Category: What is universal design?

Universal design and terminology

Researchers like to have a set of defined terms for their field of work. It makes communicating with each other clearer and easier and for comparing studies. But when similar concepts begin from different origins, different terms are coined depending on the context. 

Lots of different coloured words reading define. Designing inclusively.Universal design is a concept that falls within the field of social science. As such we can expect different terms for the same and similar concepts. Regardless, the participation of all is the ultimate goal.

Societies are not fixed in time and consequently, terminology moves with it. So rather than debate the terms, we should accept and group the different terms as seeking the same outcomes. The concepts have been around for more than thirty years, but there is still significant confusion in how to apply them.

Three Swedish researchers propose a harmonised model and the synergies they create. In their paper, the researchers explore how the concepts of accessibility, usability, and universal design have developed. They explore how these concepts relate to and complement each other to create a 21st century view.

Accessibility: person-environment interaction 

This approach implies that problems should be expressed and solved from a person-environment relationship. It is based on norms aspiring to meet the needs of most and underpins standards. As such, accessibility is measurable in terms of dimensions and specifications. It has roots in human rights legislation.

Usability: user perspectives on interactions

This term has found its way into policy documents, legislation and regulations. This definition highlights the importance of functionality and user experience. Practitioners in the field of of digital technologies often use the term user experience. In the case of people with vision impairments this has been a key driver of digital designs.

A smartphone with graphics depicting a design problem being fixed.The International Standard ISO 9241-11 describes usability as the “extent to which a product, a service and the built environment can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use” (2018).

Usability cannot be measured in the same way as accessibility because it relates to personal experience. It is expressed by how the design enables people use the product or service.

Universal design – value based vision

Universal design is gaining global prominence as more people are taking on board the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Front cover of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilitie. CRPD.The concept is presented as the overarching principle in the CRPD. It provides a basis for a national commitment regarding everything new that is created in society. In the English-speaking world the concept is used both as a verb (to design) and a noun (a design).

Universal design is a value-based concept that takes a broad view of society. It is both a vision and a process. It is most often understood as being about people with disability. But this is misleading. 

The definition in the CRPD makes it clear that the concept concerns all people. It is about a diversity of thought and all human functions fall under this concept. Universal design is not a sub-category of design or special process. It is intended to be an integral part of ordinary design. 

The concept of universal design has been confused with the definition of accessibility in policy documents. Hence the hybrid term “universal access”. Citing universal design as a standard or regulation is against the original intent. Accessibility and usability are tools for translating universal design into practice at individual, and societal levels. 

What does this all mean?

The researchers offer a thoughtful way forward by merging the concepts of accessibility, usability and universal design. While they come from different origins, they have evolved. Universal design must have accessibility and usability as a minimum for people with disability. However, these concepts alone are insufficient for full participation. 

The title of the paper is, Accessibility, usability and universal design – still confusing? Harmonisation of key concepts describing person-environment interaction to create conditions for participation. A really useful discussion that should help readers understand how and why we keep getting in a terminology muddle. And also, why we must integrate the concepts and focus on process rather than product. 

From the abstract

We describe recent developments, how the concepts relate to and complement each other, and the synergies they create. We argue that definitions are crucial and that the concepts can be combined and harmonised in a synergistic entity. The participation of all is the ultimate goal of society.

Universal Design is the value-based vision and approach to design grounded in human rights that, through intersectionality and involvement, should permeate all aspects of society to create the best possible conditions for participation for all citizens. We propose a harmonised model where the concepts are explicitly defined and closely connected, with each other. 

Universal design is about diversity

Universal design is about diversity, equity and inclusion, and whether you use this term or “inclusive design” is of little importance. Indeed there are many ways to explain designs that include, support, and enable. Everyone appreciates designs that create a sense of belonging, comfort and convenience – that’s universal appreciation.

The underpinning principle of universal design is inclusiveness and to avoid barriers to inclusion and participation in everyday life. Image of a conference slide at the 2020 UD Conference in Brescia.

Slide at a conference with the words, good design enable. Bad design disables.

