What is Universal Design
Universal design is a design concept and framework that takes into account the various needs and circumstances of individuals from the initial design stage of a product or an environment. This approach ensures that the facilities or products are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, without requiring additional modifications or specialized designs.
This inclusive approach benefits a wide range of individuals, including individuals with various disabilities, pregnant women, the elderly, children, and families with caregiving responsibilities. Universal design can also be applied across various areas, such as building facilities, living environments, transportations, daily living products, information technologies, workflows, and services.
The Seven Principles of Universal Design
Equitable Use
Designed to be inclusive for all individuals and can be used safely without excluding anyone
Flexibility in Use
Able to accommodate different users’ usage patterns, habits, preferences, and abilities
Simple and Intuitive Use
Can be easily used by users regardless of their knowledge, experience, abilities, and language proficiency
Perceptible Information
Cater broadly to users’ sensory and cognitive abilities, designed to effectively convey simple and easy-to-read information
Tolerance for Error
Designed to minimize the adverse and dangerous consequences regardless of how users use the product
Low Physical Effort
Allows users to operate the product comfortably and effortlessly
Size and Space for Approach and Use
Able to accommodate users’ body size, activity capabilities, and diverse purposes
Misunderstanding 1: Universal design is not particularly special. It does not matter even if it is not considered
The essence of universal design lies in designing to meet the diverse needs of all groups. Many designers may think this is common sense which does not need to be explicitly stated or learnt. They might believe that their professional framework already takes into consideration the needs of users. However, if that is really the case, why are there still so many buildings in the community that are inconvenient for the elderly and people with mobility impairments? Universal design is not a straightforward topic and should not be taken for granted.
Understanding and integrating the principles of universal design require a comprehensive understanding. It involves delving into the characteristics and requirements of various individuals with disabilities, understanding the mobility challenges the elderly face, and recognizing the needs of pregnant women and children. Do wheelchair users and individuals with visual impairments have identical needs? Are there disparities in mobility capabilities within the elderly demographic? It is clear that in order to achieve universal design, a clear understanding of the life challenges and needs of diverse user groups is essential. This highlights the importance of engagement with communities to gain insights, accumulate knowledge, and build experience.
Misunderstanding 2: Applying universal design will increase project costs
Many people often assume “barrier-free” and “universal design” are the same without fully understanding their differences.
The principle of barrier-free is that once a product is available, users should be able to use it without having any barriers. For example, having stairs at the main entrance of a shopping mall is not an accessibility issue as long as an accessible ramp is available at the side entrance for wheelchair users to enter the mall. The concept of barrier-free does not inherently address the question of whether the mall should provide an additional ramp or whether it should convert the stairs into a flat surface.
In contrast, the application of universal design emphasises intervention at the initial design stage and the necessity to simultaneously cater to the needs of different users. In the previous example, providing a ramp or converting the stairs at the main entrance into a flat surface becomes the focus of universal design. At the initial design stage, universal design would consider the main entrance of the mall as the entry point for all individuals. Therefore, whether regardless of the age or the physical conditions of the users, they should all be able to access the mall conveniently via the same route. Providing a flat entrance is hence the best arrangement. Since this consideration is already integrated into the initial design phase, the mall does not need to incur additional costs to build an accessible ramp. This means that the application of universal design may not necessarily increase costs; in fact, it can potentially save costs.
Misunderstanding 3: Does universal design conflict with construction aesthetics
Designers and architects do not adopt universal design often because they lack a full understanding of it. They only associate universal design with features like ramps in barrier-free design, mistakenly believing that products and environments designed based on universal design principles would be dull in appearance, lacking aesthetic appeal, and unable to align with their design styles. However, this is merely a misconception. Since universal design begins at the very initial design stage, it can integrate users’ needs into the design process. This allows designers to balance the pursuit of aesthetics with addressing users’ needs. By incorporating the principles of universal design into the design process, there is no longer a need to provide additional barrier-free features, which helps eliminate labeling effects and foster a more inclusive society.
