Universal Usability

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• Universal Usability
• Usability for all users
• Sarah Horton
• Dartmouth College
• University of Connecticut Library Forum
• November 1, 2004

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• Logistics

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Agenda

• Discuss the concept of universal usability
• Review key attributes of universal usability
• Evaluate sample page identify problems
• View page with possible solutions
• QA

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Supporting materials

• Principles are covered in presentation slides
• Guidelines are covered in handout
• Slides, handout, and links atwww.dartmouth.edu/
  shorton/uconn/

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• Universal Usability
• Accessibility Usability Universal Design

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Accessibility

• Designs that people with disabilities can use
• W3C WAI WCAG Guidelines
• Section 508
• Brings to mind Bobby, WAI, Section 508, ADA

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Usability

• Designs that (some) people can use
• User-centered design
• Usability testing
• Brings to mind Jakob Neilson, experience design,
  user experience, Human-Computer Interaction

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Universal design

• Designs that all people can use
• Usability with a broad definition of user
• Accessibility incorporated into design
• Brings to mind ADA, access ramps, curb cuts, OXO
  GoodGrips

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Why these methods fall short

• Accessibility
• Too narrowly defined for PWD
• Access does not ensure usability
• Usability
• Too narrowly defined for average people
• Usability does not ensure access
• Universal design
• Too narrowly defined for the built environment
• Not part of web discourse

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Universal usability

• Enabling all citizens to succeed in using
  information and communication technologies to
  support their tasks

Leonardos Laptop Human Needs and the New
Computing Technologies By Ben Shneiderman
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Why this method works

• Integrates all three design methods by applying
  universal design to information and communication
  technology

Universal Usability
Accessibility
Usability
Universal design
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• More on Universal Design

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About universal design

• Universal design is the design of products and
  environments to be usable by all people, to the
  greatest extent possible, without the need for
  adaptation or specialized design
• The Center for Universal Design
• NC State University
• College of Design
• www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/univ_design/ud.htm

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Applications of universal design

• Universal design for buildings and facilities
• Attributes of the built environment that enable
  access for everyone

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Applications of universal design

• Universal design for products
• Products designed to be usable by everyone

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Applications of universal design

• Universal design for learning
• Curricula designed to meet the needs of all
  students

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Access by design
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not accommodation
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• Principles of Universal Design

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1 Equitable Use

• The design is useful and marketable to people
  with diverse abilities
• Provides the same means of use for all users
• Text-only pages
• Accessible and operable pages

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2 Flexibility in Use

• The design accommodates a wide range of
  individual preferences and abilities
• Provides choice in methods of use
• Fixed pages
• Flexible pages

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3 Simple and Intuitive Use

• Use of the design is easy to understand,
  regardless of the users experience, knowledge,
  language skills, or current concentration level
• Eliminate unnecessary complexity
• Links as images
• Links colored and underlined text

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4 Perceptible Information

• The design communicates necessary information
  effectively to the user, regardless of ambient
  conditions or the users sensory abilities
• Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile)
  for redundant presentation of essential
  information
• Images without alternate text
• Images with alt-text

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5 Tolerance for Error

• The design minimizes hazards and the adverse
  consequences of accidental or unintended actions
• Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors
  most used elements, most accessible hazardous
  elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded
• Submit buttons that process multiple clicks
• Submit buttons that disregard multiple clicks

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6 Low Physical Effort

• The design can be used efficiently and
  comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue
• Minimize repetitive actions
• Pages with many links preceding content
• Pages that allow users to skip to main content

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7. Size and Space for Approach and Use

• Appropriate size and space is provided for
  approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless
  of users body size, posture, or mobility.
• Provide a clear line of sight to important
  elements for any seated or standing user
• Cluttered pages
• Pages with clear functional focus

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Principles of Universal Design

• 1. Equitable Use2. Flexibility in Use3. Simple
  and Intuitive Use4. Perceptible Information5.
  Tolerance for Error6. Low Physical Effort7.
  Size and Space for Approach and Use

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• Applying Principles to Web Design

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• Defining Function

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What are the functions of web sites?

• Communication

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What are the functions of web sites?

• Interaction

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Who is the audience for web sites?

• Visual users Look at visually rendered page

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Who is the audience for web sites?

• Non-visual users Read the underlying page code

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• Attributes that Support Functions

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Text-based

• Text can be read and understood by computers
• When content is presented as text it is
  universally readable
• Text is an attribute that enables communication

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Structured

• Structured content can be interpreted by
  computers
• When content is marked up with structural tags it
  has semantic meaning
• Structured content is an attribute that enables
  meaningful communication

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Operable

• Operable content can be worked and manipulated by
  users
• When content is operable users can use it
  successfully
• Operable content is an attribute that enables
  interaction

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Flexible

• Flexible content adapts to different conditions
• When content is flexible users can customize
  their experience to meet their needs and
  preferences
• Flexible content is an attribute that enables
  communication and interaction for all users

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Essential attributes of universal usability

• All design decisions must uphold these basic
  attributes
• Text-based
• Structured
• Operable
• Flexible
• To support these principles
• Equitable Use
• Flexibility in Use
• Perceptible Information

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• From Principles to Guidelines

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Text-based

• Present page elements as text or with alternative
  text

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Structured

• Define page elements using structural markup

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Operable

• Make actionable elements accessible from the
  keyboard

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Flexible

• Design pages that adapt to different viewing
  conditions

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• www.dartmouth.edu/shorton/uconn/