑制心肌细胞的凋亡有关。Bose等对大鼠离体心脏的缺血研究中，阐明了GLP-1在完整的大鼠离体心脏中具有对抗心肌梗死的作用，并指出其作用可能于激活多种激酶从而抑制心肌细胞的凋亡有关[11]。同时，也有研究显示GLP-1通过抑制其凋亡来减轻缺氧或复氧诱导的心肌细胞损伤，对心肌细胞产生一定的保护作用。
进行村级财务的民主管理与监督，对于农村财务管理工作的顺利进行有着极大的帮助。因此，为了对村级财务进行严格的管理与监督，各村需要建立民主理财小组，并且在民主理财小组的领导下严格监督村级的各项事务，配合相关部门的工作，受理村民的质疑和质询，确保农村审计和监督管理工作的顺利进行。同时，在开展与村民自身利益有着紧密联系的财务活动期间，需要严格接受群众的监督，将所开展活动的各项内容进行及时、细致的公开，严禁以群众无法接受的方式进行假公开，对于村级财务的民主管理与监督工作质量的提升有着极大的帮助。
3 Model of Human-Centered Design
Zhang et al. have conducted a pilot study on inclusive design and proposed a human-centered design model as shown in Fig.4. This model summarizes the design characteristics and principles[15]as:
①The central place of human beings;
②Understanding people as a whole;
The Work & City Lab of HHC investigates how designers can make life and work more inclusive and sustainable. The projects involve industrial partners and multi-disciplinary collaboration. They could provide many insights on design for the ageing workforce in China.
⑥What are the basic theories and principles that we can follow in this domain?
⑤Making products and services useful, usable, desirable, and sustainable.
Fig.4 Model of human-centered design (Zhang et al.[15])
At the center of the model is human. “Useful, usable, desirable and sustainable” designs echo different levels of human needs; and such designs involve users, engage different stakeholders and advocate multi-disciplinary collaboration.
This model can be used as a framework of inclusive design for the ageing workforce, not only for working environment but also for those products and services that senior workers interact with. The paper hereby offers four suggestions based on the model:
①The central place of human: when planning or designing working environment, furniture or interaction system, employees should be considered as main users and their requirements should always be put in the central place, especially senior workers. They have equal rights as their young colleagues.
②Involving users throughout the design process: users should be involved in each stage of the design process. Senior workers’ requirements and assessments provide important judgements for workplace design and arrangement. According to the philosophy of inclusive design, if all the facilities meet the needs of senior workers, they are user-friendly to young employees as well.
③Providing “useful, usable, desirable and sustainable” solutions: not only employees’ physical requirements but also their higher levels of needs should be taken into consideration as a whole. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, if lower levels of needs are satisfied, humans will turn to seek higher levels of needs. Therefore if designs of workplace, furniture, and interaction system meet employees’ physiological and safety needs, other higher levels of needs such as social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs should be taken into consideration as well. As senior workers may suffer from some capability impairment or loss, their needs for social communication and self-esteem and even those for self-actualization should be respected and considered in the design process, which can encourage them to work longer and, most importantly, happier.
④Multi-disciplinary collaboration and involvement of different stakeholders: considering the complexity of the ageing problem, multi-disciplinary collaboration will arouse designers’ empathy on senior workers. For example, occupational therapists and psychologists can help designers understand physical and mental needs of senior workers. Engaging different stakeholders can provide more perspectives of design, which makes it easier to be realized in the collaboration.
③New generation born in baby boom will not tolerate those designs that treat them as old or disabled. Their attitudes are different from previous generations. That means bad designs will be more and more difficult to be accepted.
4 Case Study
The human-centered design model summarizes the characteristics and gives some guidelines about inclusive design for the ageing workers, and they are: the central place of human; involving users throughout the design process; providing “useful, usable, desirable and sustainable” solutions; multi-disciplinary collaboration and involving different stakeholders. All the above elements can be demonstrated in the Work & City Lab of HHC’s inclusive design practices.
③Multi-disciplinary collaboration;
4.1 “Welcoming Workplace”
This two-year research project[5] carried out at the Helen Hamlyn Centre, is led by Professor Jeremy Myerson. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The project focuses on improving the conditions in open-plan workplaces which echoes two trends in the working world: the ageing of the workplace and the rise of a knowledge-based economy. Jeremy Myerson, the Principal Investigator on this project, hopes to “explore the needs and aspirations of an emerging workforce of people aged 50 and over[16]”. This project aims to provide design guidances for office developers, designers and facilities managers on ways to help senior knowledge workers remain productive at work for longer periods of time[5]. One of the design solutions emphasizes on helping senior workers to concentrate on their work. As one elderly worker complains, “I find it hard to concentrate. My team can all be talking on the phone and I have to concentrate on a financial report. That was a challenge, and continues to be[5].”
