Multinational company embedding people with disabilities into product development

Panasonic’s Inclusive Design Framework embeds people with disabilities into product development. Design teams work with lead users and DPOs, co-create solutions (e.g. 3D-printed attachments) and run user tests. The company provides guides and group-wide training.

In 2023, Panasonic – a multinational electronics company based in Osaka, Japan – launched its Inclusive Design Framework to ensure the involvement of persons with disabilities throughout the company’s whole product development cycle. By 2025, 30 inclusive design projects had been launched or are awaiting public release, and over 1,000 employees had been trained, with the framework currently expanding group wide.

Problems Targeted

Since the needs of users with disabilities are not usually considered when developing products, most corporate designs neglect accessibility features.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The Inclusive Design Framework at Panasonic: From Internal Policy to Practical Product Innovation has integrated three implementation requirements in the company´s procedures. First, design teams engage with ‘lead users’ who have disabilities during the planning stage to gain insights from their lived experiences. Second, they continue the co-creation process throughout the design and development stages, with DPO members and expert users reviewing iterations, addressing access barriers, and optimizing design choices in real time. Third, before implementation users test features to ensure they are accessible and address physical, sensory, and cognitive needs. One example is the co-creation of 3D-printed attachments that improve the usability of consumer electronics for people with visual or hand-related disabilities. These data files are openly shared online, enabling users to affordably and independently adapt products. To support practice, Panasonic has developed a guidebook and provides company-wide training. The DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Design Division offers cross-functional support, assisting business units directly with their development efforts.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The Inclusive Design Framework is funded through Panasonic’s internal budgets. The methodology is being scaled across the Panasonic Group, with tools and guidelines made publicly available and referenced by other organizations. (#ZeroCall26)

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