Universal design (UD) – an introduction

Tom VavikProfessor

Ergonomics and Universal Design

http://www.aho.no/no/User-pages/Ansatte/T/Tom-Vavik/http://www.designresearch.no/people/tom-vavik

Institute of DesignThe Oslo School of Architecture and Design

Universal design (UD) – some aspects

Tom VavikProfessor

Institutt of DesignOslo School of Architecture and Design

Universal design …

What Concepts and background A brief historyAccessibility

WhyEthics and human rights Social sustainabilityNational strategyMarked potential

How Inclusive design processesRecommendations and guidelines Through examples

Universal design

What

Universal design is ……..

1991: the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life

(Ronald L. Mace. The Center for Universal Design, the United States.)

THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted on 13 December 2006 The CRPD entered into force on 3 May2008.

• Norway ratified the convention on 3 June 2013

• The purpose of the present Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

• Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Regulation for universal design of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions

• Universal design means "designing, or accommodating, the main solution with regards to physical conditions, so that the solution may be used by as many people as possible," regardless of disability.

Universal design – what

“Universal design (UD) is a framework for the design of places, things, information, communication and policy to be usable by the widest range of people operating in the widest range of situations without special or separate design.”

(Adaptive Environments, 2006)

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Universal Design also known as Inclusive Design, Design for All and Accessible Design

Universal Design (USA)• The Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA)(1990)• Architect Ronald L. Mace (1991) • 7 Principles of UD (1997)

Inclusive Design (England)• Roger Coleman, Royal College

of Art (RCA), Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design

Rama GheerawoPeople centered design

Universal design (Norway)• Norwegian Design Council

Innovation for All

Accessible DesignDesign for our future selvesTransgenerational Design

What is design ?

Design is about ethical values http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tngz9I-wQP4

"Design is a creative activity whose aim is to establish the multi-faceted qualities of objects, processes, services and their systems in whole life-cycles. Therefore, design is the central factor of innovative humanization of technologies and the crucial factor of cultural and economic exchange.”(ICSID)

Contemporary concepts

Accessible through the main solution

• not as the two entrances at the Opera

not as the at the Oslo Opera house with the two entrances

Universal design

WHY

Mastering everyday life

Gender equality

Non-discrimination

Equal opportunities

Equality

Self-determination

Active participation in society

Personal and

social responsibility

AREAS

Buildings, outdoor areas, goods, services, transport and communications, ICT-

solutions

DESIGN ACTIONS Increase quality through a design process with

end user participation

Discover and understand the requirements

Specify the needs and whishes based on the users, the context and

the tasks

Use and transform standards, guidelines,

and checklists

Test and evaluate with users along the design

process

HOW

Public action plans, legislation and regulations,

a profitable market.

Developing attitudes and physical, digital and

organizational solutions

Accessibility is the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible.

Physical accessibility AvailabilityPromote independent use Flexibility and possibility for choice

Cognitive accessibility Senses, multisensorial Easy to understand, learn and remember

Physical and cognitive accessibility

What influence how a building is experienced?

• The features or qualities of the building itself

• The cultural background and capabilities of the user

• The environment aspects, in which context it is acting in

• How it is used, what are the tasks that are performed?

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Human abilities (CEN/CENELEC Guide 6)

Sensory abilities such asseeing, hearing, touch, taste, smell and ballance

Physical abilities such asspeech,dexterity,manipulation,mobility, strength and endurance

Cognitive abilities such asintellect, memory, language and literacy Handrails with ICT

User cababilities in architecture

• Locomotion (motor ability)

• Wayfinding, orientation (visually and cognitively impaired)

• Tolerance towards chemicals in the environment (allergic)

Why

An ethical perspective to UD

”At a society level, universal design is based on equality and equal opportunities as values. For the individual this strategy should be linked to plurality, inclusion and

self-respect.”

Inger Marie Lid [Oslo and Akershus University College, Norway]

“Design is about ethical values”

Michel Puech, Sorbonne

Universal design – objectives

• UD leads to buildings, products and ICT solutions that are accessible, usable and attractive to most people despite the diversity in capability and abilities.

• It is a way of thinking, an overall methodology for the design process.

UD is a part of a sustainable development…

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (UN, 1987)

Sustainable development – design approaches

Design for Environment,Green design, EcoDesign

Universal design, Design for accessibility, Design for all, Participatory design,Inclusive design, Design for diversity

Design managementCorporate social responisbilityEtc.

