Get started with universal design

The term ‘universal design’ has its early roots in the built environment, but it is so much more now. Meaghan Walls talks in a podcast about how she came to the universal design concept. She explains how universal design is now the design of everything.

a series of black icons on white background depicting people of all shapes and sizes, including a baby in a stroller, a person with a can and a wheelchair user. Universal design thinking. Universal design is about accepting and celebrating diversity as the graphic indicates. So, there are many ways to explain universal designTwo short videos can get you started with universal design thinking. 

This first video about universal design is powerful in its simplicity. One of the best explanations around. Great for introducing the idea of inclusion and universal design to newcomers. A good example of a universally designed video and universally designed explanation as well.

From the pixel to the city

Whether it’s a website or app, or a building or city, inclusive design principles can be applied. Inclusive Design: from the pixel o the city is a short video of designers’ comments, using animated drawings with voice overs. This adds A grey picture of the earth with raised areas symbolising citiesan interesting perspective to the topic of why we need to make everything inclusive – whether its about pixels or cities. It also shows that creativity need not be curtailed in designing information formats. The article also shows how the graphics for the video were created. The video has closed captions. 

The design of everything

The term ‘universal design’ has its early roots in the built environment, but it is so much more now. Meaghan Walls talks about how she came to the universal design concept in a podcast. She explains how universal design is now the design of everything.

The podcast is one of series by The Universal Design Project.  Meaghan Walls explains how she was first introduced to the concept during her master’s degree. She came to realize that it covered more than objects;

Head and shoulders of Meaghan Walls wearing a red top.

“universal design could be applied to all aspects of our community from services to programs, to processes and businesses. And that kind of blew my mind. And I realised you could take that common thread through all aspects of our engagement with the community.”

Logo for Good Fit Poor Fit podcast by The Universal Design Project.

Some nice points made in this 12 minute podcast that comes with a transcript. Walls discusses showers, invisible hinges, swing-away hinges, language, wayfinding and much more.

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