Milwaukee, WI – March 4, 2024 – In a significant strategic move reflecting a growing global imperative, Rockwell Automation, a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, is spearheading a comprehensive initiative to embed inclusive design principles across its hardware, software, and corporate communications. This multi-faceted approach, detailed in an ongoing series of strategic communications, aims to address the evolving needs of a diverse global workforce, enhance operational efficiency, and set new accessibility standards within the traditionally robust industrial sector. The company’s commitment extends beyond mere compliance, seeking to fundamentally reshape how industrial solutions are conceived, developed, and deployed to serve a broader spectrum of users, including those with disabilities.
The journey towards full inclusive design began with an initial articulation of its definition and impact on industrial automation in late 2023. This foundational communication highlighted the unique challenges inherent in designing for rigorous industrial environments while acknowledging the burgeoning necessity for accessible solutions. Building on this groundwork, Rockwell Automation is now detailing specific design solutions and strategic efforts that underscore its commitment. This includes a deep dive into considering diverse human factors in hardware design, a proactive evolution of company terminology to foster inclusivity, and the strategic integration of accessibility into its common design system. Future disclosures are anticipated to cover additional activities, including advancements in Rockwell Automation’s external web presence, localization efforts, and other software standards, signaling a sustained, long-term commitment.
Addressing Diverse Human Factors in Industrial Hardware Design
Industrial automation equipment presents a unique set of design challenges due to its prevalence in often unpredictable, rugged, and demanding environments. Unlike consumer electronics, industrial hardware must endure rigorous use, extreme conditions, and operate flawlessly around the clock. This necessitates a hardware design philosophy that equally supports the needs of diverse users, including those with varying physical abilities or sensory impairments. Rockwell Automation is tackling this by focusing on several critical aspects of hardware design, as elaborated by Alex Mummert, a Senior Industrial Designer at the company.
One primary consideration is location. Mummert emphasizes that physical hardware is deployed in a wide array of settings, primarily classified as on-machine or in-cabinet. The imperative for standardization in information display, despite varied product use cases, is crucial. While bespoke solutions might optimize one scenario, they could introduce significant usability issues in another. Rockwell Automation addresses this by maximizing product access through thoughtful mounting situations, minimizing interface obstructions, and optimizing legible information display angles (both vertical and horizontal). This meticulous attention to placement ensures that vital operational data is accessible regardless of the installer’s or operator’s vantage point.
Ergonomics stands as another cornerstone of Rockwell’s hardware design philosophy. Mummert advocates for designing for the 99th percentile, a principle that ensures usability for almost the entire population. This involves standardizing grip points, pull forces, and space affordance to accommodate users without major impediments. These factors are rigorously tested through low-fidelity ergonomic validations, mirroring software design methodologies. For instance, a recent study led by Mummert’s team evaluated the door-opening feature of an I/O module, specifically assessing its positioning relative to adjacent cabling (Figure 1). Such studies are vital in preventing ergonomic challenges and enhancing user interaction, particularly for technicians who may spend hours manipulating these devices. Improved ergonomics also contribute to reduced workplace injuries and enhanced productivity, with studies suggesting that ergonomic interventions can lead to a 10-25% increase in productivity and a significant reduction in musculoskeletal disorders.
The physical characteristics of industrial environments further complicate design. Mummert notes that these products operate in cramped, poorly lit, and often dirty spaces, frequently surrounded by other cabling and equipment. Designers must account for these variables to minimize their impact. Modifications such as adjusting cabling direction and maximizing interface legibility are paramount. Thoughtful, ample affordance is given to hardware elements to create a clear hierarchy for information, whether static or dynamic, such as light indicators. This ensures that critical information is easily discernible even in suboptimal conditions, reducing cognitive load and potential for error in high-stakes operational settings.
