Toolkit for awareness in universal design

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Summary, in English

In an attempt to make universal design an integral part of industrial design in general, an

experiment was implemented early during the industrial design education. The aim of the

experiment was to increase the awareness of the students regarding the fact that products

may at the same time be attractive and well-functioning for a broad range of users. Five

categories of everyday products were included in the experiment, objects in each category

covering the range from stylish or sporty to products designed especially for disabled

persons. Twenty-five students took part in the experiment in five groups. They tried the

objects in true use situations and were asked to, in consensus, evaluate and comment on

three mainly emotional and three mainly functional qualities. After testing, they analysed,

presented and reflected around their results. Finally they were asked to group all objects in

any kind of families. The presentations by the students demonstrated that very lively

discussions had taken place about product qualities. The evaluation method provided rich

information about young persons’ experiences of qualities in products. At the final grouping

of products, the students chose to present objects as being related to different target users.

One interesting finding was that the product family aiming at a very average user included an

angled kitchen knife, product of a kind previously regarded a typical aid for disabled.

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