One thing I really liked about Design Meets Disability by Graham Pullin is the way it focuses on reframing disability not as a limitation, but as a creative lens through which to innovate design. Rather than treating these assistive technologies like hearing aids or prosthetic limbs as mere medical interventions meant to blend in or be hidden, Pullin instead emphasizes their potential to become expressions of identity, taste, and personal style. The idea that a prosthetic limb could be as much a fashion statement as a handbag or a pair of shoes completely challenges traditional views of medical devices. This shift from invisibility to visibility, where these aids can be beautiful, bold, and integrated into one’s sense of self, was fascinating for me because there’s often a sense of shame associated with these assistive technologies instead that is now being converted into a sense of pride. It reveals how design can be an empowering force when it treats users as people with preferences and personalities, not just as patients.
Overall, I think Pullin’s work makes a very compelling case for bringing designers and disabled individuals into a closer collaboration, arguing that inclusive design should not be about achieving an average but about expanding the range of what’s possible. By introducing examples like sculptural hearing aids or prosthetics designed with aesthetic flair, Pullin invites us to think beyond function and consider meaning, identity, and even fun. It is a very unique take that kind of steps away from more utilitarian design approaches, and it challenged my own assumptions about what disability-related products are supposed to look like. Thus, Design Meets Disability doesn’t just advocate for better products, it advocates for a broader, more human-centered vision of design itself.