Case Studies on Universal Design

James Mueller, J.L. Mueller, Inc., USA

Background

From 1994 - 1997, North Carolina State University's Center for Universal Design conducted a project funded by the US Department of Education. This project, "Case Studies on Universal Design," explored how the US business community was applying the Principles of Universal Design (Center for Universal Design, 1997) to its business practices. In 1998, the Center for Universal Design embarked on a 5-year program to further study companies' efforts toward applying universal design in their businesses.

Methodology

Businesses case subjects were selected according to criteria that had surfaced during the 1994-97 Center for Universal Design study, as well through the Trace Center's Universal Design Research Project:

Management approval for participation in the project.
Contribution to diversity in case studies (company size, structure, and culture)
Influence of fears and interests in universal design
Penetration of universal design within company
Nature of the technology (variety of design types)
Federal legislation and initiatives
Project maturity (design must be in production)
Media exposure

Contacts were made with selected businesses, and interviews were conducted via email, telephone, or in person. Information was sought to develop a concise case study to answer the following questions:

Is the design a new or redesigned product?
How does the design accommodate older and disabled customers?
Why were the needs of older or disabled customers considered?
When did the needs of older or disabled customers begin to influence this company?
Did the company have any previous experience with design for older or disabled customers?
What primarily influenced the effort, e.g., customer input, market data, legislation, etc.?
Who were the major participants within the company?
What obstacles had to be overcome?
How are the design's universal features called to customers' attention?
What evidence of success is there, e.g., sales data, design awards, media attention?
Has this design influenced others within the company? Is it expected to in the future?

Results

Companies studied through this project presented a rich supply of insight into the realities of implementing universal design in business:

Twelve of the companies studied used universal design experts from outside the company for design and/or technical assistance.

Among at least five of the product manufacturers reviewed, awareness of the concept of universal design followed, rather than preceded, efforts to integrate the needs of a specific market, e.g., customers with arthritis.

Consumer product manufacturers were generally very sensitive to any increases in additional cost attributable to universal design features, In at least 2 cases, an increase of less than 5% of the retail price was sufficient to prohibit the addition of these features.

Consumer product manufacturers inexperienced in applying universal design concepts proved most sensitive to the potential stigma of designing for the needs of elders and those with disabilities. On the other hand, manufacturers with successful experience did not shy away from publicizing it.

Influence of Legislation

At least part of the reason for interest in universal design for 10 of the companies reviewed was federal legislation such as The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For some, it was the primary reason.

The passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 established requirements for U.S. electronic and information technology manufacturers to make their products usable for persons with disabilities. Evidence of the impact of these laws can be seen by visiting the websites of nearly all producers of telecommunications, data processing, and other electronic technologies. For example, Nokia established an Accessibility Solutions Committee to address the needs of customers with disabilities.

Being first to Market

Several of the universal design "pioneer" organizations, some with experience dating back 20 years or more, noted the advantages of being first into the field. For example, modest efforts yielded comparatively large amounts of media coverage, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Subsequent or "me-too" efforts by competitors were much less news-worthy.

Sam Farber established Oxo International in 1990 with the introduction of Good Grips at a San Francisco show. Their distinctive, inviting design drew considerable press coverage. With nearly no advertising budget, Oxo International grew at a 40-50% annual rate from 1990-1995, to $20 million. Many companies have since mimicked Oxo's successful designs.

Opportunities Created by New Technologies

As described in one of the project case studies, Philips' Interactive Healthcare Services was among the first to employ telecommunications technology for remote monitoring of patients' vital signs. Their Interactive Healthcare products and services address the increasing costs of institutional care, restrictions on inpatient care by managed-care organizations, and the desire to "age in place" by individuals with medical conditions requiring regular medical monitoring.

Personal Commitment

In nearly every case study, the personal experiences of a company employee, a family member of an employee, or an executive stimulated by a television or print media story about an individual with a disability created an emotional commitment that fueled the organization's investment in universal design. This powerful emotional commitment helps fuel an organization's investment in universal design and provides the additional energy needed to maintain the momentum of the idea in the face of corporate inertia.

Leviton Manufacturing Company's involvement with applications of home automation for people with disabilities brought some of their managers face-to-face with people with disabilities for the first time in their lives. The experience changed the way they saw their customers and their company. Said Bill Marshall, Leviton's Vice President of Marketing, "Universal Design has become an extremely important idea to us - maybe the most important idea". (Mueller and Ingols, 1997)

Summary - Is universal design good for business?

We began this project with the assumption that measurable business success, i.e., sales figures, is crucial to successfully promote universal design to business. Therefore, we actively sought case studies that might demonstrate these business successes.

With the exception of the unequivocal market success of Oxo Good Grips, the evidence that universal design makes money is largely circumstantial. Not that universal design doesn't pay off - it's just that the process of design, development, and marketing of products is too complex to attribute market results to a single aspect of the process, i.e., application of universal design principles. But we did find applications of universal design that were unanimously perceived as successful by the company's management, its customers, the public, and perhaps most importantly, by the competition. In these instances, universal design surely is perceived to contribute to profitability, but in ways more difficult to measure, e.g., positive corporate image, public relations, and press coverage.

Discussion topics: What should happen next?

Following the presentation of this paper, the presenter will offer the audience the opportunity to ask questions about the case studies and to consider next steps in studying and disseminating universal design behavior within businesses in the global community.

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