19 March 1995 Ageing International

The Case for Universal Design l f You Can't Use It, It'sJustArt

by James Mueller

uccessful design for human use is a creative compromise between utility and aesthetics, between engineering and art. This is what differentiates design from pure art and 'makes design a unique challenge with no single solution. A given design may be suc-

cessful because its aesthetic virtues overshadow limited utility. Conversely, its aesthetic faults may be over- looked because of its usefulness. A classic sports car and a cargo truck are each successful vehicle designs, but hardly identical.

Beauty, as the saying goes, is in the eye of the be- holder. Although few users will be able to define beau- ty, they believe they will know it when they see it. And it is safe to say that they will not agree. But with- out utility, design is--at best--pure art. At worst, it can be worthless, even dangerous, to the user.

Struggling to open a package, read a label, or operate a household appliance has probably caused everyone at some time to wonder for whom a particular product was designed. With age or disability, this question arises more frequently as even simple tasks seem to become increasingly impossible when using tools or appliances seemingly designed for someone other than the user.

Who then are the buildings and products of the world designed for? Presumably the majority of the populat ion--but is this really true? Do designers real- ly know and care who they're designing for? And how do they learn about the users2

Design Education: VCRs of the Gods? Like other art students, most design students begin their education in the study of classical art and archi- tecture. Literally the foundation for later studies, these classical examples instill a sense of human proportion which is based not on "real" humans, but on god-like ideals. It seems that no mere mortals, let alone mortals with mobility limitations, were ever expected at the Acropolis. Michelangelo was neither as tall nor as per- fectly proportioned as his David. instilled with these models of classical beauty, designers have understand- able difficulty knowing for whom they are designing.

We should all be relieved, as most students are, that design education does not end with the study of Greek and Roman art. Many schools incorporate modern human factors in the design curriculum to better pre- pare students to design for "real" people. But, which "real" people and which human factors? The basis for these courses offers another insight into who too many designers design for.

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In pursuit of more effective weaponry during World War II, the study of human factors led to comprehen- sive design standards for aircraft, vehicles and guns. After the war, this research continued and established a formidable body of knowledge about human users. Unfortunately, the population studied included only soldiers--primarily physically fit, caucasian males-- not the majority of the population, either then or now.

The widespread use of this military research data in design education has assured that environments, prod- ucts and other designed objects are well-suited only to young, fit, caucasian males. Everyone else must adapt as best they can. An ironic result is that the soldiers measured in this 1940's research are now elders who, like millions of others, are struggling to adapt to a world designed for who they ~vere, rather than who they are.

Adapting to Designers' Handicaps Designers instilled with a classical sense of human form and a military sense of human abilities must over- come their own handicaps (in the true sense of the word) as well as those of contractors, engineers, mar- keters and others involved in the creation of a new building or product. Small wonder that so much of the built environment fails to accommodate human users.

But the perseverence of the human species, like any biological group, is due to adaptability. Humans are ca- pable of adapting to their environment, even changing the environment if necessary, and designers often count on this adaptability in considering the limits of what they are designing. The result is the user adapt- ing to a design, rather than the other way round.

Of course, this presents little problem to the young, fit, caucasian male. Those with slightly different abili- ties find adapting to the limitations of the design irritat- ing, but possible. Others have greater difficulty and must either risk injury or derive limited use from the design. Still others cannot adapt and must depend on human assistance rather than function independently. This last group is considered "disabled," though the label is clearly as applicable to the design as to the user.

Consistent progress in health care has led to gener- ally longer and more active lifespans, even among those with chronic disabilities. As a result, age and dis- ability are becoming increasingly important variables among the "real" people designers must design for.

It is generally agreed, according to World Health (May 1984), that one in 10 individuals experiences

some form of chronic disability. This would seem to in- dicate that including their needs in design would bene- fit only 10% of the market. And overcoming limitations in design for the benefit of those with disabilities is generally considered counterproductive by many de- signers. Whatever works for people with disabilities will surely hinder others, right? Design for the needs of such "special" populations would thus seem indefensible in economic terms.