Some find the lack of a definitive terms to describe the quest for inclusiveness problematic and seek to find a solution. While this might cause some angst for academics, practitioners have other priorities.

Given that universal design is about diversity and different ways of finding solutions, we should consider many ways of describing universal design. Perhaps a one-size-fits-all term is too limiting. People who are excluded by designs have their own names for both good and bad design.

Here are some terms that emerged from a workshop some years ago, but are current today. You can download the full list of the diversity of explanations.

  • Caring design: taking care to be inclusive
  • Empathetic design: putting yourself in the situation of others
  • Collaborative design: essential for some cultural groups
  • Fragile design: needs community agreement to work
  • Everyday design: to be ubiquitous, accepted and normal
  • Provocative design: challenging the status quo

A conference paper, Calling a Spade a Shovel: Universal, accessible, adaptable, disabled – aren’t they all the same? discusses the issue of terminology in the context of housing. Many terms have emerged for housing: accessible, adaptable, disabled and seniors. A universal design approach would capture them all. However, specialist housing for people with high level needs are also necessary.

So let’s end the discussion on one term being better than another and focus our attention on designing and creating inclusive communities.

Universal design: A smart approach

A universal design approach to all things designed is a smart approach for every organisation and business. This is not new information to followers of universal design principles. However, we need to keep saying it to remind all designers to be inclusive with their designs. It is a smart approach with economic benefits as a Getaboutable blog post says.

“By considering universal design from the outset, businesses and institutions can foster inclusivity while also achieving long-term efficiencies.”

overhead picture of the fresh food section of a supermarket. Universal design includes everyone.

CUDA followers are aware of the benefits, but the Getaboutable blog post is a good example of how to explain these to others. It covers all the usual suspects such as being beyond compliance and the benefit of a proactive approach.

Benefits of a smart approach

Universal design improves usability, enhances customer and employee satisfaction, and often leads to innovative solutions that serve a broader audience. Organisations that integrate universal design principles early in their planning process can realise significant advantages:

  • Cost Savings: Addressing accessibility needs from the start is far more cost-effective than retrofitting solutions later. Fixing non-compliant infrastructure or redesigning a digital platform after launch is expensive and disruptive.
  • Broader Market Reach: An inclusive approach allows businesses to connect with a more diverse audience. With over 1.3 billion people worldwide living with a disability—many of whom influence purchasing decisions—universal design is also a smart business strategy.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Many industries face increasing legal and ethical expectations around accessibility. Taking a universal design approach helps organisations stay ahead of evolving standards and avoid potential legal challenges.
  • Economic Benefit: Investing in universal design is not just a social responsibility; it also makes sound economic sense. Research indicates that companies leading in disability inclusion outperform their peers financially. Over a five-year period, such companies experienced 1.6 times more revenue and 2.6 times more net income than others.*

There is more in this blog post, Universal Design: A Smarter Approach for Every Organisation. All images portray a visible disability. At the end of the post is a link to 4 tips for creating accessible online information.

8th principle of universal design?

The classic and often quoted 7 Principles of Universal Design were devised in the 1990s. The world has moved on, but many academics and practitioners remain committed to these principles. Steinfeld and Maisel updated them in 2012 to include cultural awareness as an 8th principle. In the 2020s we need to think more broadly again. A new paper proposes safety as the 8th principle, but maybe it should be the 9th.

The 7 Principles of Universal Design were devised at a time when designers were considered responsible for creating accessible designs. Now we know the benefits of involving users in the design process as well. Of course safety should be automatically considered in all designs, but are all designs safe for everyone? A group of researchers from Ireland make the links between universal design and safety.

Now we understand diversity better, perhaps 7, 8 or 9 principles are insufficient to cover all aspects of our lives and design. The concept of universal design is much broader than just accessibility. Image is a photo taken in 2004 at Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access.

Wall banner saying The essence of universal design lies in its ability to create beauty and mediate extremes without destroying differences in places, experiences and things

Feeling safe gives confidence

What do we mean by ‘safe’. Being safe and feeling safe are two different but related concepts. Not feeling safe can be just as limiting and exclusionary as lack of physical access. A conference paper from Ireland looks at this issue from a fear of falling perspective. Accessibility and safety don’t always go together.

