Why inclusive design is more than just a box-ticking exercise

August 4, 2015 udcom

Is the built environment industry really putting people at the centre of the design process, or is it just paying lip service to the idea in order to tick a box?

Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.