1. Principles of Universal Design
Jim Mueller
Title slide: Principles of Universal Design
Jim Mueller

2. “The only thing important about design is how it relates to people.”
"The only important thing about design is how it relates to people.” (Pananek, 1968)
“The only thing important about design is how it relates to people.”
Victor Papanek, 1968
Title: The only thing important about design is how it relates to people.” Victor Papenek, 1968
Image: Sculptural interpretation of a chair; attractive but obviously not comfortable

3. Designs we love to *%#@ Cell phone? Adult-proof caps?
“Blister” packages?
___________________?
Title: Designs we love to
Text only: Cell phone? Adult-proof caps? Blister packages?

4. What flavor is YOUR bathroom cleanser?
Title: What flavor is your bathroom cleanser?
Image: store shelves displaying wide variety of bathroom cleansers

5. Why universal design? Title: Why universal design?
Image: overhead view of crowd including people of diverse ages and abilities

6. ADA - architectural accessibility
Title: ADA – architectural accessibility
Image: photo of toilet stall with grab bars, but also with large chains holding down the toilet seat

7. ADA - reasonable accommodation
Title: ADA – reasonable accommodation
Image: photo of male wheelchair user in an office setting

8. Section 255 of Telecommunications Act
Title: Section 255 of Telecommunications Act
Image: photo of AT&T pay phones with TTY keyboards

9. Section 508 of Rehab Act Title: Section 508 of Rehab Act
Image: photo of hands holding a Sprint personal data assistant (PDA)

10. Workplace stresses Title: Workplace stresses
Image: photo of male and female workers talking on the telephone in an office environment

11. Working seniors Title: Working seniors
Image: cover of Washington Post showing photo of two elder men helping each other learn to operate electronic voting machines

12. “Aging in place” Title: “Aging in place”
Image: photo of kitchen cabinets and counters

13. Home healthcare Title: Home healthcare
Image: photo of elder woman and female healthcare worker operating a portable blood pressure monitor

14. Competing for customers
About 1 in 7 Americans has a disability
About 1 in 3 Americans has a family member or coworker with a disability
Title: Competing for customers
Text only: About 1 in 7 Americans has a disability
About 1 in 3 Americans has a family member or coworker with a disability

15. Better products for everyone
Title: Better products for everyone
Image: photo of Oxo kitchen products, including vegetable peeler, can opener, measuring spoons, utility knife, tape measure, spatula, and dustbroom and pan

16. Tales of universal design in Industry
Title: Tales of universal design in industry
Image: collage of 11 photos, including hearing aid batteries, garden shears, red car, scissors, train, bathroom scale, hearing aid user, toy catalog, pillbox, dishwashing brush, and food storage container

17. Six lessons of universal design
Personal experience breeds champions
Support of top management is vital
You can’t make what you can’t market
Competition is a great motivator
Customers’ voices are heard
Legislation is only a start
Some others lessons…
Title: Six lessons of universal design
No image

18. Acela Express
Seniors and people with disabilities are especially important in highly competitive markets.
Photo courtesy of Amtrak
Title: Acela Express
Image: early morning photo of sleek speeding train

19. Duracell hearing aid batteries
Packaging that reduces effort is as important to usability as the product itself.
Photo courtesy of Duracell
Title: Duracell hearing aid batteries
Image: hands inserting battery into a hearing aid, with battery package in background

20. Florian Ratchet-Cut Shears
Addressing the needs of customers with disabilities results in products everyone wants.
Photo courtesy of American Standard
Title: Florian Ratchet-Cut Shears
Image: Garden shears with bright yellow handles and black carrying case

21. Ford’s “Third Age Suit”
Young designers and engineers can be taught to “think ageless”.
Photo courtesy of Loughborough University
Title: Ford’s “Third Age Suit”
Image: woman wearing goggles, weighted vest, gloves, elbow pads, and ankle weights

22. Gold Violin
Successful marketing respects customers’ lifestyles – whatever their age or ability.
Photo: “Growing Old is Not for Sissies II”
Title: Gold Violin
Image: elder man doing handstand in living room

23. Leviton Manufacturing Company
“Universal design has become an extremely important idea to us – maybe the most important idea.”
Title: Leviton Manufacturing Company
Image: hand pressing rocker light switch

24. Oxo Good Grips Sometimes universal design markets itself.
Title: Oxo Good Grips
Image: Elder hands peeling potato with Oxo peeler