A Better Idea: Universal Design For those unable to adapt, an entire industry of"assis- tive technology" has developed to bridge the gap be- tween the designer's concept of the ideal user's abilities and those of real users (not the "average" people por- trayed in advertising). Though some of this assistive technology is quite useful, much of it is excessively ex- pensive and unattractive, due to the minimal resources available for design development and production. Such products fail because their stigma exceeds their utility, focusing attention on the user's limitations, rather than his or her abilities. Why should we need assistive tech- nology to use something that is supposed to have been designed for us?

Regardless of whether we consider ourselves dis- abled, our needs are not so radically different in human factors terms. Increasing the size and contrast of la- belling may be essential for a user with a serious visual limitation, but it is certainly convenient for others as well. It may be necessary to change an appliance control knob to a lever for a user with arthritis, but users with their hands full also benefit from the ease of operation. The difference in need is often simply one of degree.

Integrating the needs of very large and very small, very young and very old, very disabled and able-bod- ied people is a practical and economically attractive design goal. This is the concept called universal de- sign, and it is rapidly becoming an essential part of every designer's vocabulary as changing demographics and global competition fuel the search for new mar- kets. The more universally usable a mass-marketed product is, the more likely it is to sell.

The Three "bilities" of Design Products can be made more useful to more people in a variety of ways:

• Designing inflexibih(y of operation so an amputee, a left-handed person or a child can use it as conve- niently as an able-bodied, right-handed adult

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• Designing in compatibili(y with aids a consumer may use, such as making a telephone compatible to a hearing aid

• Designing in adaptabili(y to allow necessary changes to make a product more usable for a specific user, such as adding large labels over small type for someone with limited vision

Guided by personal awareness gained from family members with arthritis, Tupperware's designers led the way toward a more universal redesign of the compa- ny's classic Wonderlier Bowls, which are easier to open and reseal than the originals, even for users with arthritis. Tupperware addressed the needs of all its po- tential customers through a greater sensitivity to those limited by age or disability, an excellent example of Universal Design.

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Sold through outlets ranging from kitchen specialty stores to the Design Store of New York's Museum of Modern Art, Fiskars' Softouch products have generated impressive feedback. Older customers have responded that until Softouch, they had given up sewing. Children have found that Softouch gives them much greater cutting ability. Businesses have begun to use them in production jobs to minimize the risk of repeti- tive motion and cumulative trauma disorders.

Fiskars, Inc. has proven the value of designing its products to be flexible enough to suit a wide variety of users, ranging from school children to elders. Fiskars reaches this diverse market through a variety of prod- ucts, including their Softtouch Scissors, an award-win- ning design originally conceived in 1989 as the "Golden Age Scissors." The applicability of this design obviously reached to a far greater market, and Fiskars modified the name and applied the concept to lawn and garden products as well.

Studying their market through focus groups, Fiskars designers integrated the ergonomic needs of the 40-to 70-year-old women in designing its Rotary Cutter, which won the 1994 Industrial Design Excellence Award and other prizes. The inherent safety of the Rotary Cutter design has also been incorporated into the company's rotary paper trimmer, itself a 1994 Industrial Designers Society of America award winner.

Fiskars is not alone in seeking a market among older or disabled potential customers. Olo, Dritz and

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others produce competitive products, an encouraging sign for consumers who have historically been consid- ered too insignificant a market. The key to success is to produce products flexible enough to be useful for older people and those with disabilities as well as the general population, resulting in products with wide appeal.

When it is not possible for one product to fit all users, designing them to be compatible with personal aids can be very helpful. An example of this is AT&T's Public Phone 2000. In addition to other significant features, such as handset volume control and buih-in TDD for deaf users, the Public Phone 2000 incorpo- rates compatibili W with hearing aids. Telephones with- out this feature cause some hearing aids to give off electronic feedback, making communication impossible for the hearing aid user.

Whirlpool Corporation applies the concept of adapt- ability to its home appliances. Its efforts in this area go back to 1981, the designated Year of the Disabled, when the company's CEO asked spokesperson Joy Schrage to look into what it might do to observe the special year. As a consumer affairs professional, Joy had been receiving a stream of requests about how to make Whirlpool products easier to use. Most of these requests came from older customers with visual or physical limi- tations in reading manuals, labels and instructions, as well as in manipulating appliance operating controls.

