#TIL: Accessible Design’s a shortcut towards Universal Design
The twentieth century witnessed many social developments. Advancements in medical science meant that life expectancy has improved and the probability that one would acquire some nature and level of disability has increased.
Similarly, the first half of the century witnessed two World Wars and saw heroic soldiers returning from the battlefields — many with a disability. As a result, buildings, vehicles, products and services now needed to have “Accessible Design” so that they were usable by people with diverse abilities.
Rather than retrofitting products and services to make them accessible, designers began putting the “User” at the centre of the design process. This new User Centric Design approach coupled with Accessible Design philosophy paved the way for the concept of Universal Design.
Universal Design follows seven design principles given below:
- Equitable Use: The design is useful and marketable to any group of users.
- Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
- Simple and Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or current concentration level.
- Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities.
- Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintentional actions.
- Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
- Size and Space for Approach and Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation and use regardless of user’s body size, posture or mobility.
When products and services have an Accessible Design, they inherently follow Universal Design principles. Watch the following video to see this in action:
Today I learnt (TIL) is a weekly series by OMI that brings you interesting nuggets of information that you didn’t know you needed.
