I have to chime in here: "Universal Design" (or "Universal Usability" is not just a lowest-common-denominator approach to design.
I wrote a brief into in an article for UXmatters - http://www.uxmatters.com/MT/archives/000017.php It has both a social goal of making new technologies available to all people, and a focus on working with new technologies and standards to make sure that they incorporate different interaction modalities. You can find the principles in the article, with links to more information. It is especially important if you are designing products that cannot be personally customized easily (for example, a ticket vending kiosk), or which are "closed" to individual adaptation and assistive technology (for example, many mobile devices). Gregg Vanderheiden of the Trace Center is one of the leaders in universal design. He is very firm that the product must be a good experience for all. In fact, when done right, the product can be completely accessible, but in ways that don't call attention to themselves... they are simply there. There are many examples in everyday life of features of our public landscape which were originally for people with disabilities, but now counted on by everyone: curb cuts (those little ramps from the sidewalk to the street), elevator arrival bells, wide enough doors, etc. The ability, for example, to customize contrast or font size can be just a personalization feature for some, but a matter of access for others. -- Whitney Quesenbery www.wqusability.com Storytelling for User Experience Design www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/storytelling On Tue, Dec 2, 2008 at 10:29 PM, Jarod Tang <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > But be sure not to design as > "one for all" ( Universal ? ), which proofs error prone in past design > practice. > > Regards & Good Luck, > Jarod > > On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 12:24 AM, Maria De Monte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Hello there, >> >> here is a challenge I'm going through in these days and that I would like to >> share and discuss with you. >> >> I work on designing web ( and actually web 2.0) interfaces in a universal >> design perspective. This brings all sort of problems and challenges, testing >> products with all sort of users with all sorts of physical dis/abilities >> and, more than other, different approaches from people with different >> background. ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
