28/03/2016 TheCenterforUniversalDesignUniversalDesignPrinciples

THEPRINCIPLESOFUNIVERSALDESIGN
Version2.04/1/97

Compiledbyadvocatesofuniversaldesign,listedinalphabetical
order:
BettyeRoseConnell,MikeJones,RonMace,JimMueller,Abir
Mullick,ElaineOstroff,JonSanford,EdSteinfeld,MollyStory,and
GreggVanderheiden

Majorfundingprovidedby:TheNationalInstituteonDisabilityand
RehabilitationResearch,U.S.DepartmentofEducation

Copyright1997NCStateUniversity,TheCenterforUniversalDesign

UNIVERSALDESIGN:
Thedesignofproductsandenvironmentstobeusablebyall
people,tothegreatestextentpossible,withouttheneedfor
adaptationorspecializeddesign.

Theauthors,aworkinggroupofarchitects,productdesigners,
engineersandenvironmentaldesignresearchers,collaboratedto
establishthefollowingPrinciplesofUniversalDesigntoguideawide
rangeofdesigndisciplinesincludingenvironments,products,and
communications.Thesesevenprinciplesmaybeappliedtoevaluate
existingdesigns,guidethedesignprocessandeducateboth
designersandconsumersaboutthecharacteristicsofmoreusable
productsandenvironments.

ThePrinciplesofUniversalDesignarepresentedhere,inthe
followingformat:nameoftheprinciple,intendedtobeaconciseand
easilyrememberedstatementofthekeyconceptembodiedinthe
principledefinitionoftheprinciple,abriefdescriptionofthe
principle'sprimarydirectivefordesignandguidelines,alistofthe
keyelementsthatshouldbepresentinadesignwhichadheresto
theprinciple.(Note:allguidelinesmaynotberelevanttoall
designs.)

PRINCIPLEONE:EquitableUse
Thedesignisusefulandmarketabletopeoplewithdiverseabilities.

Guidelines:

1a.Providethesamemeansofuseforallusers:identical
wheneverpossibleequivalentwhennot.
1b.Avoidsegregatingorstigmatizinganyusers.
1c.Provisionsforprivacy,security,andsafetyshouldbe
equallyavailabletoallusers.
1d.Makethedesignappealingtoallusers.

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PRINCIPLETWO:FlexibilityinUse
Thedesignaccommodatesawiderangeofindividualpreferences
andabilities.

Guidelines:

2a.Providechoiceinmethodsofuse.
2b.Accommodaterightorlefthandedaccessanduse.
2c.Facilitatetheuser'saccuracyandprecision.
2d.Provideadaptabilitytotheuser'space.

PRINCIPLETHREE:SimpleandIntuitiveUse
Useofthedesigniseasytounderstand,regardlessoftheuser's
experience,knowledge,languageskills,orcurrentconcentration
level.

Guidelines:

3a.Eliminateunnecessarycomplexity.
3b.Beconsistentwithuserexpectationsandintuition.
3c.Accommodateawiderangeofliteracyandlanguageskills.
3d.Arrangeinformationconsistentwithitsimportance.
3e.Provideeffectivepromptingandfeedbackduringandafter
taskcompletion.

PRINCIPLEFOUR:PerceptibleInformation
Thedesigncommunicatesnecessaryinformationeffectivelytothe
user,regardlessofambientconditionsortheuser'ssensoryabilities.

Guidelines:

4a.Usedifferentmodes(pictorial,verbal,tactile)forredundant
presentationofessentialinformation.
4b.Provideadequatecontrastbetweenessentialinformation
anditssurroundings.
4c.Maximize"legibility"ofessentialinformation.
4d.Differentiateelementsinwaysthatcanbedescribed(i.e.,
makeiteasytogiveinstructionsordirections).
4e.Providecompatibilitywithavarietyoftechniquesor
devicesusedbypeoplewithsensorylimitations.

PRINCIPLEFIVE:ToleranceforError
Thedesignminimizeshazardsandtheadverseconsequencesof
accidentalorunintendedactions.

Guidelines:

5a.Arrangeelementstominimizehazardsanderrors:most
usedelements,mostaccessiblehazardouselements
eliminated,isolated,orshielded.
5b.Providewarningsofhazardsanderrors.
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5c.Providefailsafefeatures.
5d.Discourageunconsciousactionintasksthatrequire
vigilance.

PRINCIPLESIX:LowPhysicalEffort
Thedesigncanbeusedefficientlyandcomfortablyandwitha
minimumoffatigue.

Guidelines:

6a.Allowusertomaintainaneutralbodyposition.
6b.Usereasonableoperatingforces.
6c.Minimizerepetitiveactions.
6d.Minimizesustainedphysicaleffort.

PRINCIPLESEVEN:SizeandSpaceforApproachandUse
Appropriatesizeandspaceisprovidedforapproach,reach,
manipulation,anduseregardlessofuser'sbodysize,posture,or
mobility.

Guidelines:

7a.Provideaclearlineofsighttoimportantelementsforany
seatedorstandinguser.
7b.Makereachtoallcomponentscomfortableforanyseated
orstandinguser.
7c.Accommodatevariationsinhandandgripsize.
7d.Provideadequatespacefortheuseofassistivedevicesor
personalassistance.

PleasenotethatthePrinciplesofUniversalDesignaddressonly
universallyusabledesign,whilethepracticeofdesigninvolvesmore
thanconsiderationforusability.Designersmustalsoincorporate
otherconsiderationssuchaseconomic,engineering,cultural,
gender,andenvironmentalconcernsintheirdesignprocesses.
ThesePrinciplesofferdesignersguidancetobetterintegrate
featuresthatmeettheneedsofasmanyusersaspossible.

Copyright1997NCStateUniversity,TheCenterforUniversal
Design

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