DBA Inclusive Design Challenge 2010
There are 900,000 people over the age of 50 out of work in the UK at an estimated cost of £30 billion to the economy. Open is an awareness campaign and accreditation scheme designed to highlight and address issues of ageism in the workplace.
How it works
The Department of Work and Pensions is keen to educate businesses about the anti-ageist legislation that came into effect in 2006. Open Age Brackets is a call to action for a progressive mindset that shows businesses how they can act. Designed to talk to employers, employees and those looking for work, it highlights the undervalued but crucial resource of the older worker. The Open accreditation scheme gives businesses the tools to educate their staff on the negative impact of ageism and create a truly non-discriminatory, open work place.
The Open Age Brackets campaign uses a clear graphic and typographic brand that avoids clichéd and unrepresentative images of older people. It tackles the four key myths inherent to ageist attitudes, which centre around the use of technology, training, the ability to adapt to new situations and productivity. Open Age Brackets shows how a shift in attitudes can be successfully integrated into everyday activity and how by employing older workers, a company can expect better retention rates, knowledge transfer, increased diversity and customer satisfaction.
User input
What the designer said:
‘The inclusive design challenge allows you to think about a problem from 360 degrees. By placing a microscope over an issue, you identify where inclusive design can make a difference. You then get to challenge it from your own perspective, which in turn leads you to question why you exist in the design industry and what your work is about. This level of questioning is a catalyst for creativity and problem solving. You don't realise how valuable this challenge can be to your team until you take part. It's like doing a crash course PhD.'
What the judges said:
‘A design concept underpinned by excellent research and problem identification. Open addressed the hidden problem and difficult subject matter of ageism in the workplace. The designers created a clear, simple and intriguing campaign whose gentle but informative approach seeks to raise awareness rather than point the finger. The judges felt that the visual economy of the style would ensure that the campaign would be memorable to the target audience and thus a measure of its effectiveness. '