Indicators and lights are crucial for conveying device status, and Rockwell has made significant strides in ensuring their inclusive design. Mummert explains the importance of progressive information disclosure: users should gain a deeper understanding of module status the longer they interact with it, with the most critical information being immediately noticeable. To achieve proper, inclusive color affordance, Rockwell developed updated wavelength guidance to assist users with vision impairments in readily identifying colors. This was a critical adjustment, as previous green and yellow LED specifications often overlapped, leading to confusion and misinterpretation of automation device statuses. Furthermore, the company has increased the physical spacing between color LEDs to maximize legibility in poor-visibility conditions, considering both environmental factors and human vision impairments. Intentional spacing helps users distinguish individual indicators (e.g., "the third indicator is flashing") rather than perceiving a cluster of lights as one continuous color. Strategic LED placement also accounts for the surrounding environment, ensuring visibility despite cables and other modules, thereby preventing frustration and ensuring timely response during stressful operational events.
User-interface responsiveness is another area of focus. Mummert highlights the necessity for clearly articulated visual or physical feedback confirming task completion. For example, a locking feature on a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) requiring a quarter-turn must provide distinct and consistent feedback to confirm successful locking or unlocking. This is especially vital in industrial settings where users often wear protective gear like gloves, which reduce tactile sensation and add bulk to their hands. Rigorous testing with such gear in simulated environments helps validate these solutions, ensuring they remain ergonomic and intuitive even under challenging conditions.
Beyond these specific design elements, Rockwell Automation grapples with the immense scale of its product portfolio, encompassing over 400,000 individual stock-keeping units (SKUs). Each product must not only function seamlessly but also visually and tactilely integrate into a cohesive system, maintaining brand perception. The full product lifecycle—from unpacking and commissioning to use, maintenance, and replacement—is considered in the design process, ensuring long-term usability and sustainability. This holistic approach to hardware design is further explored in a Rockwell Automation ROK Talk podcast featuring Mummert and Amber, discussing the integration of inclusive design into hardware specifications and broader accessibility initiatives.
Evolving Terminology for a More Inclusive Future
Beyond physical hardware, Rockwell Automation is undertaking a profound shift in its linguistic landscape. The technology industry, historically, has perpetuated outdated and non-inclusive terms that alienate diverse users and employees. Recognizing this, Rockwell Automation has launched a strategic initiative to modernize its terminology, ensuring that all internal and external communications, whether hardware- or software-oriented or web content, align with an inclusive language strategy. This is particularly challenging in the automation industry, where decades-old software and hardware solutions are deeply entrenched, and customers are hesitant to embrace changes that might disrupt productivity.
Elena Dunne, Senior Manager of Industry Insights and a former terminologist, has spearheaded this critical effort. Her work focuses on both external and internal communication strategies to ensure the company’s language reflects its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
For external software and communications, Dunne leveraged her involvement with TerminOrgs, a consortium of terminologists from large organizations, to identify and discuss alternatives to non-inclusive terms. Rockwell Automation actively engaged with external parties, including standards organizations, partners, and customers who shared similar concerns, fostering a collaborative approach to linguistic evolution. The company also proactively shared its progress through a dedicated blog and a public-facing page on its website, which provides a continually evolving list of preferred alternatives (Figure 2). This list spans various subdomains within industrial automation, including cybersecurity, motion control, and software programming, demonstrating the widespread impact of the initiative. To further disseminate its message, Rockwell has incorporated inclusive terminology discussions into its "Bold Conversations" roundtable talks at its annual Automation Fair® tradeshow event for two consecutive years, emphasizing inclusive design and accessibility to a broad industry audience.
The internal software and communications strategy has been equally robust, driven by proactive and transparent communication. Dunne outlined several key tactics used by the Terminology Review Board to keep employees informed: regular communications through internal newsletters, dedicated intranet pages with updated terminology guidelines, workshops and training sessions for product development teams, and an open feedback channel for employees to suggest improvements. This multi-pronged approach ensures that the entire organization is aligned with and actively contributing to the terminology modernization effort.
The initiative is supported by a cross-functional working group that leads five distinct workstreams:
- Terminology Governance: Establishing clear rules and processes for managing and updating terminology.
- Tooling and Technology: Implementing software and systems to support consistent terminology usage across all platforms.
- Content Migration: Systematically updating existing documentation, user interfaces, and marketing materials with new terminology.
- Training and Education: Developing and delivering programs to educate employees on inclusive language principles.
- External Engagement: Collaborating with industry bodies, partners, and customers to drive broader adoption of inclusive terminology.
