Guidelines & Standards
The only important thing about design is how it relates to people.Victor Papanek
How people experience and use an environment or building depends on the physical environment, the products or services, and any information systems, and on how these different elements interact.
Universal Design is a process to design an environment so that the interlinked elements - the building and physical environment, the products and services and the information system, together deliver an environment that is useable and accessible to people irrespective of age, size or disability.
Use and Apply provides information on Universal Design Resources (UDR) for practitioners including architects, engineers, application and product developers and project managers. They describe well tested methodologies and process models. These typically include user engagement and testing (User-Centred Design (UCD)), and tightly integrating the Principles of Universal Design into the development process. Each section, ICT, Built Environment and Products and Services include useful lists of UDRs such as standards, guidelines and checklists.
Use and Apply will be regularly updated with information on new and existing UDRs and design methodologies developed by the Centre and elsewhere.
See more in What is Universal Design.
A Universal Design process
Universal Design places the user at the centre of the design process. This requires user consultation from the onset and throughout the project. In terms of products and ICT, it generally proceeds through rapid iterations of design, testing and redesign. This further requires the participation of users who are representative of the target audience.
The Principles of Universal Design can be used as baseline design requirements during all phases of the development process. These principles can be augmented and supported with functional or technical guidelines for specific user groups (e.g., accessibility guidelines for people with disabilities). These detailed guidelines and checklists (such as the CEUD’s ICT Guidelines) can be used to inform user requirements and testing plans.
