Inclusivity and Universality of Design and Technology - Case Study Example

Inclusivity and Universality of Design and Technology Inclusivity and Universality of Design and Technology Introduction Inclusivedesign involves designing for all where it addresses a broad range of issues in making technology available and usable by all people irrespective of their ability, economic situation, age, education and language (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 1). On the other hand, universal design involves creating products that are usable by people with widest possible range of abilities. Thus, this case study argues and unravels a better design between inclusivity and universality of design. It is worth noting that every design has a meaning for use. Therefore, such diversity in design use inherently affects its inclusivity and universality during design decision as well as whether it will be relevant to a particular target use. Inclusivity of design Inclusivity has moved from the periphery of design thinking to the middle-of-the-road where its embrace by major companies has been on the rise to give practical guidance for business leaders, design teams and design managers (Reed & Monk, 2006, p. 59). Inclusive design ensures that products, services and environments are easier to use for those individuals with special needs or any kind of limitation. Inclusivity always has its influence from social trends and pressure for the design of a particular human diversity that exist among people (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 2). Therefore, inclusive design thinks globally and at the same time, it recognises and celebrates human diversity. Such global and human diversity sensitivity is imperative in attainment of intended use. Inclusivity of design acknowledges and embraces the difference that people have that can be physical, cultural, intellectual and aspirational or lifestyle. According to designer mangers, understanding and catering for the human differences is crucial to business success. In the UK, the rights of those with disability have extended the access of services including the design technology, which must take care of all human diversity and differences (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 5). Such human rights and laws have gained vantage in design and technology industry with consequent effects in inclusive designs. Consequently, designers must embrace such human laws and produce inclusive designs even for the disabled. In as a much as every design has the potential to include or exclude customers, the concept of inclusive design include access to information and related services through the internet and telecommunication media (ICT). Inclusivity therefore should deal with practicalities of a product design, business management and manufacturing conclusion the inclusion of older, disabled and other marginalised group. Universal design Universal design makes products usable by a wide range of people under all circumstances. For example, people who are simultaneously deaf-blind have cerebral palsy and such people have adverse cognitive impairments (NDA, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, it may be difficult to design a personal transportation system that could independently be usable by a person with such combination of impairment. This extreme case applies in the same way of designing a public computer-based information display that is accessible by an individual who is both deaf and blind. Therefore, based on the developments, it is possible to make a product very widely usable and accessible by a wide range of people than before. Features of universal design characterises universal facts that adds flexibility to a product so that the product can accommodate individuals with temporarily or permanent limited abilities in a particular area. In universal design, it proves to benefit users in general and in many cases, a number of individuals without disability will find features useful to them. Therefore, universal design is not practicable unless the needs and abilities of everyone in the market intended for the product use is in consideration (NDA, 2012, p. 1). An example of universal design is the design of curb cuts are for individuals in wheelchairs but they are much often used by people with bicycles, grocery carts, baby carriages and wheel luggage than those in wheelchairs. Later, curb cuts required redesigning in order to accommodate the blind. Another design of universal design is building of closed-decoders into television sets that were for people who had hearing problem. However, their use of the decoder was not possible because of the use of the feature by people whom English was a second language to them. Universal design do not allow individuals with disabilities to operate a product and those individuals with reduced abilities for other reasons to use products may be at disadvantaged. Universal design has no specification on the use of a particular product (NDA, 2012, p. 1). For example, a system that provides an alternative to speech control for those individuals with inability to speak clearly would find use by everyone in the library where speech is not necessary. In addition, interfaces that are usable by individuals without fine control would be usable also by a person wearing heavy winter gloves (Burgstahler, 2015, p. 1). Therefore, in universality the design of a product does not have a specific use but has a variety of alternative use different people in terms of capability. Universal design, therefore takes into account the needs of all users that include both the extremity and the middle of any ability limitation. Universal design also adds flexibility to a design such that a particular product also has its alternative use (NDA, 2012, p. 1). This all a greater variety of people to successfully access and use the product designed directly in different environment and situations. Universal design recognises that there is a wide range of human abilities and hence it designs product for human diversity where by-products created are those that are easier to use by all people. Such inherent universality of the designs in meeting human common interest explicitly explains their wide acceptance. Inclusivity and universality design It considers how a person with a disability can find a home for his or her life. This is achievable only when proper design is in place that considers the capabilities of human diversity. Accessible design for people with disability considers disability and special need that this group of people requires (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 6). This design must be flexible, as it has to suit all categories of people whether poor, rich, old, and young or disable. Universal design is normally applicable in many public areas for example in public transport wheelchairs come out from the buses doors and trains to prevent exclusion of anyone into the transport system who may need