Schrage established a mechanism to respond to these requests. Whirlpool's Appliance Information Service began and expanded through a network of volunteers

that included Whirlpool retirees and community re- sources. Today, Whirlpool makes adaptability available through Braille control overlays, manuals published in Braille and on audio tape. Modified control knobs on re- quest from this dedicated network, now orchestrated by appliance information service manager Carolyn Verweyst.

Not surprisingly, demand for the service has grown enormously, especially with the publicity it receives through such widely circulated monthly publications as Better Homes and Gardens. Verweyst estimates the value of this publicity to Whirlpool as being in the hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Over 20,000 copies of The Less CbalIenging Home, the ser- vice's 1993 publication, have already been distributed.

New Resources for Consumers In 1991, Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, began to include considerations for users with functional limitations in their regular product testing. With so few reliable resources available to assist in se- lecting products, this was an important step. Since then,

Universal Design on Intemet

AECUDEP-L is a mailing list for people interested in universal design. It has been created to dissemi- nate information about education in and practice of this useful concept. Current subscribers include fac- ulW from many of the schools of design that took part in the Universal Design Education Project of Adaptive Environments.

If you wish to join, send a message to: mailserv@ admin.aces.k 12.ct.us

Send a one-line message SUBSCRIBE AECUDEP-L firstname lastname

23 March 1995 Ageing international

Consumer Reports articles on products from automobiles to washing machines have included features important to users with limitations due to age or disability.

The Museum of Modern Art's 1988 show, Designs for Independent Living, featured products selected for their beauty as well as for their consideration of the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities. Selections included products not only from the United States, but also from Denmark, England, Italy, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Driven by the Global Market Up to now, consumer businesses which have taken the initiative in addressing the needs of older customers have generally done so as a result of personal commit- ment by one or more top managers. That commitment has usually come as a result of direct experience or that of a family member. With the success of companies such as Tupperware, Honeywell, Fiskars, AT&T and Whirlpool, competitors are now seeing exciting busi- ness opportunities in this market. Since the introduc- tion of Whirlpool's Appliance Information Service, Frigidaire, Maytag, and General Electric have each de- veloped model kitchens aimed toward enhanced acces- sibility and usability. Design of their appliances are beginning to reflect this awareness as well.

Much space in the design and marketing press has been devoted to the globalization of the marketplace. Consumer businesses that hope to remain successful into the 21st century must consider the pressures and opportunities inherent in global competition. Like dis-

ability and aging, the concept of universal design knows no geographic boundaries. It is in this respect that the term may be most appropriate.

Broadening the market to include older people and those with disabilities ultimately benefits everyone. Businesses operate more efficiently when both able-bod- ied and disabled employees can make the best use of their abilities without being penalized for their limitations. Families are happier when dependence is replaced with interdependence among younger and older members. Products that are designed for use with or without a dis- ability can serve the user throughout his or her lifespan.

These are some of the potential benefits of universal design. The cost of these benefits? Rejecting classical and military images of the "average" person. Accepting age and disability, not as tragedy, but as part of the dy- namics of life. And acknowledging that the things that make us different as human beings may not be as sig- nificant as those that make us similar. •

James L. Mueller is an industrial de- signer based in Chantilly, Virginia, who has been working in the field of design for people with disabilities since 1974. Serving as a tech- nical advisor to employers, consumer busi- nesses and public agencies on design and accessibility in business, he is also director of the Universal Design Initiative, author of the video Toward Universal Design, and consul- tants to the North Carolina State University's Center for Universal Design.

Honeywell: A Case Study in Marketing

by Stephen C. Arnholt

I want people with low vision to know there are products to make daily life easier," says Mrs. M, a 78-year-old Minneapolis woman who prefers that her name not be used. "You don't have to give up your independence."

Mrs. M. represents one side of the most powerful business equation in the world--demand. Honeywell,

the company I work for, represents the other h a l f ~ supply. In recent years, we have paid increasing atten- tion to the needs of the Mrs. M's of the world, the el- derly and people of all ages with disabilities, for a very simple reason. The numbers add up to a huge business opportunity.

The demographic proof is well documented. Over 65 is our fastest growing age group. And, according to the U.S. Department o f Commerce, more than 43 million