Universal design product evaluation tools

Competency Group: Universal Design

Type: Design

Description: Universal Design is a set of 7 principles where each principle has a subset of 4 — 5 guidelines. These tools are based on Likert scale tables whereby scoring can be done according to each of the principles and guidelines. By considering the principles a design might be improved to make it available to a much wider audience.

Citation for Description: Described by authors

Units: Qualitative assessment

Advantages: As design is an iterative process, the use of these tables can evaluate the effectiveness of design alteration and improvement.

Limitations: Can be a very time consuming activity.

Target Audience: Engineering and R&D and Top management

Relevant to Universal Design: Yes

Stages and Steps: 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 4.2, 4.3, 4.11, 4.12, 5.3, 6.1, 6.3, 7.10, 7.11, 8.2, 9.1

Free Resource: The Center for Universal Design. (2008). Evaluating the Universal Design Performance of Products. Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/pubs_p/docs/UDPMD.pdf 

Free Resource: Universal Design product evaluation countdown http://www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/pubs_p/pudpcountdown.htm