Universal DesignGeneralIf products and services are designed so that they cater for a diverse community, then they can reach a much wider audience. Our community is diverse with young and old, people with disabilities, and people from different backgrounds speaking a variety of languages.
The ‘disability dichotomy’ is a mindset where there are standard products and then there are assistive technologies and products for disabled people. Universal Design is a set of principles that help us to find a middle ground where we design as inclusively and accessibly as possible for people of all ages and abilities. This means that something can be accessible for the person in a wheelchair as well as a mum with a pram, a teenager on crutches, an elderly person with a walker or a delivery driver with a trolley.

Designing for all people regardless of age, size, ability or disability makes for better design; and better design is good for business. Below are some links to tips and resources to help you implement Universal Design principles in your business as well as some inspiration from other businesses. It is not an all or nothing exercise and small changes can make a big difference.

Providing information in more than one format

Inspiration A personal trainer providing content and classes in various formats - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-game-changers/688-breakdowns-and-breakthoughs-the-personal-side-of-personal-training.html
Online learning is more than click and read - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-entrepreneurs/687-education-disrupted-online-learning-is-more-than-click-and-read.html
Tips Captioning your own videos for free - https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/videos/free-captioning/
YouTube automatic captioning - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6373554?hl=en
Creating an accessible Digital Future - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb2X9kYEvXc
Resources Video captions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWO5N3n1DXU
Writing for web accessibility - https://www.w3.org/WAI/tips/writing/#create-transcripts-and-captions-for-multimedia

 

Social Connection - Promoting participation

Inspiration   Housing choices – the potential of a buyer’s agent in helping buyers overcome blindspots https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-entrepreneurs/699-how-claire-corby-is-helping-home-buyers-overcome-their-blind-spots.html
Karma Kitchen - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/lifestyle/152-daana-s-40-foot-journey-to-woden.html
 Tips  The future is inclusive Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/32Pp5f23HZBafPc7LGcZGA
 Resources  The 7 Principles of Universal Design | Ed Roberts Campus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-tHuD7R8cs

 

Amenities and social infrastructure

Inspiration Re-imagining the work environment - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/community/193-reimagining-the-work-environment-out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-somewhere-inbetween.html
Ageing in place - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/lifestyle/212-re-imagining-the-future-the-to-do-list-for-woden-for-2040-part-3.html
Re-imagining the future: the to-do list for Woden - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/lifestyle/213-re-imagining-the-future-the-to-do-list-for-woden-for-2040-part-4.html
Tips Choosing an accessible venue for meetings and events - https://www.peerconnect.org.au/setting-and-running-peer-networks/first-meeting/thinking-about-venues-accessibility-and-communication-needs/
Resources Event accessibility checklist - https://www.and.org.au/pages/event-checklist.html
Universal design for evaluation checklist - http://comm.eval.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=a0e91f7a-5c11-41a2-9609-d5e00af2acda&forceDialog=0
Building for everyone: A Universal Design approach - http://universaldesign.ie/Built-Environment/Building-for-Everyone/

 

Universal Design for physical challenges 

Inspiration

 A new breed of escape room – even grandma can play - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-entrepreneurs/706-new-vr-escape-room-even-grandma-can-play.html
Adopting a person-centred approach when customers are confined to home - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/lifestyle/194-when-life-decides-to-tear-you-a-new-one.htmlInclusive design in the context of wellbeing
Ridesharing that employs people with disabilities - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/why/social-innovation/703-when-ridesharing-isn-t-just-sharing-a-ride-it-s-about-caring.html
Accessing new markets by making your products more accessible - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-entrepreneurs/705-how-to-win-at-a-crisis-%E2%80%93-the-growth-of-husk-bakery.html?fbclid=IwAR0cMQTo1A1BAPWA0rhd00S_zlagwpuYcgcXgLR4z0N_nPhl4mZxzcfJeF8
Adapting products to solve problems - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/lifestyle/172-things-you-can-count-on.html
Tips  Not-for-profits innovating service delivery - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/community/198-small-organisations-making-a-big-difference.html
Tips for businesses - https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/employers/access-all-improving-accessibility-consumers-disability
Resources  Food Packaging Design – Accessibility Guidelines https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Food-Packaging-Design-Accessibility-Guidelines_Arthritis-Australia_18.pdf
Disability Confidence Canberra Manual and Checklist - http://actinclusion.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/7391_NICAN_DCC-Manual-FA-2.pdf
Incorporating inclusive design into the product design process - https://www-edc.eng.cam.ac.uk/downloads/idtoolkit.pdf

 

Inclusive design in the context of wellbeing

Inspiration Re-thinking design as you move from a physical to a digital environment - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-game-changers/685-a-brand-at-internet-speed.html
Hairdressing on the move - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/who/the-tastemakers/700-hairdressing-on-the-move.html
Making allied health accessible - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/why/social-innovation/708-hand-in-hand-making-healthcare-accessible.html
Catering for diversity can lead to product innovations - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/why/future-of-work/724-pop-your-career-%E2%80%93-a-growing-business-that-celebrates-human-diversity.html
How has the pandemic changed our approach to mental illness? - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/why/social-innovation/696-mental-health-focus-on-the-nation-s-wellbeing.html
Tips Universal design strategies: Impact of aging considerations checklist - https://www.healthdesign.org/system/files/res_files/Tool-Impact%20of%20Aging-2016.pdf
Inclusive design for psychological wellbeing - https://medium.com/dichotomies-in-design/inclusive-design-for-physical-well-being-versus-psychological-well-being-92a3bde2548c
Resources Accessible environment for autistic people - https://www.amaze.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Amaze-Accessible-environments-March-2018.pdf

 

 Effective Communication

Inspiration 5 tips for engaging participants in online workshops - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/learning/196-5-tips-for-engaging-participants-in-online-workshops.html
Tackling social isolation using radio - https://www.canberrabusinessnews.com.au/why/social-innovation/695-tackling-social-isolation-using-radio.html
Tips 15 Content design tips for your website - https://www.wodenbusinessnews.com.au/learning/205-15-content-design-tips-for-your-website.html
Easy English vs Plain English Guide https://centreforinclusivedesign.org.au/index.php/services/guides/2020/04/27/easy-english-versus-plain-english-guide/
Resources Web accessibility tutorials - https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/
Inclusive language for startups and tech - https://buffer.com/resources/inclusive-language-tech/
Inclusive language - https://www.and.org.au/pages/inclusive-language.html

 

 

 

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