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BT and the Helen Hamlyn Centre asked us to find ways to bridge the digital divide, and make broadband connectivity accessible and valuable to a generation of their customers who have never had computers at home.
It was an open brief, with a large emphasis on user-research. What we found was an interesting challenge. With more products and services going digital so much that the internet offers could be of real value to members of our society that are losing their mobility and independence. However computers have such a high assumed level of knowledge and set-up cost that most of this section of society are excluded.
We designed a range of concepts that broke down the barriers to online information for these potential customers. These were simple, affordable, single-application devices that delivered the most valuable aspects of the internet to non-computers users. Most of the concepts were so elegant in function that they proved desirable to young and old alike, and none of them carried the stigma of ‘assistive technology’.
One concept, the TwoTone phone was selected for further development. It is a handset that on one side acts as a normal cordless phone, with simple operation and large buttons. The other side however acts as a VOIP phone, connecting the user with six of their closest friends and family. Each button lights up when that contact is online and available. The owner sets their own availability by flipping the handset one way up or the other.
Several aspects of this design were patented by BT, and it was highly regarded for the way it bridges the gap between the online and offline communities, as well as its potential for prolonging independent living by facilitating a more effective support network.