Standardisation Education to Stimulate Universal Design

Henk de Vries

Abstract

Universal Design is the design of environments that can be accessed, understood and used regardless of age, size and ability. Standards may support UD. Unseen, unloved – designers not be aware of the importance of UD or the importance of standards, or are aware about even both of these but not about the combination. In any case: you need education to understand that you need education, and probably no education without demand for such education.  A chicken and egg situation. The question is how to get a break though, at the national level. Based on his experience in providing and stimulating education bout standardisation, Henk de Vries explains what might be done to stimulate education about standards to support UD.