Fear is a natural and essential reaction. Some people might limit or avoid activities outside the home because of the fear of falling. Others at an actual risk of falling might not consider falling as a risk. Neither condition is ideal.

The authors of the paper use examples of how design can make people feel safer. An obvious one is a handrail on a stairway. Having confidence to participate in everyday activities is good for health. Maintaining and restoring that confidence is another element of universal design.

The title of the paper is Widening the Circle: Is There an Eighth Principle for Universal Design?

From the abstract

The advantage of universal design over barrier-free design is it benefits everyone, regardless of age or ability. However design for personal safety outranks accessibility as a design The imperative to include design for personal safety even outranks accessibility as a requirement of a design.

The Seven Principles of Universal Design did not anticipate advanced standards of safety in today’s world. Whilst Principle Five – ‘Tolerance for Error’ gets close, it implies the user who is at fault not the designer. The very fear of falling, inability to find a public toilet, or feeling incapable erodes confidence.

We discuss the design of facilities that lead to lack of confidence. Fear of falling is one of the most limiting when it comes to getting out and about. We propose an additional principle: Reduction of Fear.

By joining forces with health and safety issues, universal design becomes more inclusive, desirable to client bodies, and attractive to everyone. There are areas where improvement in design is urgently required.

Co-creating urban development

The concept of universal design has evolved over the last 50 years, and so it should as we learn more about how to be inclusive. However, many authors continue to base their writings on outdated notions of universal design. So it’s refreshing to find an article on co-creating urban development that advances our thinking about the concept.

Nordic countries embraced a universal design policy for urban development at the turn of the century and continue to learn from their experiences. Universal design thinking has evolved to using co-design and co-creation methods in design processes. This the point at which Emil Erdtman takes up the ideas and develops them further.

Universal design is three things:

  • an ethical principle for inclusion of diversity
  • a vision of an inclusive society
  • a unifying approach to policy and perspectives
Drawings of 12 different people indicating population diversity.

In Sweden universal design is a guiding principle for policies, procurement and living environments. While it is applied in local projects, little is known about local practice. Hence Erdtman’s research. His explains the differences between consultation, partnership and co-creation in the graphic below.

A graphic showing three hexagonal shapes. One shows arrows going one way to represent consultation. One has arrows pointing outwards to represent partnership negotiations. One has arrows pointing to the centre depicting equal contribution of co-creation.

Consultation is a one-way facilitation process, partnership is a negotiating process between competing interests, and co-creation is equal contribution for innovation.

Erdtman describes the projects in his study and the methods he used which included conversations about participants’ understanding of universal design. The conversations allowed for critical discussions rather than “battles about words”.

Discussions about terminology are detrimental to the pursuit of inclusive practice so it was good to see the focus stayed on the concept itself. Nevertheless, universal design was only connected to impairment despite the intersectional nature of the concept. A focus on impairment hides a more general user perspective as social beings in urban life.

Co-creation at the local level

Erdtman found that universal design practice shows diversity and inspired new methods. However, changing municipal practice takes time. A concept like universal design does not replace routines of planning, negotiation and rational management.

Co-creative ways of collaborating is about integrating experiences from a diversity of people, not thinking in separate tracks. It’s about equal participation and responsibility. It is not about commenting on ready-made proposals or delivering experiences as information. Limiting accessibility as just for people with disability risks leaving out invisible needs of others.

Universal design must be contextualised

Universal design transcends conventional categories and fosters continuous improvement. It enriches urban development by integrating diverse user experiences. It must be continuously contextualised, and developed differently depending on the locality.

Universal design should inspire innovation beyond group interests, regulations and human categorisation. Otherwise it will be just another rationalistic planning model.

A large and diverse group of small plastic cartoon characters placed around a dark greet star shape.

The title of the article is, Co-creating urban development: local Swedish projects guided by Universal design. It was published in Design-for-All India. You can also download a copy in a font that is easier to read than the original.

