Abstract:

This book by Robert F. Erlandson discusses how new laws, global competition, technological advances, and evolving societal values toward disability all demand the integration of universal and accessible design principles into the general practice of the design community. This growing international movement forces competitors to expand their traditional concepts of design and adopt these principles as a core component of design and essential to success in today’s global market. The book introduces design principles informed by recent national and international legislation and global market pressures. The book begins with a broad-brush overview of the societal and global issues that continue to nurture the growth of accessible and universal design. Using clear, approachable examples, it defines and differentiates accessible versus universal design and explores their relationship in the broader context of design. Section two concerns legal issues and explains the societal concepts of disability that mold legislative mandates for accessible design. It covers changing accessibility laws and resources such as the Access Board that exist to assist with compliance. Section three presents a collection of design strategies, examples, and applications spanning as many disciplines as possible to illustrate each of the three main levels of universal design: human function principles, including ergonomics, perception, and cognition; process principles, covering flexibility, error-management, and variability; and the transcending principle of equitable design. The final section examines the evolution of universal design and future directions.