1. SIE Universal Design
Lecture 9

2. Today’s Schedule What is Universal Design (UD)? Goals and users
Pros and cons
UD implementation approaches
UD principles
UD & interfaces: Visual, auditory, haptic, and gesture
UD on the web

3. What is Universal Design?
Definition: Design that can benefit everybody, not just average user or people with specific user need.
Most designs are for heterogeneous user population
Design for user diversity and inclusion
Challenge: user variables are continuous
Solution: Create discrete user categories
Design for user variability rather than specificity

4. Goal of Universal Design
Product / interface should be usable by design, not as an after thought
Relates to range of users, hardware, and software
Strive to provide equivalent experience between users
Take home: Universal design is not specialized design
Arguments against universal design?

5. Four Approaches to UD Implementation
UD through shared purpose
UD through intrinsic redundancy
UD through information augmentation
UD through compatibility with third party technology

6. UD through Shared Purpose
Design features for one user group = benefits for other groups
Gold standard for UD
Include features for one user group that also benefit larger user base
Apple voiceover: 

7. Physical Examples

8. UD through Redundancy
Interface provides multiple input/output channels
Affords access to diverse users
Multimodal signaling useful to all depending on situation
Often easy to implement
Keyboard shortcuts for all functions of UI

9. UD through Information Augmentation
Mechanism to complement standard information or interface features
Supports core users and other users/tasks
Alt tags: Multiple benefits
Tool tips, captions, table descriptions, etc.

10. UD and Third Parties Third party technology and universal design
Access from external sources when accessibility is not built-in
Reasonable solution under certain circumstances

11. CAPTCHA Problem for access
Auditory version good idea but based on poor research

12. 7 Universal Design Principles
Equitable use
Flexibility in use
System should be simple and intuitive to use
Perceptible information
Tolerance for error
Low physical effort
Consideration of size and space for approach and use

13. Universal Design and Specific Populations
Users with disabilities (disability as diversity)
Rationale for inclusion
Visual and hearing impairments
Users of different ages
Differences in mental and physical ability
Variability across lifespan
Development of gerontechnology
Users from different cultures
Language, layout, symbols, gestures

14. Universal Design and Visual Displays
For visual presentation: Most universal design principles = general design principles
Tips for customizing visual displays:
Make options clear
Provide flexibility for text, color, contrast
Allow method for magnification

15. Universal Design and Audio Displays
 Sound improves user experience
Easy to implement and provides good redundant cues
Two types of auditory interfaces: Speech and non- speech
Speech can be input (recognition) or output (text-to- speech engines)
Non-speech cues: Used for signaling or augmentation
Auditory icons: Sound represents objects or actions

16. Earcons

17. Universal Design and Touch
Different types of touch sensing
Touch advantages:
Getting attention, will not interfere with vision
Provides access to many of the same cues as vision
Used as a primary interface or specifically for accessibility

18. Gestures Growing relevance to universal design
Many applications: Physical disability, cognitive impairment, sign language

19. Universal Design on the Internet
Must include universal design as don't know access needs of users
Tips: Allow screen customization, provide alt tags, meaning link names, header links for navigation, headers for separation
Consider hearing your webpage via speech as well as seeing it
Try out screen reader demos: 
Make use of automatic accessibility evaluation tools:

20. Screen Readers and Columns
Lady Gaga artRave Justin Bieber Believe
Moosehead Lodge Highlands Retirement Center
8pm Caribou, ME 8pm Topsham, ME
1 (800) (800)

21. For Next Class Assignment 9:
Task 1: Read (skim) Chapter 8 in Shneiderman
Task 2: Describe a good and bad example of input or output interfaces in terms of how they support or do not support universal design principles.
Task 3: Post to blog by 11:59PM on 2/17/16. Come to class prepared to discuss.