Design for All: Similarities between the Physical and Digital Worlds

I am an Architect and a UX designer in making. Even as a student and professional in the field of architecture, I always have been an advocate for 'Design for All'. While I wanted to transition to UX design, I was reading a lot about the similarities between the design approach and thought process of these two fields. During this, I also found that even though the tangible results are different, the concept of 'Design for All' applies to both fields and helps to maximize their user base.

Design for All

When designing a product, It is easy to forget the users that don’t come in a standard format like people with physical and mental capacities. The principle of “Design for All” begins with the seven principles of Universal Design.

Universal Design framework works to make built environments, communications, services, and products, usable by the highest number of people, without the need for adaption or specialized design.

While designing with Universal Design, we create a single solution to reach the most number of people. These solutions are not supplemented to accommodate people with different needs. The universal design intends to simplify life for everyone and benefit people of all ages and abilities. Universal Design works on seven principles.

7 Principles of Universal Design

1. Equitable Use
2. Flexibility in Use
3. Simple and Intuitive Use
4. Perceptible Information
5. Tolerance for Error
6. Low Physical Effort
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use

The origins of Universal Design lies in architecture and industrial design but have expanded to include digital products and services too. Let us see how these principles are followed in both these design fields simultaneously. Please note that the principle statements and guidelines are the same throughout the various open sources over the internet which are noted here. I have just worked to explain these principles along with examples from both the physical world (architecture and industrial design) and the digital world (User Experience and Softwares).

1. Equitable or Fair Use

"A design should be useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities".

This principle makes sure that the usability of the design is equal for all users, the elderly and children, including those with a mental or physical disability. This is achieved through either an identical or similar process. This also applies to the aesthetics and safety functions. The bottom line, everyone should be able to enjoy or use the finished outcome equally.

Guidelines:

• The design provides the same means of use to all its users: identical whenever possible; and equivalent when not.
• A design should not segregate or stigmatize its users.
• Provisions for privacy, security, and safety are equally available to all users.
• The design should be appealing to all the users.

Example from Physical world: (a)Use of ramps alongside the steps enable the user to freely move with reduced motor skills. (b)Another real-world example could also be the use of powered entryways to the malls, which open and close automatically, benefits both a person in a wheelchair or someone whose hands are full of bags.

Example from Digital world: (a)The application of high contrast in digital design helps color-blind users, users with weak vision, and users simply standing in the sunlight to see all the content on a screen. Such digital designs may also use descriptive icons, proper form labels, and translation. (b)Screen readers need alt texts, but they also help users having slow or unstable connections. It also acts as a fallback if the image path is broken.

2. Flexibility in Use

"The design should accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities".

This principle states that the design should incorporate flexibility for use in different ways. This could be based on preference (or requirement) based on ability (or mobility). Speed is common; making it possible to slow down or speed up based on the users' skill or mobility. Another common example is to design for both left and right-handed people.

Guidelines:

• Provide a choice in methods of use.
• Accommodates right or left-handed access and use.
• Provide adaptability to the user’s pace.
• Facilitates the user's accuracy and precision.

Example from Physical world: (a)An ATM has visual, audible, and tactile feedback to provide a better experience across all types of users: standard or (situational, temporary, or permanent). A tapered card opening and a palm rest add to the experience. (b)Another example could be that of the fold-down shower seat. These allow less-mobile users as well as the elderly to sit, but by folding away the shower can still be used by those who prefer not to.

Example from Digital world: (a)Availing closed-captioned subtitles in addition to the audio. This benefits the deaf users but also accommodates the preferences of users who are surrounded by noise or do not understand the language played in the video and might want to read instead of listening. (b)Allowing for the sizing up and down of text in layouts. A simple browser or OS text adjustment shouldn’t ruin a beautifully crafted application.

3. 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.”

Regardless of age, language, ability, mobility, etc., the user should be able to understand the design and be able to use it easily. This principle calls for a design that provides choices that can accommodate or appeal to the most possible users. We should also try to reduce complex information while ensuring that users are able to go at their own pace and complete tasks accurately no matter what their preferred method of doing so.

Guidelines:

• It eliminates unnecessary complexity.
• It is consistent with user expectations and intuition.
• It accommodates a wide range of literacy and language skills.
• It arranges information consistent with its importance.
• It provides effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion.

Example from Physical world: (a)Have you ever been to the IKEA Showrooms? They have designed a simple route to guide customers through the shop. This is clearly marked with simple arrows on the floor, easy for anyone to understand. (b)An instruction manual with intuitive drawings but no text is another example of this.

Example from Digital world: When a user goes to the website or app for a streaming service, they should immediately understand how to navigate to the video they want. This might be possible by placing the most popular titles are easily accessible at the top of the home page. But if the user is looking for something more obscure, the search button could be large enough to notice and access.

4. Perceptible Information

The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.