Designers have adopted inclusive design approaches throughout the design process, and try to provide spaces for senior workers to undertake tasks that require sustained focus. Several design solutions are presented as follows.
PHPAnalysis（PHP 分词系统）是一种基于字符串的反向匹配分词方法，采用类似哈希的数据结构存储词库。改进后增加了正向、双向和最短路径的扫描策略。
A “rain curtain” (Fig.5) is designed to provide a semi-permeable space divider by using dripping water. It provides peaceful sound, and helps people to concentrate. Water also has a purifying and humidifying effect on air quality. A height-adjustable desk (Fig.6) is created to encourage people to take a healthy posture while working, and offers an alternative for those working all day seated. New media are utilized to produce an intelligent noise-masking system that reduces distracting noises in the office. A simulated dynamic lighting system (Fig.7) is designed to care for ageing workers’ subtle physical and psychological requirements. This adjustable lighting system varies in color and brightness, which can be programmed by users in order to relax, concentrate, or wake up.
Fig.5 Rain curtain
Fig.6 Sit-stand adjustable desk
4.2 “Work Well”—inclusive furniture for senior office workers
This research project[17] is a work of collaboration between Helen Hamlyn Centre and Kinnarps Office Furniture. As Europe’s third largest office furniture manufacturer, Kinnarps focuses on human and tries to create an environment that inspires, motivates and cares for human well-being. The Work Well project seeks to make work furniture better designed to meet the needs of senior workers. It is based on the opinion that senior workers are experienced and valued employees but few office furniture designs specifically address their needs. The project aims at understanding their needs in workspace and develops inclusive exemplars addressing the specific needs and desires of the ageing workforce. A lot of good exemplars have been designed and an example is presented here.
Fig.7 Dynamic lighting
HEMET (Fig.8) is a design solution for working in public spaces. It is more and more common to work in public or semi-public places like libraries, transport interchanges, cafe shops, etc. HEMET supports work enabled by wireless services. It provides secure storage for bags in a large side locker and storage for coats in an under-seat drawer. It can offer power, lighting, height-adjustable work surface, and has an integrated side table. It can be used individually and provides a comfortable and compact working environment for senior workers.
Fig.8 HEMET
5 Discussion
These two cases demonstrate the characteristics illustrated in the human-centered design model.
①These two projects focus on ageing workers and put them in the central stage. A lot of work has been done to have an in-depth understanding of the senior workers.
②Their design solutions take the full range of human needs into consideration. Ergonomics, as well as the understanding of the target users’ emotional and subtle feelings, is considered in the design process to meet different levels of human needs. An example is that both dynamic lighting in Welcoming Workplace and HEMET encourages senior workers to work freely in public.
③They both involve users throughout the design process: As for the Welcoming Workplace, a group of senior workers aged around 50 are actively engaged in each stage of the design process. They are interviewed for design inspirations and design solution evaluations.
④The two projects provide “useful, usable, desirable and sustainable” solutions. The usefulness and usability of the designs are assured by the study of user needs and tests with target users. Introducing natural and personal customization to the workplace is highly desirable, and the design aims to address the future needs of the ageing workers.
德国的生活垃圾分类多采用“五分法”，即将生活垃圾分为5类并分别投入不同颜色垃圾桶：棕色桶装有机垃圾（包括剩饭剩菜、果皮骨头等厨余垃圾，庭院绿化垃圾）；黄色桶装轻型包装物（如塑料袋、包装盒、牛奶盒等）；蓝色桶收集废纸与废纸箱；白色桶和绿色桶分别装无色和有色玻璃；剩余黑色或灰色的桶，用来收集所有居民分到无法再分的剩余垃圾。此外，居民需要把废玻璃、大件垃圾、有毒有害或电子废弃物投放到专门的回收站内。
⑤Stakeholders’ interests are considered in the two cases. The stakeholders include senior workers, manufacturers who supply furniture and lighting to offices, workplace architects, technology experts, property companies, and public sector organizations. All these stakeholders’ interests are taken into consideration and designers treat them as research partners.
⑥Multi-disciplinary collaboration among academics and industries is yet another feature. Welcoming Workplace collaborates with academic partners in Japan and Australia while Work Well collaborates with office furniture manufacturer Kinnarps.
A framework of inclusive design for the ageing workforce has been established but there are still a lot of difficulties which need to be addressed. It is important for inclusive design to be introduced to the designers and design companies in China. Also, more efforts should be made to help the ageing workforce seek their rights and happiness.