Cultural sustainabilityCultural sustainability is a new interdisciplinary approach, aimed to raise the significance of culture and its factors in local, regional and global sustainable development. Culture is an

important aspect of sustainable development, as it refers to how we understand and appreciate natural resources and each other. However, the role and meaning of culture within the framework of sustainable development is relatively vague both in science and

policy. Sometimes culture has been treated as a component of social sustainability, sometimes as a fourth pillar,[1] or even as a key dimension of sustainable development. [2][3]

However, the call for culture is becoming more powerful along with the increasing

ecological, economic and social challenges to meet the aims of sustainability. [4]

AbstractCurrent debates about urban sustainability tend to focus on technical issues, such as carbon emissions, energy consumption and waste management, or on the economic

aspects of urban regeneration and growth. Increasingly, however, governments recognise the contribution that built cultural heritage makes to the social well-being of different

groups living within increasingly cosmopolitan towns and cities. Heritage is seen as a major component of quality of life, but the two main methods of identifying and protecting built

heritage – the listing of individual monuments and buildings and designation of conservation areas – are unable to deal with less tangible features of townscape, such as street patterns. Yet it is often precisely these features that give a city its unique character and provide the

sense of belonging that lies at the core of cultural identity. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to examine the role that built cultural heritage can play within sustainable urban

development.

[5]

Social Sustainable Development involves

• Basic human needs• Equity • Social accountability• Empowerment• Local self–reliance• Participation• Inclusion• Accessibility• Appropriate technology

• Protecting the mental and physical health of stakeholders

• Encouraging community development

• Treating all stakeholders fairly• Access to social resources• Providing essential services

(Esp.design.org,http://www.espdesign.org/sustainability-definition/social-sustainability/)

… and a national strategy

• Universal design is a national strategy for making society accessible to all people.

• The Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion coordinates the Government's policy in this field through the Action plan for universal design and increased accessibility 2009-2013.

Universal Design in Norway

ConferencesAction Plans

“Universal design thinking has become widely recognized and applied in Norwegian political documents, statutory framework and technical guidelines.”

Rules, regulations and laws

• Law on planning and buildingRegulations (Planning and Building)

• Laws prohibiting discrimination on grounds of disability (Discrimination and Accessibility Act)

• Arbeidsmiljøloven• Arbeids- og velferdsforvaltningsloven• Barnehageloven• Fagskoleloven• Folkehelseloven• Folkehøyskoleloven• Forvaltningsloven• Friluftsloven

• Husbankloven• Jernbaneloven• Kommunehelsetjenesteloven• Lov om offentlige anskaffelser • Opplæringsloven• Privatskoleloven• Tobakkskadeloven

• Act relating to universities and colleges (Universities and University Colleges Act).

• Valgloven• Vegloven• Yrkestransportloven

See www.lovdata.no and https://byggforalle.no/uu/ombfa.html

Demografi

En økende, kravstor og ressurssterk gruppe.

Stort markedspotensiale

Why New marked

Universal design

How

Attitudes

Teaching students of design

Inclusive design - the strategy of the future

Inclusive design aims to enable allpeople to have equal opportunities toparticipate in every aspect of societyirrespective of cognitive, physical orsociocultural factors.

(Ergonomidesign in Stockholm)

The Process of Universal Design (8 steps) (University of Washington, 2009)

• Identify the application.

• Define the universe.

• Involve consumers.

• Adopt guidelines or standards.

• Apply guidelines or standards.

• Plan for accommodations.

• Train and support.

• Evaluate.

Universal design approaches

• The use of the product (effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a particular context of use)

• The user interface and interaction

• The process used to develop the product

• The capability of an organization to apply this design strategy

(Adapted from http://www.usabilitynet.org)

How With end user involvement

Why iterative design processes

Challenge Solution

(Modified from Bryan Lawson, 1997)

Three models of inclusive design processes

• ISO 13407 - Human centered design processes for interactive systems

• The book: ”Innovating with People”

• John Clarksons - Inclusive design toolkit

Iterative user/human centered design activities (ISO 13407)

4. Product design solutions

5. Evaluate designs against user requirements

3. Specify user and organisational requirements

2. Specify the context of use

Meets requirements

1. Plan the human centered process

Deltasenteret i HelsedirektoratetForskningsrådets brukerforum IT Funk

Norsk Designråds nyskapingsprogram Innovasjon for AlleDen norske Dataforenings faglige nettverk BITS

Ressursnettverket Universell IKT

Inclusive design toolkit www.universaldesigntoolkit.com

(J. Clarkson et al. 2003)

• A 'waterfall' model of an inclusive design process

Ref: Inclusive design. Toolkit. 2007.

Designprosessen

Summary – inclusive design processes:

Are iterative

• Specify the context of use (who, what, where)

• Discover, understand and translate the wants and needs of the user

Involves stakeholders and end users

• Adapt and apply guidelines and standards

• Evaluate designs against requirements and test with users

Model for teaching Design for diversity

Elements in an inclusive design process