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Why Universal Design?

In his TED talk, Michael Nesmith explains, via a translator, why we need universal design. The term "universal design" was coined by Ron Mace, and is defined as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." Clearly, as a man with hearing issues, Michael has a unique perspective on the topic of universal design.
A helpful illustration given during his talk has to do with a doorknob. Maybe you haven't ever given doorknobs much thought (I sure hadn't before this TED talk), but that's usually how it goes for people who have no issues using a one on a daily basis. What about people using wheelchairs, or a mother pushing a stroller? Doorknobs become a bigger issue to those who do not have complete accessibility to them. However, a simple solution was created to fix this issue: the automatic sliding door. Michael explains, "This is such a universal design- it doesn't leave anyone out. Even animals can use it."
The goal of universal design aligns very closely to the goal of occupational therapy. Both OT and universal design are concerned with helping people participate in daily activities more easily and to the greatest extent possible. Some everyday activities are very simple (say, opening a door by turning a doorknob) until illness, injury or disease interrupt your ability to participate in them. Suddenly those activities aren't so simple anymore. Universal design, as well as other areas such as adaptive technology, and occupational therapy aim to find a way to help people-all people- live life to the fullest. Michael closed his speech with this powerful quote, "Disability drives innovation. The existence of disability forces you to come up with new solutions, it does not impair you." What a healthy and inspiring perspective to learn from and build upon!

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 22, 2018 at 9:58 AM

    I absolutely agree! The TedTalk was really inspiring to me to think outside the box as well. The perspective we choose changes can make all the difference, and is essential to being a positive change in our environment.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 22, 2018 at 9:59 AM

    I loved the example given of the doorknob and how it puts things into perspective of the way the world is built! As occupational therapy students, it is so important to be aware of the way things are designed and the possible solutions our clients might use.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elizabeth, Future OTMarch 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM

    Such a good blog post! I definitely had not thought of doorknobs being unaccessible before this article either.

    ReplyDelete

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