From the abstract

This chapter contributes to knowledge about the understanding, implementation and co-creation of universal design. Interviews and group discussions were conducted and participant observation was made in three urban development projects.

The understanding of universal design was multifaceted. It is an ethical principle for inclusion of diversity, a vision of an inclusive society, and a unifying of policy and perspectives. Participants emphasised flexibility, predictability and personalised support. They linked universal design to accessibility as a separate and target group with a focus on regulatory compliance.

In the local context universal design practice will be expressed in diverse ways. Collaboration between municipalities and local disability organisations is formal and established. Different conditions and expectations created tensions about roles and interpretation of disability experience.

Disability experience is information for facilitating processes and for negotiation outcomes. However, there were conditions for co-creation.

Universal design, diversity and low hanging fruit

In the same publication there is another interesting article titled, Universal design, visualising diversity and two low hanging fruits. Here is the abstract.

To plan, design and build with diversity in mind is a complex process. While goals such as inclusion, participation and social sustainability may be present in the vision for a future product, service or environment, studies show that the initial vision isn’t always realized in the end result. There are still far too many products, services and environments that are hard to access or use for parts of the population. In this text we focus on comparatively simple, lightweight, tools – “low hanging fruits”.

Such tools are already available, there are personas, context cards, but also checklists and guidelines. Inspired by the existing work, we have developed one deck of cards, intended to serve as thought support by visualizing population diversity. In order to obtain a similar effect in digital environments (egin digital twins and other 3D environments used in planning and development) we have also developed 3D models (vehicles, devices and humans) that can be put in the digital environment, and serve as a reminder to the users of the digital environment of population diversity.

Selwyn Goldsmith and Universal Design

Architects Selwyn Goldsmith and Ronald Mace were leaders in the field of universal design. Both contracted polio in their childhood but this did not stop them from championing the disability rights movement. Today, Mace is widely recognised in the universal design movement. However, Goldsmith was very active in the UK and wrote four books. The last of which was in 2000, titled Universal Design.

Although the book is more than 20 years old, it remains a good reference for architects with some wise advice on attitude.

“The architect does not start with the presumption that people with disabilities are abnormal, are peculiar and different… [or] packaged together with a set of special-for-the-disabled accessibility standards, … presented in top down mode as add-ons to unspecified normal provision.” Image from The Guardian

Head and shoulders of Selwyn Goldsmith. Photo from The Guardian.

Today’s universal design campaigners still find this attitude within the general design community. The resistance to that paradigm change Goldsmith discusses remains 25 years on.

From the Routledge book description

“Universal Design presents detailed design guidance for architects in an easily referenced form. Covering both public buildings and private housing, it includes informative anthropometric data, along with illustrative examples of the planning of circulation spaces, sanitary facilities, car parking spaces and seating spaces for wheelchair users in cinemas and theatres. It is a valuable manual in enhancing understanding of the basic principles of ‘universal design’.

The aim – to encourage architects to extend the parameters of normal provision, by looking to go beyond the prescribed minimum design standards of the Part M building regulation, Access and facilities for disabled people.”

The contents of the book include:

  • Building users: Mobility Equipment; Ambulant disabled people; Wheelchair users; Scooter users; Pushchair users;
  • Anthropometric measures; Ambulant people; Wheelchair users;
  • Heights of fixtures and fittings; Mirrors; Windows; Shelves; Work surfaces; Digital code panels; Socket outlets; Vertical Circulation; Steps and stairs; Ramps; Handrails; Spaces for wheelchair manoeuvre; Movement through door openings; Entrances to buildings; Entrance lobbies;
Front cover of Selwyn Goldsmith's book, Universal Design. Purple blue background with white text and graphic images.
  • Sanitary facilities; Cloakroom lobbies; WCs; Wash basins; Baths and bathrooms; Shower and shower rooms; Changing rooms and dressing rooms; Lifts; Platform lifts and stairlifts; Seating spaces; Kitchens; Bedrooms; Car parking spaces.

