General Concepts, Universal Design Principles and Guidelines
Why Do It?
There are many reasons, both practical and economic, for creating a world we can all use. Here are a few papers which highlight key reasons:Understanding the Population
People who could benefit from more universal designs include many both with and without disabilities. In some cases, people may experience difficulty in using products purely as a result of the environment or an unusual circumstance. Beneficiaries of universal design include:- People in a noisy shopping mall who cannot hear a kiosk
- People who are driving their car who must operate their radio or phone without looking at it
- People who left their glasses in their room
- People who are getting older
- People with disabilities
- Almost anyone
In order to design for the general population, it is important to understand the diversity, problems, tools, and abilities of its members. To explore these for people with disabilities, we provide a section A Brief Introduction to Disabilities.
Universal Design Guidelines
- Principles of Universal Design
A group of universal design advocates are working cooperatively to try to develop a set of universal design principles. The goal is to see whether there are some general high-level principles which apply across environments, products, and communication. This is an ongoing project, and input is solicited. - Consumer-Electronic
Product Guidelines - Trace 1991
Guidelines for the design of electronic products to increase their accessibility to persons with disabilities or who are aging. - EIA- Resource Guide for Accessible Design of Consumer Electronics
Resource Guide for Accessible Design of Consumer Electronics. A Joint Venture of the Electronic Industries Association and the Electronic Industries Foundation
The Process of Universal Design
Information on the process within corporations for encouraging and supporting universal design: