ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE DESIGN

Overview

Helix Opportunity’s™ design process transcends mere “access” or “inclusion” to create unique and meaningful experiences that all customers can share in together. We have developed a unique approach called Common Sense Design which is based on the fact that every human being is unique, with a distinctive set of sensory and functional strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. We take this into account in every design decision, from the floor layout of a classroom to the color palette of a mobile application.

Common Sense Design

The process begins with defining a Provocative Purpose (the meaningful experience) and then designing ways to deliver that experience to as many human senses as possible: sight, sound, touch, smell and even taste when possible. This creates a powerful connection among customers with your product, environment, or service, as well as with each other. This design approach also creates stronger memories due to the direct involvement of the sensory processing regions of the brain in creating and storing emotional memories.

Common Sense Design prioritizes the goal of providing every individual with the ability to engage using whatever combination of senses and abilities they prefer. We have helped brands, products, and environments fully engage all people, including people with disabilities, in a seamless and fully shared collective experience for over 15 years.

Consulting

Brand Development

Branding is your expression of the essential truth or value of your organization, products, and services. There are fundamental differences in how to attract, invite, welcome, and meaningfully engage all customers, especially customers with disabilities. Many brands have difficulty achieving this feat with equity. Simple errors or oversights can be significant obstacles, either practical or emotional, for people with disabilities.

Helix Opportunity specializes in meaningfully engaging and emotionally connecting with consumers with disabilities, without unintentionally stigmatizing them as deviant from the norm. Our approach resonates with consumers with disabilities as buyers, securing loyalty that transforms customers into brand advocates and evangelists.

Design of Physical/Virtual Products & Environments

As applied to the design of physical spaces, the goal of Common Sense Design is to enhance and unify the experience for every person who interacts with the location. Removing barriers is essential but far from sufficient. Everything from traffic patterns to the auditory environment and even the ambient odor has an impact and can be tuned to optimize results. For digital environments and products, we utilize cutting-edge technologies to harness the brain’s neuroplasticity through touch points that deliver bursts of neurotransmitters, such as anandamide, dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin, and serotonin. This neuropsychological design technique can alleviate stress, increase happiness, reduce depression, enhance motivation and focus, increase cognition, facilitate diverse bonding, stave off destructive addiction behaviors, mitigate the onset of PTSD and psychosis episodes, and even reduce sexual harassment. Neuropsychological design techniques are the most powerful influencer of human behavior. Our design methodology focuses on providing unique and meaningful experiences that everyone can share in together, without being unintentionally stigmatized by their differences (functional ability, age, language, culture, background, or perspective).

Design of Business Strategies & Processes

A collaborative, productive, and innovative work environment values the strengths of each person and builds on successes to create a culture where individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and functional abilities work better together. By applying Common Sense Design principles to the development of business strategies and processes, organizations are able to achieve Harmony at Work. This brings substantial operational efficiencies, greater employee satisfaction, and the creative nimbleness that leads to true market leadership.

Training

Helix Opportunity is a contributor to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Initiative. We work alongside several different Working Groups on the development of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Maturity Modeling for accessibility, and standards for cognitive accessibility, including mental health.

We provide design teams with training on our holistic approach, so that they too can Unlock the Power of Human Inclusion by achieving Harmony at Work in their products, environments, and services. In addition to global corporations, start-up accelerators frequently seek out our training guidance to assist up-and-coming entrepreneurs to innovate.