Goldsmith’s first book was in 1963 titled Designing for the Disabled – an entirely new concept at the time. He expanded this publication in 1967. A third book in 1992, Designing for the Disabled – The New Paradigm, expanded his focus to children and prams. His research led to the first kerb cuts in the UK. Selwyn Goldsmith died in 2011.

10 Things to know about Universal Design

Page with 10 things to know about universal design.The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in Ireland devised 10 Things to know about Universal Design. However, this handy list is missing from their new website. Luckily, someone else has taken the list and updated it.
Briefly, the 10 things to know about universal design are:
      1. Universal design is committed to improving original design concepts by making them more inclusive.
      2. Universally designed products can have a high aesthetic value
      3. Universal design is much more than just a trend – it is an approach that can be applied to any project
      4. Universal design does not aim to replace the design of products targeted at specific markets
      5. Universal design is mistakenly used as a synonym for conformance to accessible design standards
      6. A common misconception is that it benefits only a few members of the population
      7. Universal design can be undertaken by any designer, not just specialists
      8. Universal design should be integrated throughout the design process
      9. Universal design is not just about one design for everyone – it considers the wide ranging capabilities of users
      10. Universal design is a process, not a result and is not assumed or expected that a 100% universal solution will be achieved for any given project.
See the Sunbell blog site for more information on the 10 Things. There are more resources on the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design website. 
 

3rd Generation universal design

In the quest for inclusion individuals have to identify as excluded so that they can then get included. That’s because the people already included are doing the including by deciding whether to invite you in. What if inclusion was thought about as “nonclusion”? This is the proposition in a paper on 3rd generation universal design.
 
“Nonclusive design means design that resists categorisations of bodies/roles and that does not come with predefined or presupposed limits in terms of who it is meant for.
Inclusion is one group looking at another group and thinking about "Them".
 
The authors say that “nonclusive design” is an essential element in the shift towards 3rd generation universal design. They define nonclusive design as a design that resists categorisations of bodies and roles. It does not come with with predetermined limits of who it is meant for. Therefore designs incorporate human diversity without reference to existing or traditional ways of doing things.
 
Nonclusive design is about intersectional thinking focused on unity rather than separation. The title of the paper is, Towards 3rd Generation Universal Design: Exploring Nonclusive Design. Universal design is more than 50 years old. The first generation began with wheelchair users and the public built environment. The second generation brought additional excluded groups into focus. But the real aim of universal design is to have no excluded groups at all – the 3rd generation concept.

Not yet for everyone

The authors argue that while universal design is for everyone, thinking largely remains in the first generation of universal design. By creating a new word, nonclusion, they hope it takes thinking to a place with difference is a fundamental element of being human. Creating a new word might help, but regardless, we are still thinking about a future that is yet to exist.
 
If we have nonclusive design, will a change of name from universal design change existing mindsets?  Turning Back Time for Inclusion for Today as Well as Tomorrow discusses the issues further. Inclusion is problematic because it requires those who are already included to invite excluded people into the group.
 
Semantics can be important. What we need is inclusiveness – that’s where inclusion has already happened and there are no exclusions. Inclusion is a futuristic concept because it is something we are striving for. If we were inclusive, no discussion would be needed.

From the abstract

In this paper, we identify and describe early signs of a shift towards 3rd generation UD, of which “nonclusive design” is an essential part. Nonclusive design means design that resists categorisations of bodies and roles. It does not come with predefined or presupposed limits in terms of who it is meant for. We outline seven themes characterising the shift towards nonclusive design:
 
  • from included to undefined users
  • from person to function
  • from adaptism to variation
  • from sparation to convergence
  • from reactive to proactive
  • from unaware to aware
  • from explicit to tacit
Graphic of stick people in various poses with the caption, "Inclusiveness,, looking at everyone
Nonclusive design directs attention to context instead of the individual, focusing on possibilities, functions and facilities. It highlights variation and unity rather than separation.
 