25. Philips Healthcare Services
Simple, intuitive use is critical to success of home healthcare technologies.
Photo courtesy of Philips Interactive Healthcare
Title: Philips Healthcare Services
Image: white stand-up bathroom scale with black handles

26. Tupperware
Products that last through several generations should be usable by people of all ages and abilities.
Photo courtesy of Tupperware Worldwide
Title: Tupperware
Image: transparent, partitioned plastic kitchen food storage container with blue cover

27. Designing for “average” users
Some of us are just a little more average than others
Age, disabilities, and situations make each of us unique…
Title: Designing for “average” users…Some of us are just a little more average than others… Age, disabilities, and situations make each of us unique…
Image: photo of male pedestrian and female jogger in shorts and t-shirts waiting at a street crossing. The man is very overweight, while the woman is very thin.

28. Remember that you are unique – Just like 300 million others
Title: Remember that you are unique – just like 300 million others
Image: repeat of previous photo of crowd of diverse people

29. 15% of us have disabilities
Title: 15 per cent of us have disabilities
Image: repeat of previous photo with highlights on 10 random faces
American Community Survey, 2004

30. 5% of us have cognitive disabilities
Title: 5 per cent of us have cognitive disabilities
Image: repeat of photo with highlights on 6 faces
© 2006 J.L. Mueller, Inc.
American Community Survey, 2004

31. Thinking Title: Thinking
Images: young man talking on cell phone while driving; close up of pill bottle showing caution labels about medication causing drowsiness

32. 4% of us have sensory disabilities
Title: 4 per cent of us have sensory disabilities
Image: repeat of crowd photo with highlights on 4 faces
American Community Survey, 2004

33. Seeing
Title: Seeing
Images: darkened, yellowed, out of focus photo of cell phone; photo of highway signs taken through car windshield on dark, rainy day

34. Hearing Title: Hearing
Images: young man using gas powered lawn trimmer and wearing ear protectors; young man with hearing aids holding cell phone connected to neckloop

35. 9% of us have physical disabilities
Title: 9 per cent of us have physical disabilities
Image: repeat of earlier photo of crowd, with 7 faces highlighted
American Community Survey, 2004

36. Handling Title: Handling
Images: repeat of earlier photo of elder hands peeling potato with Oxo vegetable peeler; man’s hands struggling to pull open a blister pack of computer printer ink cartridges

37. Mobility Title: Mobility
Images: young man descending stairs while carrying three suitcases; crosscountry skier with one leg prosthesis

38. 11% of us live with someone with a disability
Title: 11 per cent of us live with someone with a disability
Image: repeat of previous crowd photo

39. Some things we may not live to see…
…but most of us will live long enough to experience disability for ourselves because of…
Title: Some of us may not live to see…
Image: photo of gas station sign showing prices of both regular and no lead gas as 00.9

40. Modern medical care Title: Modern medical care
Image: photo of dilapidated wooden building with weathered sign reading, “West Fairfax Medical Center Chantilly Urgent Care Coming Soon”

41. Returning war veterans
Title: Returning war veterans
Image: photo of four smiling young soldiers in camoflauge fatigues

42. The way we live, work, … Title: The way we live, work,…
Images: two young men in sweatshirts and shorts working on laptop computers at tables; young man with glasses looking closely at laptop computer screen in darkened room

43. …and play Numb and numb-er Title: …and play
Image: photo of two pairs of hands operating Nintendo gaming controllers
Numb and numb-er

44. Baby Boomers Extended careers Active lifestyles
½ are sandwiched between children and parents
Title: Baby Boomers:
Extended careers
Active lifestyles
Half are sandwiched between children and parents
Image: Gray-haired man with white shirt and tie standing at construction site, holding yellow hard hat and roll of drawings

45. Seniors Most rapid growth worldwide Desire to age in place
Most caregivers are females over 75
Rising number care for grandchildren
Title: Seniors:
Most rapid growth worldwide
Desire to age in place
Most caregivers are females over 75
Rising number care for grandchildren
Image: Elder smiling woman wearing pearl necklace and light blue suit

46. What is universal design?
Title: What is universal design?
Image: futuristic drawing of huge spaceship city suspended in clouds

47. What is universal design?
Universal Design is the design of all products and environments to be usable by people of all ages and abilities, to the greatest extent possible.
- Ronald L. Mace, 1991
Title: What is universal design?
Text only: Universal Design is the design of all products and environments to be usable by people of all ages and abilities, to the greatest extent possible.
Ronald L. Mace, 1991

