Introduction to Universal Design

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Introduction toUniversal Design

• Jan Richards
• Adaptive Technology Resource Centre
• University of Toronto

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Who is the User?

• Our first instinct is to design for ourselves.
• The majority of designers implicitly assume that
  users
• Are young and able-bodied
• Are well-educated and tech-savvy
• Have access to the newest hardware and software.
• Use products as the designer intends

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Who is the User?

• But in the real world, users of a product may
  experience a wide range of circumstances that are
  different from those of the designer

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Who is the User?

• Users may have temporary or permanent
  disabilities that interfere with or prevent
  access to a product. For example
• Low vision (need large print, high contrast
  colours)
• Blindness (need equivalents of information in
  images, animation and video, unable to use mouse)
• Low hearing (need louder, clear, lower frequency
  sounds)
• Deaf (need equivalents of information in sounds)

Blind computer users are a minority
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Who is the User?

• Cognitive disabilities (Wide range of conditions
  from difficulty learning to difficulty
  remembering to reading problems, etc.)
• Mobility Disabilities (May affect use of mouse or
  keyboard, etc.)
• Speech Disabilities (May cause problems with
  speech rec.)
• Amputation (May make biometric identification
  impossible)

but we all grow old.
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Who is the User?

• In addition, users without disabilities may be
  using a product in circumstances that cause them
  to behave as if they did
• Performing simultaneous tasks (such as driving -
  reducing attention, memory, reaction time)
• Experience level (beginners have less experience
  but experts have more expectations)
• Environment (temperature, weather)
• Protective gear (reducing dexterity)
• Etc.

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Who is the User?

• Low bandwidth (Interferes with access to images,
  video, etc.)
• Input limitations (As on a mobile phone with its
  limited keyboard and lack of mouse. Many
  computers lack a microphone)
• Output limitations (Screen that is small or
  non-existent, lack of speakers)
• Out-dated technology (May not support all the
  newest bells and whistles)

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Who is the User?

• What does this mean?
• It means that simplifying assumptions based on
  the average user are not sufficient.
• Instead, to simplify the design process, the
  designer can look for functional commonalities in
  the way users in different circumstances use a
  product.

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Curbcuts

• Curbcuts are design features required by people
  with a specific disability that benefit others
  under certain circumstances.
• Named for sidewalk ramps built for wheelchair
  users, but useful when pushing a baby carriage or
  delivering heavy goods.
• An example of an electronic curbcut is voice
  browsing.

button confirm tickets
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What is Universal Design?

• Universal Design (UD) is a design philosophy that
  seeks out such curbcuts.
• UD was formulated for architectural
  accessibility. But it applies equally to computer
  hardware and software
• UD 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.

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What is Universal Design?

• In other words, instead of designing for average
  users and making costly retrofits for others,
  design for everyone in the first place.
• But
• UD is not intended to replace other sets of user
  interface design principles, such as Don
  Normans.
• Instead, UD complements these other sets by
  expanding the scope of who to consider as a
  potential user.

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Universal Design

• Universal design is often expressed in terms of
  seven principles
• (1) Equitable Use
• (2) Flexibility in Use
• (3) Simple and Intuitive
• (4) Perceptible Information
• (5) Tolerance for Error
• (6) Low Physical Effort
• (7) Size and Space for Approach and Use

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Principles of Universal Design

• (1) Equitable Use
• The design should usable by and marketable to
  people with diverse abilities, not just the
  average user.
• Ex. Ensure that keyboard accessibility is
  standard in software designs.
• Benefits people who cant see the cursor, people
  who cant control a mouse as well as power users.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (2) Flexibility in Use
• The design should accommodate a wide range of
  individual preferences and abilities.
• Ex. Customizable key press properties.
• Benefits people with trouble pressing buttons on
  a keyboard as well as people wearing bulky hand
  protection.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (3) Simple and Intuitive
• Use of the design is easy to understand,
  regardless of the user's experience, knowledge,
  language skills, or current concentration level.
• Related to Normans Principle of Natural
  Mapping.
• Ex. Simplifying an interface by separating
  routine features from advanced ones.
• Benefits people using serial access devices as
  well as beginner users.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (4) Perceptible Information
• The design communicates necessary information
  effectively to the user, regardless of ambient
  conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
• Related to Normans Principles of Visibility and
  Feedback and Constraints.
• Ex. Customizable display fonts and colours.
• Benefits people with low vision or colour
  blindness as well as people who are pre-occupied
  by another task.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (5) Tolerance for Error
• The design minimizes hazards and the adverse
  consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
• Related to Normans Principle of Design for
  Error.
• Ex. Including an Undo function.
• Benefits people with mobility disabilities who
  may often mistype as well as anyone else who has
  ever made a mistake.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (6) Low Physical Effort
• The design can be used efficiently and
  comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
• Ex. Adding keyboard accessibility and minimizing
  the number of mouse/keyboard actions required.
• Benefits people who tire easily as well as anyone
  in a hurry.

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Principles of Universal Design

• (7) Size and Space for Approach and Use
• Appropriate size and space is provided for
  approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless
  of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
• Ex. Avoid using tiny buttons.
• Benefits people who have difficulty controlling a
  mouse and makes operation easier for everyone.

