If you’re going to design anything that will be useful to the public, you need to keep the principles of universal design in mind. Universal design is the effort to make anything from signs to environments accessible for all, ensuring that designs are pleasing to as many as possible. Over two decades ago, a group from a wide variety of disciplines came together to create a set of design principles to help in this effort. There are 7 principles of universal design that have been helpful to a countless number of designers, and that we always take into consideration in the design of our signage.
1. Equitable Use
Design in a way that is useful and appealing to all, ensuring that the design avoids any stigmatization or segregation.
2. Flexibility in Use
Design to accommodate a wide range of capabilities and preferences.
3. Simple and Intuitive Use
Design in a way that matches people’s expectations and can be easily understood by people with different levels of literacy, knowledge, experience, and concentration, avoiding any unnecessary complexity.
4. Perceptible Information
Design to communicate essential information in as many ways as possible, ensuring that it’s legible, stands out from nonessential information, and can be easily identified.
5. Tolerance for Error
Design with a focus on minimizing any hazards or negative consequences that could come from making an unintentional mistake, providing warnings for any unavoidable hazards that may exist.
6. Low Physical Effort
Design in a way that helps people easily feel comfortable, maximizing efficiency whenever possible.
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use
Design for people of all shapes and sizes, providing a clear line of sight to important information from as many angles and distances as possible.
Universal design is crucial in helping everyone feel welcome, comfortable, and safe. If you hire professional designers to help increase the success of your business, be sure that they have a focus on universal design during every step of the process.
The East West Sign Group Keeps Universal Design in Mind
We are the experts in creating exterior and interior signage that perfectly matches your branding, whether you want signage that is more traditional or modern and digital. East West Sign Group knows all about exterior and interior sign design and installation. We have worked with countless businesses to boost their revenue with great signage. To learn more about how we can design the right sign for you, contact us today!