Have you ever wondered why abandoned or dilapidated buildings lie vacant for years on end, why traffic patterns isolate people from businesses, or why there are so few safe and accessible open spaces in your community?
Few experiences are more difficult than enduring a hospital stay. But unlike in years past, patients can now educate themselves on both healthcare providers and facilities, much like for many other products and services.
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.