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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom

• Educators are increasingly reliant on interactive
  multimedia educational software for teaching core
  content.
• These products often make assumptions about the
  abilities of the students
• Graphics, sound and video used without
  alternatives.
• Interaction requires a mouse.

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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom

• But, students with disabilities stand to benefit
  more from computer mediated education than other
  learners.
• Electronic materials may be easily adapted to to
  different learning styles, rates, and formats.
• Reduces transportation and physical access
  issues.
• E-text accessible to individuals who are blind,
  vision impaired, dyslexic, etc.

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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom

• The project was for the ATRC to work with a
  developer to make an existing educational
  multimedia CD-Rom accessible.
• Our developer partner was Digital Frog
  International and the product wasThe Digital
  Field Trip to the Rainforest
• Note Whenever possible, Universal Design
  should be implemented from the start of a project.

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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom

• The Digital Field Trip is a popular series for
  teaching topics in high school biology.
• The accessibility improvements were performed as
  part of a pre-planned upgrade.
• Students with visual and other disabilities were
  included in the user testing.
• We used active accessibility.

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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom Original
point-and-click interface
Large buttons (Principle 7 Appropriate Size)
Relatively simple layout (Principle 3
Simple/Intuitive)
Image-rich content
Back Function (Principle 5 Error Tolerant)
Most controls mouse-driven
Text in images
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom Keyboard
navigation
Focus indicator (Principle 4 Perceptible)
Voice output of navigation information (Principle
4 Perceptible)
TAB key navigation (Principle 1 Equitable
Use) (Principle 6 Low Physical Effort)
Mouse-only use still available (Principle 2
Flexible Use)
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom Panoramic field
trip viewer
Keyboard control and descriptions of
viewer(Principle 1 Equitable Use) (Principle 4
Perceptible) (Principle 6 Low Physical Effort)
Text-to-speech of content (Principle 2 Flexible
Use) (Principle 4 Perceptible)
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom Audio
descriptions of images
Descriptions of images (Principle 4 Perceptible)
Keyboard operable controls (Principle 1
Equitable Use) (Principle 6 Low Physical Effort)
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-Rom Other
interactive exercises
Keyboard operable (Principle 1 Equitable
Use) (Principle 6 Low Physical Effort)
Keyboard shortcut not listed
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Case Study 1 Multimedia CD-RomVideo
Descriptions added to narration (Principle 4
Perceptible)
Captions (Principle 4 Perceptible)
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Case Study 2 Web-Based App

• The project was to develop an accessible Web-Base
  chat application.
• The result was A-Chat.
• We recruited user testers who are blind, have low
  vision, or who have mobility impairments.
• We used passive accessibility.

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Case Study 2 Web-Based App Main Window
Enables keyboard navigation (Principle 1
Equitable Use) (Principle 6 Low Physical Effort)
Simple Layout (Principle 3 Simple/Intuitive)
Screen Reader-Friendly Text and
Controls (Principle 4 Perceptible)
Same product used by everyone. (Principle 1
Equitable Use)
Undo for most functions(not Message
Send) (Principle 5 Error Tolerant)
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Case Study 2 Web-Based App Preferences I
Screen refresh options (Principle 2 Flexible Use)
Preferences (Principle 2 Flexible Use)
Help for AT users (Principle 2 Flexible Use)
New message chime (Principle 4 Perceptible)
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Case Study 2 Web-Based App Preferences II
Order of message can be old to new or new to
old (Principle 2 Flexible use)
New messages only function (Principle 3
Simple/Intuitive)
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Case Study 2 Web-Based App Preferences III
Display preferences (Principle 4
Perceptible) (Principle 7 Appropriate Size)
Navigation Aids (Principle 1 Equitable
Use) (Principle 2 Flexible Use) (Principle 3
Simple/Intuitive)
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Case Study 2 Web-Based App Other interactive
exercises
High contrast colour schemes (Principle 4
Perceptible)
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Conclusion

• Universal Design (UD) is the practice of
  designing products so they will be usable by as
  many people as possible.
• Other design paradigms (user-centred, etc.) are
  compatible with UD, as long as the UD goal and
  principles are maintained.
• The UD principles are a guide, but ensuring a
  diverse user test group is even more valuable.

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Reading List

• Background
• An overview of the history of UD
• http//www.design.ncsu.edu8120/cud/univ_design/ud
  history.htm
• UD in Practice
• Considerations for UD user testing
• http//www.uiaccess.com/upa2001a.html
• Accessibility Guidelines
• General Software Accessibility Guidelines
• http//trace.wisc.edu/docs/software_guidelines/sof
  tware.htm
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• http//www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/

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Other Links

• Digital Field Trip to the Rainforest
• http//www.digitalfrog.com/products/rainforest.htm
  l
• A-Chat
• http//snow.utoronto.ca/cgi/snowchat/login.cgi
• Adaptive Technology Resource Centre
• http//www.utoronto.ca/atrc/research.html
• Trace Centre
• http//www.tracecenter.org/
• Web Access Initiative
• http//www.w3.org/WAI/