to move from one place to another. Asserted by NDA (2012, p. 1), universal design is also applicable on many cash machines points where the key pads are usually in numbers and with braille sign. Accessible design could be in toilet for those who are disabling. Such toilets only aim for people with disabilities or on wheelchairs. Therefore, it is a code of practice when designing to take into account the capability of human before making a designing decision on a product (Reed & Monk, 2006, p.54). The code of practice has helped the state to fulfil its responsibility of protecting the interest of users of railway passenger’s services and other public transport sectors to access all the services. Inclusivity and public space A public space is an area or pace that is accessible to all people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age and socio-economic level. Public spaces play a role in improving migrants’ inclusion by opening up more areas to physical planning interventions. Inclusion public spaces is a result of sustainable society, which should be truly accessible to everyone irrespective of their physical ability, gender, race, age and ethnicity among other factors (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 4). Achieving inclusion in public spaces involves designing the public spaces to accommodate the diverse people within the built environment in an efficient and satisfactory manner (Reed & Monk, 2006, p. 56). Technological innovation has brought many benefits into planning and architectural design. There are guidelines that designers are using to put the required standards in utilising most products (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 8). The designer present the knowledge of inclusivity in a usable manner, which becomes of great use to all human diversity when using the products? Inclusive design focuses on the diversity of people and the consequences of such design decision. The complete set of performance indicators should always consider a wider set of aspects concerned with public spaces and the people. Inclusivity of public spaces normally examines how different aspects have consequences in the whole life cycle of a place. This involves stages such as developing a place, planning it, designing and reprocessing the place to take into account the code of practice. Taking in consideration of code of practice with inclusivity, ludic city has explored the potential of public spaces by drawing together argument from fields of urban, planning and design (Reed & Monk, 2006, p. 57). The style of architecture that makes use of barricades, spike and protrusions prevent unwanted individuals from accessing the public places. The purpose of defensive architecture is to provide security within the area because the wall criminalizes behaviours such as resting, public urination, food sharing and begging (Coleman, Clarkson, Dong & Cassim, n.d, p. 9). With regard to this, not every toilet place can be universal but a design of particular toilet can be in such that it suits the use of all members of a society. Therefore, inclusive toilets are usable by a larger community and hence considered as a disabled toilet. Limitation that universal design advances to overcome Universal design struggles to overcome simplicity of its products as well as flexibility of use, perceptible information, low physical efforts, tolerance for error and size and shape for use. The perspective of more usable and supportive environment of universal design has led to focus on accessibility and development of regulations, codes, standards, procedures and policies in order to provide an inclusion of individual with disabilities within the society. After many years of practical experience, universal design has created the following principle (NDA, 2012, p. 1). The first one is the equitable use where the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse human ability. This principle aims at avoiding segregation of any users and makes design appealing to all. Another one is the principle of flexibility in use, which accommodates a wide range of individual abilities through providing choices in the method of use and adaptability to the users pace. Another principle is the one of simplicity and intuitive. This uses the design that is easy to understand regardless of the users experience, knowledge and concentration (NDA, 2012, p. 1). Another limitation is that of perceptible information, which communicates necessary information effectively to the user without considering ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities. Tolerance for error designs aims at minimizing the hazards and adverse consequences of accidental actions. Additional limitation relates to the low physical effort that is usable comfortably and efficiently with minimum of fatigue (NDA, 2012, p. 1). The inherent low physical effort dominates in enhancing comfortable usability of the designs. Finally is the principle of size and space for approach and use. This makes use of approach, manipulation, reach and use without considering user’s body size, mobility and posture. Conclusion In conclusion, good design is anything that caters for and suits the target use. Such excellent designs must satisfy the end user by meeting its intended use. A design can be good without inclusivity and universality but as long as it takes into consideration human diversity. Consequently, the element of human diversity is authoritative in producing a good design. Whether inclusivity or universality, a design should be the one that results in products that cause unnecessary frustration and exclusion. A design that understands the population diversity will challenge the polarised separation of disabled and abled bodies where design of products will be in line to match the human diversity available. Universal design takes into account the full range of human diversity and the relevant abilities therefore, design for this diversity results into things that are functional and user friendly (Burgstahler, 2015, p. 1). Bibliography Burgstahler, Sheryl. (2015). Universal Design: Process, Principle and application. Disabilities, opportunities, internetworking and technology (DOIT). Web. May 28th, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-process-principles-and-applications Coleman, R., Clarkson, J., Dong, H. and Cassim, J.n.d. Design of Inclusivity; A Practoical Guide to Accessible Innovative and User-centred Design. Pp. 1-9. Web. May 28, 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.gowerpublishing.com/pdf/SamplePages/Design_for_Inclusivity_Intro.pdf National Disability Authority (NDA). 2012. Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. Web. May 28, 2015. Retrieved from: http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/Conference-Proceedings/Universal-Design-for-the-21st-Century-Irish-International-Perspectives/ Reed, D. J., & Monk, A. 2006. Design for inclusion. In Designing Accessible Technology. London: Springer. Read More