Nonclusive design presupposes awareness, knowledge and proactive development void of adaptism. It incorporates human variation without reiterating patterns of norm-deviation. We argue that the continued growth of universal design demands, is part of, and contributes to a shift in culture, with nonclusive, intersectional thinking as a key future driver. In such a culture, 3rd generation universal design can contribute as a common guiding mindset, as a source for innovation, as a way to listen for diversity Images created for the conference presentation, Turning Back Time for Today as well as Tomorrow.

Toilet signage and nonclusion

A further paper by the same research group discusses three versions of toilet signage in more detail. The purpose is to find a way to be inclusive without depicting exceptions.
  • Addition – adding more pictograms of different persons
  • Combination – using composite pictograms
  • Nonclusion – not depicting persons, bodies or roles at all.
Image shows the version with additions
A toilet door sign with four icons: access, man, woman, baby change with a woman and a baby.
The title of the paper is, Moving beyond human bodies on display – signs of a shift in categorisation. Scroll down the list of papers to reach the paper which is in English. This paper is prelude to further research. The key issue underpinning this work is that the quest for inclusion relies on “the included” to do the including.  

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 design. Two 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 to 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.

Evolving inclusive design is about desirability

Graphic with four vertical bars. From left Product Design, Interface Design, Experience Service, System Design.Inclusive design is about desirability.  Accessibility is part of it – useability for everyone. The concept of inclusive design in UK had a focus on product design, but it has moved on – evolved. A short film, Evolving Inclusive Design explains how the concept has evolved from product design to web design, to service design and then to system design.  

In the video Hua Dong emphasizes that inclusive design is important for everyone. She says: “As designers, we can design with people for people, design with disability for ability, design with old people for young people and design with diversity for unity.”

Hua Dong explains the concepts in a straightforward way in the film. In the earlier years the focus was on user capabilities. It then moved to an interactive focus and design became about the process of using things. User diversity introduces concepts of user experience. The video is 14 minutes but worth the watch. 

Although there is a particular focus on product and service design, many points can be transferred to the work with architecture.

The video is a great resource for design students and people new to the concepts. 

Inclusive design and universal design the same goals. However, there are some who would argue nuanced differences because they come from different histories. Regardless, we need to get on with the job rather than debating terminology. Besides, if universal/inclusive/design-for-all is also about diversity, we can have diverse ways of expressing the concept. The key is to design for the diversity of the population.

 

What is universal design?

Slide at a universal design conference with the words, good design enables. Bad design disables. That is what universal design is.Universal design is understood internationally as a means of achieving an inclusive society. It is a simple idea. Why not design for the most number of people who can use a product, place, building, service or website? But is it actually that simple?

Several myths have arisen in the last 50 years since the term was coined. The term Universal Design is recognised internationally, but there are others including, Inclusive Design, Design-for-All, Human Centred Design, Accessible Design.

For easy reference here is a list of past posts and resources on universal design.

Resources for universal design

10 Things to know about Universal Design lists key benefits and dispels myths

Universal Design: Creating inclusion for everyone is a magazine article

Meet the Normals: Adventures in Universal Design, and Universally Designed Digital Life are two videos explaining the concepts well.

Whole of Victorian Government Universal Design Policy promotes universal design in public buildings. There is also a summary version. They are both in Word. 

Diversity of Explanations of UD lists some of the everyday words that can be used to help explain. UD is about diversity so why not have a diversity of explanations.

8 Goals of Universal Design express the principles in a practical way. Easily adapted to any context by using terms and language that suit.

7 Principles of Universal Design are often quoted, but not always the best explanation for people new to the topic. 

Principles of Inclusive Design by the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment (CABE) in UK. 

Hobsons Bay Universal Design Policy is a very useful example of how to devise a policy for an inclusive community. 

Digital and web accessibility have their own section on this website. 

Library building with wide level paved pathway to the entrance. Picture taken in Berrigan NSW.“UD is an increasingly important feature of nation states seeking to develop a fairer society for people unable to access and use, with ease, the designed environment. It is based on the premise that the design of products and environments ought to ‘be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design’ (Mace, 1988: 1).” (From Universalising Design website which also has more information on universal design in homes.)