Universal Design- we all need it eventually

Universal Design is the idea to design systems and products accessible to everyone regardless of their individual modalities or imprecisions. Applying this concept to software is a way to make software products and apps accessible to the largest audience. And regardless of how we feel today, eventually, as we age, we will all need some for of accessibility.

Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability. An environment (or any building, product, or service in that environment) should be designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use it. This is not a special requirement, for the benefit of only a minority of the population. It is a fundamental condition of good design. If an environment is accessible, usable, convenient and a pleasure to use, everyone benefits. By considering the diverse needs and abilities of all throughout the design process, universal design creates products, services and environments that meet peoples' needs. Simply put, universal design is good design. —National Disability Association

Universal Software Design

Universal Design as it relates to software is manifest primarily in the user interface of an application and specifically the graphical user interface or the GUI. The GUI of the application is the front facing part of the application that people will best case know and love or worst case will annoying and will stop the user from using the application.

Graphical User Interface

The GUI of the application is the human facing part of the application. The GUI is composed of a series of Controls that accept user input and over time user metaphors for the Controls have emerged and are now relatively well understood from a usage perspective. Variations for platforms are present but by and large they are similar even on different platforms.

The commonality between platforms makes it possible to users to come up to speed on a new platform interface.

Accessibility

Accessibility is part of the graphical user interface that enables the user to interact with a device with its varying forms of input. Accessibility defines a set of common settings that make viewing and inputing data easier. Accessibility making it possible to configure the User Interface Controls to meet the needs.

Application Navigation

Application navigation is also a big part of the usability of an app. Navigation can be complex depending on the apps function and the number of operations possibile in the app.