The 7 Principles of Universal Design
The 7 Principles of Universal Design serve as guiding principles for creating inclusive designs across various contexts:
1. Equitable Use:
Sites and platforms that are utilized and used should be equally usable by anyone, regardless of skills, competencies and abilities, thus ensuring that no one has a hard time using such sites and apps.
2. Flexibility in Use:
UI should implement various elements like colors, fonts, or item rearrangement to make their services possible for anyone to use and easily customize.
3. Simple and Intuitive Use:
Interface’s components should be built with this in mind, without increasing cognitive load, and without adding complexity where it is not needed.
4. Perceptible Information:
The provision of various sensory avenues by which communication of messages is done will ensure the information provided is comprehensible and accessible by people with different levels of sensory abilities.
5. Tolerance for Error:
The designs must strive to minimize the risks of mistakes and to moderate their impacts. This will be done by interlocking with the user and they will also be provided with timely feedback.
6. Low Physical Effort:
Contact with the products and surroundings shall require very little physical strength to decrease fatigue and exertion. This will be crucial for elderly or obese users too.
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use:
Designing systems that can adjust to the diverse needs such as size, posture and mobility patterns of users- decelerate their interactions and enhance their comfort.