Question

products and environments that have been designed with Universal Design principles are all around us. What are some examples of such products or environments that you engage with or have seen?

Answer 1

• Equitable use- Is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. Examples: a). Sensor doors that open when the person arrives next to them.Applying UD principles could lead to the installation of sensors that signal the door to open when anyone approaches, making the building accessible to everyone—a small child, a man carrying a large box, an elderly woman, a person using a walker or wheelchair
• Flexibility in use- The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. Example: A museum, visited as a field trip, allows people to choose to read or listen to a description of the contents of display cases.
• Simple and intuitive use-Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level. Example: Control buttons on science equipment are labeled with text and symbols that are simple and intuitive to understand.
• Perceptible information-The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities. Example: A video presentation projected in a course includes captions.
• Tolerance for error- The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. Example: Educational software provides guidance and background information when the student makes an inappropriate response.
• Low physical effort-The design can be used efficiently, comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue. Example: Doors to a lecture hall or any public space like shopping centres open automatically for people with a wide variety of physical characteristics.
• Size and space for approach and use- Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility. Example: A flexible science lab work area has adequate workspace for students who are left- or right-handed and for those who need to work from a standing or seated position.
• Making a product or environment accessible to people with disabilities often benefits others. For example, sidewalk curb cuts, designed to make sidewalks and streets accessible to those using wheelchairs, are today often used by kids on skateboards, parents with baby strollers, and delivery staff with rolling carts. When television displays in noisy areas of airports and restaurants are captioned, they are more accessible to people who are deaf and everyone else.