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.
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.