Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it. By considering the diverse needs and abilities of all throughout the design process, universal design creates products, services and environments that meet people’s needs. Simply put, universal design is good design.
Universal Design at a Glance
Universal Design has evolved in the following manner over the past decades :
- For the first time, in the 1970s, American architect Michael Bednar introduced the idea that everyone’s functional capacity is enhanced when environmental barriers are removed. He suggested that a new concept beyond accessibility was needed that would be broader and more “universal.”
- In 1987, a group of Irish designers succeeded in getting a resolution passed at the World Design Congress that designers everywhere should factor disability and aging into their work.
- In the U.S., Ron Mace, an architect who had polio as a child and used a wheelchair and a ventilator, started using the term “Universal Design;” He made the case that Universal Design is “not a new science, a style, or unique in any way. It requires only an awareness of need and market and a commonsense approach to making everything we design and produce usable by everyone to the greatest extent possible.”
Universal design primarily comes from a mindset. It requires an understanding of what it is like for people with diverse abilities and limitations to use it products and services. Because the issues are essentially person-centred rather than technology-centred, it is important to be able to see things from the perspective of users
The following skills also come in handy :
- Technical Awareness
- High levels of Creativity
- Innovative attitude
- Persistence
- Ability to see the big picture
- Attention to small details
- Business Intuition, etc.
Universal design can be applied to any product or environment in a number of industries such as :
- Architecture/Physical Spaces
- Interior Design
- Furniture Design
- UX/UI Design
- Apparel Design
- Accessory Design
- Construction & Engineering
- Service Sector
- IT Sector
Universal designers can work in the following job roles :
- Accessibility Consultant
- Creative Coordinator
- Instructional Designer
- Web Developer / Accessibility Specialist
- UX Designer – Accessibility
- Product Manager – Accessibility
- Universal Architect
Freshers can work in the following companies :
- Design Factory India
- Clarice Technologies
- Mooncraft Innovation Labs
- Rezonant Design Services, etc.
