"Universal Design (UD) is a strategy for making products, environments, operational systems and services welcoming and usable to the most diverse range of people possible. Its key principles are simplicity, flexibility and efficiency." (From the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.)
In this philosophy of design, users are considered from the start of a project. Sometimes adaptive devices are required, but the hope is to minimize that need.
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) project from the University of Washington additionally explains:
- Accessible design makes special consideration for the needs of those with disabilities.
- Usable design is about being easy to use (think of the doors that you can tell how to open compared with those you can't).
- Universal design is the approach with the broadest reach . . . including ease of use and elimination of barriers to avoid the need for adaptive devices.
Human Factors --- also called ergonomics --- uses what is known about the physical and psycho-social characteristics of people to better design equipment and interfaces. (As explained by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.)
