Universal Design in Architecture
The concept of Universal Design came about in the field of Architecture after the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Architects began retrofitting buildings with ramps, making curb cuts in sidewalks, and widening doorways all to accommodate people with disabilities. These add-ons were awkward and disrupted the aesthetics and structure of buildings. So, architects began designing buildings with these features instead of adding them on afterwards.
What the architects found is that these features assisted everyone, not just people with disabilities. For example, curb cuts and ramps helped parents with strollers, and wider doors assisted people carrying awkward or heavy loads. Thus, Universal Design was developed. This theory has been applied to the field of Education and Instructional Design and can be applied in many other fields, including Technical Writing.
Just like architects, you can apply Universal Design principles to give all users access, lower physical effort needed to perform, and give them size and space for approach and use. Designing universally will benefit all users, not just those who need accommodations.
Universal Design in Education
Educators took the concept of Universal Design and began applying it in the field of Education, helping students of all abilities learn. Teachers began modifying class activities and assignments to cater to all students' learning styles and needs.
Core Principles
Developers of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, have come up with several core principles to follow when implementing UDL in educational settings. These principles can be applied to any task-oriented writing and transferred into real-world situations you often face. Robbin Zeff, of George Washington University, presented the following information.
- Identify the key goal(s) and objectives of a course or an assignment, and then provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation expression, and engagement.
- Design instructions with the user in mind.
- Present information in chunks, keeping headings consistent and putting key dates and tasks in bold.
- Reduce barriers to accessing the assignment. Provide multiple formats for students.
- Establish goals and objectives for assignments from the start, and explain how the assignment will be assessed.
- Provide lots of examples, even showing students sample finished products.
Practical Applications
These principles align perfectly for you as a writer. Follow these specific suggestions to provide clearer, more easily understood material for readers.
- Identify the purpose of your writing and goals you have for your readers. Provide multiple methods of delivery and engagement for your audience.
- Design clear, task-oriented directions for users to follow.
- Chunk information appropriately to help users understand content.
- Provide multiple formats (print, web, audio, video, etc.) for users who need or prefer different information delivery methods.
- Use examples when users would benefit from them. This could include graphics or text guiding users through a text.