This principle of design states that the important information should be presented in multiple ways, thus making the design provide any required information to every user. The use of pictures, verbal and tactile information helps in providing such information clearly. Moreover, designs should also be compatible with devices that are used by people with physical limitations.

Guidelines:

• Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information.
• Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings.
• Maximize the "legibility" of essential information.
• Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions).
• Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.

Example from Physical world: (a)The elevators have buttons with the floor number clearly written, tactile braille buttons, and voice announcements at floors, making it clear and simple for all users. Such cues of information are also available in thermostats. (b) Voice communications and signages act as redundant cues at airports, subways, and train stations.

Example from Digital world: (a)Instead of presenting texts in a long, overwhelming block; the information should be broken up in such a way (for e.g. incorporation of bullet points) that the most important information is at the top. (b)Graphics or illustrations help to emphasize or illustrate a point that the written information is trying to convey. (c)Charts, graphs, and tables help the user to digest a huge amount of information in a visual way and help make patterns in the data more noticeable.

5. Tolerance of error

The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

The safety features of the design should incorporate features to minimize risks and hazards, thus aiming for a foolproof design. It is best if removal of a hazard is possible, but if not then potential hazards should be guarded, inaccessible, or have clear warnings. When errors do occur, warnings or other safeguards should ensure a user can undo them or stop the error before it happens.

Guidelines:

• Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors: most used elements should be most accessible; hazardous elements should be eliminated, isolated, or shielded.
• Provide warnings of hazards and errors.
• Provide fail-safe features.
• Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance

Example from Physical World: (a)A double-cut car key that can be easily inserted into a car hole in either of the two ways to minimize error. (b)Accidents are very common on stairs; but since the staircases cant be removed the installation of a handrail, minimizes the hazards.

Example from Digital World: (a)An undo feature in computer software lets the user correct the mistakes without any incurring penalties. (b)While browsing a store’s mobile website, if we accidentally tap the “Buy” button, an overlay pops up confirming the intention to add the item to your cart, provide the option to undo the action and remove the item.

6. Low Physical Effort

The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.

Though this principle seems most relevant to an architecture where Universal design’s roots lie, it can be useful for designing for digital technology as well. It states that design should allow the user to operate without unnecessary physical effort or fatigue, at a normal or comfortable position. Reducing repetitive motion or sustained action is also important.

Guidelines:

• Allow user to maintain a neutral body position.
• Use reasonable operating forces.
• Minimize repetitive actions.
• Minimize sustained physical effort.

Example from Physical World: (a)The use of lever door handles instead of knobs reduces the required movement and any need for a strong grip. (b) The touch lamps can be operated without a switch but by touch.

Example from Digital World: (a)Relevant navigation in the webpages should be anchored at the top of a webpage, so the user doesn’t have to scroll to the top whenever they wish to go to a different part of a website. (b)Should not stress users to fill out lengthy forms or jump through multiple ‘hoops’ to gain access to their goal (account creation, a trial period of your application, a sample of a new book, etc.). The lesser the effort, the more the involvement.

7. Size and space for approach and use

Appropriate size and space are provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of the users' body size, posture, or mobility.

The design should allow for approach and use to all people of different heights, sizes, and ages. This is another principle that comes out of universal design’s origins in the built environment. Nonetheless, for UX designers, it’s a call to take into account the way the elements of a design are presented on a screen. These elements should be laid out and sized in a way that enables all users to touch, click or manipulate them.

Guidelines:

• It provides a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user.
• It makes reaching all components comfortable for any seated or standing user.
• It accommodates variations in hand and grip size.
• It provides adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance.

Example from Physical World: (a)A kitchen worktop that is simple to lower or raise, with a clear area surrounding it leaving space for a wheelchair user to turn, allows a variety of heights, ages, and abilities to use and reach various items in the kitchen. (b)Wide gates at a subway station that allow all kinds of users including people with disabilities.

Example from Digital World: (a)Taking into account varying hand size and dexterity, especially for one-handed mobile device use. Making action targets large enough to click or tap easily, and putting primary actions within easy reach. (b)Users might be walking down the alley, laying on the bed, or performing other activities that may make their reach a challenge. We shouldn't assume all users are sitting in a chair, at a desk, with a keyboard and mouse.

Key Takeaways

1. The universal design is often mentioned alongside related concepts like inclusive design and accessibility. Universal design is distinguished by its goal of creating a single design solution that caters to as large a diversity of users as possible.
2. Whether we’re designing buildings, products, websites, or applications, these fundamentals of universal design principles equity, flexibility, simplicity, perceptibility, error tolerance, low effort, and appropriate sizing should stick with us throughout your design process and will help us create better experiences for everyone.

References

1. Embrace 7 principles of universal design for better website design (bitovi.com)
2. What is universal design? (universaldesign.ie)
3. The seven principles of universal design (udll.com)
4. 7 Principles of Universal Design to Make Your UX Inclusive (careerfoundry.com)
5. The 7 Principles of Universal Design for Buildings (gartec.com)