A key objective is to build these practices into the productization pipeline. With the newly formed Inclusive Design and Accessibility function, led by Amber, Rockwell is shifting towards proactive measures. This involves integrating checks into the development process to prevent inclusive-design and accessibility issues from arising in the first place, rather than addressing them retroactively. This forward-thinking approach aims to embed inclusive language as a fundamental aspect of product development from conception.
Weaving Accessibility into the Common Design System: Flourish
Retroactively updating decades-old industrial software solutions that were not designed with accessibility in mind is a monumental challenge. Therefore, Rockwell Automation’s strategy emphasizes ensuring that all new releases undergo rigorous implementation and testing of accessibility best practices. A core component of this strategy is the integration of proper accessibility guidelines and patterns into the company’s internal Flourish Design System (Figure 3). Jonathon Gulbrandsen, Design System Leader at Rockwell, elaborates on how Flourish is being leveraged to drive the adoption of accessible, inclusive practices.
Gulbrandsen explains that building accessibility into a design system requires strategic prioritization. The initial focus for Flourish has been on ensuring a proper contrast ratio within all common components, followed by keyboard accessibility. Keyboard accessibility, in particular, was an easy sell to business leaders because its benefits extend to all users, not just those with impairments. In industrial automation, many software applications are immersive, integrated design environments (IDEs) like Rockwell’s FactoryTalk® Design Studio, used by system designers and automation engineers. These "power users" often prefer the speed and efficiency of keyboard navigation to perform tasks, as constantly reaching for a mouse can impose physical and cognitive strain over long workdays. Leaders quickly recognized the win-win scenario of supporting power users while simultaneously accommodating users with motor impairments.
To ensure an appropriate contrast ratio, Rockwell Automation emphasized compliance with established standards, a factor that garners attention from leadership and product managers. The Design System team first ensured that its components met at least AA WCAG 2.1 standards for graphics and UI components, striving for AAA standards for text. This proactive approach means that development teams receive pre-compliant components, streamlining the development process. Compliance with modern web standards like WCAG is viewed as a crucial way to build customer and user confidence, demonstrating a commitment to meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce.
This work is ongoing and evolutionary. Gulbrandsen notes that "Every component has an accessibility section within our documentation site that is ready for expansion as we continue to add capabilities that all of our products can use." Furthermore, the team is working on making the design system "themeable," allowing products to offer various visual presentations such as dark or high-contrast themes, thereby reaching even broader audiences with different visual preferences or needs. This foundational work in Flourish ensures that accessibility is not an afterthought but an integral part of Rockwell’s digital product ecosystem.
Broader Impact and Future Outlook
Rockwell Automation’s comprehensive initiative in inclusive design represents a significant paradigm shift within the industrial automation sector. By proactively addressing diverse human factors in hardware, modernizing terminology, and embedding accessibility into its core design system, the company is not only enhancing its product usability but also cultivating a more inclusive internal and external culture. This commitment goes beyond ethical considerations; it is a strategic business imperative.
According to industry analysts, companies that prioritize inclusive design often experience several tangible benefits. Studies suggest that products designed with accessibility in mind can reach a market segment of over one billion people globally who live with some form of disability, representing significant economic potential. Furthermore, inclusive design practices can reduce development costs by up to 30% by catching accessibility issues early, minimize legal risks associated with non-compliance, and boost brand loyalty and reputation. Improved usability for diverse users also translates into fewer operational errors, enhanced safety in industrial environments, and increased productivity across the workforce. As the global workforce continues to diversify and age, accessible industrial solutions become critical for retaining experienced talent and attracting new generations of workers.
Rockwell’s proactive stance is likely to set a precedent for other players in the industrial sector, driving broader adoption of inclusive design principles. This could lead to an industry-wide elevation of standards, fostering an environment where accessibility is a baseline expectation rather than a niche feature. The ongoing efforts, including the anticipated disclosures on external web presence and localization, indicate a sustained, holistic vision for inclusive design that will shape Rockwell Automation’s trajectory for years to come, solidifying its position as a leader in innovation and corporate responsibility within the global industrial landscape.
