Research Fellow
Tel: +44 (0)20 7590 4216
E-mail: jo-anne.bichard@rca.ac.uk
Academic and research background
Jo-Anne Bichard has a BSc in social anthropology from Goldsmiths College and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College London. She has conducted a number of ethnographic studies at a range of sites including; neuroscience labs, public sanitation facilities and corporate workplaces. Jo-Anne is Research Fellow and the academic research leader at the RCA Helen Hamlyn Centre where she works directly with designers engaged in the inclusive process. Jo-Anne has published widely on her research and is currently completing her PhD on inclusive design and design anthropology in the built environment at The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London.
Research interests
Jo-Anne specialises in the inclusive and user-centred design of built environment products and spaces. She is especially interested in the relationships between designing for improved access to all areas of public life through inclusive design, sustainable design and design against crime. Jo-Anne's focus in this area has predominately been on the design of public conveniences, public squares and city parks. However, she has extended this view to include non-domestic space, namely inclusive work environments, especially for the ageing knowledge workforce.
Jo-Anne is the lead investigator on the work package 'Challenging Environmental Barriers to Successful Continence Management for Older People', one of four work packages on the collaborative research project Tackling Ageing Continence through Theory Tools and Technology (TACT3) on which she is co-investigator. TACT3 is funded by the New Dynamics of Ageing funding programme and is lead by the University of Brunel and includes Sheffield University, Manchester University, and the University of the West of England.
Jo-Anne was co-investigator of the Welcoming Workplace, funded under the EPSRC & AHRC Designing for the 21st Century programme. The research looks at challenges confronting those who plan and design offices within the 21st century knowledge economy, and will provide direction to a more innovative and adaptive design practice, that encompasses the need of older knowledge workers.
Jo-Anne is a member of the i~design3 project. This research seeks to provide tools that enables designers to think more inclusively and create innovative products and environments for older people and people with disabilities. i~design is funded by the EPSRC and is undertaken in partnership with Cambridge and Loughborough universities.
Jo-Anne previous research includes the Vivacity 2020 project and the Innovative Health Technologies Programme.
Jo-Anne is the Director of Include, the biennial conference on Inclusive design held at the Royal College of Art.
Myerson J, Bichard J & Erlich A. (2010) 'New Demographics, New Workspace: Office Design for the Changing Workforce', Gower, UK
Bichard, J & Gheerawo, R. (2010) The Designer as Ethnographer: Practical Projects from Industry in Design Anthropology. Eds. A Clarke & K Dankl, Springer.
Bichard, J & Knight. G. (2010) Title to be confirmed in Access By Design, The Journal of the Centre for Accessible Environments Spring 2010.
2009
Bichard, J. & Hanson, J. (2009) Inclusive Design of 'Away from Home' Toilets in Designing Sustainable Cities. Eds R. Cooper, G Evans & C. Boyko. Wiley-Blackwell, UK.
Myerson, J. & Bichard, J. (2009) Welcoming Workplace: Rapid Design Intervention to Determine the Office Environment Needs of Older Knowledge Workers in Design for the 21st Century Volume 2: Interdisciplinary Methods and Findings. Ed. T. Inns, Gower, UK.
2008
Bichard J, Hanson J. & Greed C. (2008) ‘Please Wash Your Hands’ in Senses & Society, Vol 3:1, pp 79-84, Berg, UK.
Bichard J, & Myerson J. (2008) ‘The Welcoming Workplace: Designing for extended working lives’ Abstract published in International Federation of Ageing 9th Global Conference ' Ageing & Design' Montreal 4-7 September
Erlich A & Bichard J. (2008) 'The Welcoming Workplace: Designing for Ageing Knowledge Workers' in Journal of Corporate Real Estate Vol. 10 No. 4, pp.273-285.
Gheerawo, R. & J. Bichard (2008) ‘Accessing Aspirations – Inspirational Kitchen and Bathroom Design for Older People’ Abstract published in International Federation of Ageing 9th Global Conference ‘ Ageing & Design’ Montreal 4-7 September
Gheerawo, R. & J. Bichard (2008) 'Living Independently: accessing aspirations for kitchen design' in Access by Design: The Journal of the Centre for Accessible Environments Issue 114 Spring 2008
Bichard J & Myerson J (2008) ‘The Welcoming Workplace: Meeting the challenges of office design for older knowledge workers’ in proceedings of International DMI Education Conference Design Thinking: New Challenges for Designers, Managers and Organizations ESSEC Business School, Cergy-Pontoise, Paris, France, 14-15 April
Lee Y, Bichard J & Coleman, R. (2008) 'Designing with Users – How? Investigating Users Involvement tactics for effective Inclusive Design Processes' International DMI Education conference
