Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated

Accessibility

Objects and environments should be designed to be usable, without modification, by as many people as possible.1

The principle of accessibility asserts that designs should be usable by people of diverse abilities, without special adaptation or modification. Historically, accessibility in design focused on accommodating people with disabilities. As knowledge and experience of accessible design increased, it became increasingly clear that many required “accommodations” could be designed to benefit everyone. There are four characteristics of accessible designs: perceptibility, operability, simplicity, and forgiveness.2

Perceptibility is achieved when everyone can perceive the design, regardless of sensory abilities. Basic guidelines ...