座落在兰州西部、黄河岸边的中国石油兰州石化公司，是我国重要的炼油化工生产基地，也是我国西油东送、西气东输重量级原油枢纽和战略通道。
6 Conclusions
China will face an ageing workforce of around 100 million in less than 10 years. The ageing workers’ capabilities and requirements should be taken into consideration by Chinese designers.
Along with ageing, people will experience different levels of capability impairment or loss. Bad designs in workplace, furniture and communication system may neglect those senior workers and make their work tougher. Under the policy of retirement age rise, most of workers or employees will have such difficulties, not only customers but also designers. Therefore making the workplace more inclusive is also to design for our own future.
Developed countries have entered the ageing society for about 50 years. They have rich experience in both design theories and design practices. The British Standards BS 7000-6:2005 together with many research projects carried out by Helen Hamlyn Centre of Royal College of Art can all serve as practical references for Chinese designers.
Based on human’s different levels of needs, a human-centered model is suggested to provide insights for inclusive design for the ageing workforce.
The authors’ future research will focus on the differences of design strategies between developed countries and China and on forming an appropriate design strategy targeting at the Chinese ageing workforce. In addition, the authors are hoping to conduct further literature review, expert interviews, and small-scale questionnaires.
References:
[1] British Standards Institution. BS 7000-6:2005, Design management systems. Managing inclusive design. Guide [S]. 2005-02-01.
[2] National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China. Statistical communique of the People’s Republic of China on the 2015 national economic and social development[EB/OL]. (2016-02-29). http:∥www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/zxfb/201602/t20160229_1323991.html.
[3] Global Times. China facing serious aging issue: report[EB/OL]. (2015-12-9). http:∥www.globaltimes.cn/content/957553.shtml.
[4] China Daily. Coping with aging society[EB/OL]. (2006-01-21). http:∥www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-01/21/content_514340.htm.
[5] Myerson J. Welcoming workplace: designing office space for an aging workforce in the 21st century knowledge economy [M]. London: Helen Hamlyn Centre, Royal College of Art, 2008.
[6] Coleman R, Clarkson J, Dong H, et al. Design for inclusivity: a practical guide to accessible, innovative and user-centered design [M]. Hampshire: Gower, 2007.
[7] Inclusive Design Toolkit. Framework[EB/OL]. (2015-05-28). http:∥www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com/betterdesign2/UCframework/framework.html.
[8] China Disabled Persons’ Federation. Statistical data of China’s different types of disabled people[EB/OL]. (2012-06-26). http:∥www.cdpf.org.cn/sjzx/cjrgk/201206/t20120626_387581.html.
[9] Story M F, Mueller J L and Mace R L. The universal design file: designing for people of all ages and abilities [M]. Raleigh: Centre for Universal Design, North Carolina State University, 1998.
[10] Pirkl J, Babic A. Guidelines and strategies for designing transgenerational products: an instructor’s manual [M]. Acton: Copley Publishing Group, 1988.
[11] Pirkl J. Transgenerational design: a design strategy whose times has arrived [J]. Design Management Journal, 1991, 2(4):50-60.
[12] Pirkl J. Transgenerational design: products for an ageing population [J]. Ergonomics in Design: the Quarterly of Human Factors Application, 1996, 4(2):27.
[13] Keates S. Developing BS7000 Part 6-Guide to managing inclusive design [M].Stary C, Stephanidis C. User-centered interaction paradigms for universal access in the information society. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 2004:332-339.
[14] Helen Hamlyn Centre. Helen Hamlyn Centre for design publications[EB/OL]. (2013-11-04). http:∥www.hhc.rca.ac.uk/462/all/1/publications.aspx.
[15] Zhang T, Dong H. Centre stage: what does human-centered design really mean? [J]. New Design, 2009, 69:34-37.
[16] Helen Hamlyn Centre. Welcoming workplace[EB/OL]. (2008-11-20). http:∥www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/welcoming-workplace.
[17] Myerson J. Work well: inclusive furniture for older office workers [M]. London: Helen Hamlyn Centre, Royal College of Art, 2005.
CLC number:TB 472
Document code:A
Article ID:1004- 0579(2019)01- 0075- 08
Received 2018- 01- 19
Supported by the Shanghai Education Science Research Program (C17067)
Author for correspondence, lecturer, Ph.D.
E-mail: lugy@sdju.edu.cn
DOI:10.15918/j.jbit1004-0579.18018
(Edited by Yuxia Wang)
标签：心肌论文; 作用论文; 高程论文; 垃圾论文; 财务论文; 社会科学总论论文; 人口学论文; 世界各国人口调查及其研究论文; 《JournalofBeijingInstituteofTechnology》2019年第1期论文; Supported by the Shanghai Education Science Research Program(C17067)论文; Department of Art and Design; School of Design and Art; Shanghai Dianji University论文;