48. Accessible vs. universal
Accessible Design: for people with disabilities
Universal Design: for everyone, including people with disabilities
Title: Accessible vs. Universal
Text only: Accessible Design is for people with disabilities; Universal Design is for everyone, including people with disabilities

49. Usability for all ages and abilities: The 7 Principles of Universal Design ©1997 The Center for Universal Design North Carolina State University
Text only: Usability for all ages and abilities:
The 7 Principles of Universal Design
©1997 The Center for Universal Design North Carolina State University

50. The 7 Principles of Universal Design
Equitable Use
Flexibility in Use
Simple and Intuitive Use
Perceptible Information
Tolerance for Error
Low Physical Effort
Size and Space for Approach and Use
Title: The 7 Principles of Universal Design
Text only:
Equitable Use
Flexibility in Use
Simple and Intuitive Use
Perceptible Information
Tolerance for Error
Low Physical Effort
Size and Space for Approach and Use

51. Principle 1: Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable
to people with diverse abilities.
Title: Principle 1: Equitable Use
Image: Sign at roadside restaurant offering “worms and coffee”

52. Principle 1: Equitable Use
Title: Principle 1: Equitable Use
Image: Children playing together at blue plastic playground with water flowing through it; some of children are standing and some are in wheelchairs

53. Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
Title: Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
Image: photo of red and white van built from the front ends of two similar vans, resulting in one van facing two directions

54. Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
Title: Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
Image: photo of two white Tylenol bottles, one with red label and red “childproof” cap, the other with yellow label and white twist-off cap with large tab

55. Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use
Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or concentration.
Title: Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use
Image: photo of overhead traffic light with red bulb illuminated; sign hanging next to light reads, “This light never turns green”.

56. Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use
Title: Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use
Image: cardboard refrigerator carton with seven graphic images depicting handling and storage instructions, such as which end is up, keep dry, etc.

57. Principle 4: Perceptible Information
The design communicates information effectively to the user, regardless of the environment or the user’s abilities
Title: Principle 4: Perceptible Information
Image: sign at pier at near bay surrounded by mountains; sign reads, “Attention Dog Guardians: pick up after your dogs. Thank you”
Beneath this is another message that reads, “Attention Dogs: Grrrr, bark, woof. Good dog.”

58. Principle 4: Perceptible Information
Title: Principle 4: Perceptible Information
Image: red lid and translucent bottom of Tupperware storage container, displaying tactile and Braille markings.

59. Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and negative consequences of accidental actions.
Title: Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
Image: Silver SUV with right rear wheel perched precariously atop a barrier at gas pump.

60. Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and negative
consequences of accidental actions.
“CAUTION: It is not recommended that children or pets regularly drink water from the toilet, even though the bowl water is not harmful to children or pets.”
Label on toilet bowl cleaner bottle
Title: Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
Text only:
“CAUTION: It is not recommended that children or pets regularly drink water from the toilet, even though the bowl water is not harmful to children or pets.”
Label on toilet bowl cleaner bottle

61. Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently
and comfortably and with a
minimum of fatigue.
Title: Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
Image: photo of street sign reading, “Unnecessary repetitive driving prohibited”>

62. Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently
and comfortably and with a
minimum of fatigue.
Title: Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
Image: photo of round bathroom cleanser can with flexible plastic strap snapped over each end, making a large loop for holding without hand strength.

63. Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space is provided for use, regardless of user’s body size or posture.
Title: Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Image: Policeman looking at white SUV squashed between two streetcars going opposite directions

64. Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Title: Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Image: Black and white photo in hospital nurses’ station; asian child is standing at counter talking with seated nurse.

65. Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Title: Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
Image: photo of large plastic jar of Musselman’s applesauce; jar has depressions so that one hand can grip the jar

66. Next steps: Promoting universal design
Title: Next Steps: Promoting universal design
Image: photo of group of Asian men and women handling and discussing several products

67. Ford’s “Third Age Suit”
Goggles
Ear plugs
Elbow braces
Gloves
Wrist weights
Knee braces
Ankle weights
Title: Ford’s “Third Age Suit”
Image: man dressed in grey overalls with goggles, gloves, elbow and wrist pads; woman is standing next to him

68. Personifying user needs
Title: Personifying user needs
Images: photo of young smiling Asian male wearing wire glasses and yellow shirt; photo of two young men laughing together; one is seated in a wooden chair and the other is seated in a wheelchair

69. Connecting with real people
Title: Connecting with real people
Image: repeat of earlier photo of crowd of diverse people