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Design: Universal Design

UXmatters has published 6 articles on the topic Universal Design.

Top 3 Trending Articles on Universal Design

  1. Color and Universal Design

    Mobile Matters

    Designing for every screen

    A column by Steven Hoober
    September 6, 2021

    I rarely talk explicitly about accessibility—not because I don’t care about it, but because accessibility must be so well baked into the overall design process. Plus, there are so many overlaps between accessible design and the concept of design for everyone in every context that my basic design principles and detailed guidelines more or less cover it. On projects, I actually avoid discussing accessibility specifically because I think it tends to lead to project teams’ creating accessibility features, which of course, are all too easy to descope, so teams might never get around to implementing them.

    Mobile—and the related trends of using tablets and notebook computers in every environment—has made discussions of universal access even more important. Instead of thinking of disabled rather normal people, it is best to think along the lines of everyone being at least sometimes temporarily disabled. Although much temporary disability is the result of physical conditions, illnesses, or injuries, it can also be the consequence of environmental conditions. For example, sunlight might be coming through a window and glaring off a screen, making it hard to read and colors difficult to differentiate. Read More

  2. Designing for Users with Disabilities: 10 Factors to Consider

    October 17, 2022

    The whole point of technology is to make our lives easier. It helps us save time and effort so we can focus on what’s really important in life rather than on the mundane tasks we need to complete. Because of accessible design, which is a subset of universal design, people who are disabled can now potentially enjoy a level of convenience that is similar to that of the rest of the population. However, when the typical Web site is three times less useful for people with disabilities, these differences become all the more crucial.

    People with disabilities face social exclusion, and apathetic communities send the message that their difficulties are their own. This is not how caring communities operate. Nor does widespread apathy encourage the creation of inclusive, user-friendly designs. While it could be difficult to completely eliminate barriers because of the specific needs of people with particular disabilities, there is definitely room for improvement in terms of making the Internet more user friendly for those with impairments. Read More

  3. Universal-Design Principles and Heuristic Guidelines

    November 9, 2020

    Universal-design principles (UDP) help UX designers create software that people with many different abilities can use, without their having to modify things or use assistive technologies. While the term universal design is more common in architecture and product design than in the design of computer user interfaces, the concept still applies.

    In the 1990s, Ronald L. Mace coined the term universal design and founded The Center for Universal Design, at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Design, to address the needs of an aging population and people with disabilities, meet the demands of new legislation prohibiting discrimination against the disabled in the United States, and adapt to societal changes. What exactly is universal design?

    “Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.”—Ronald L. Mace  Read More

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