Abstract
This paper outlines the evaluation of a print-based Design for All (DfA) manual. The purpose was to understand if and how a DfA manual can be used as a tool to inspire students (future architects) in designing an inclusive project to transform theory into practice. The DfA manual has been used and tested during a workshop that took place at the UDweek 2016 in Hasselt, Belgium. Our results show that the manual was favorably received, particularly in the areas of the manual’s visual presentation. Conversely, short guidelines, as mean to transfer knowledge, was perceived as too prescriptive. Furthermore, more information to generate insights on users’ needs are required and the static format of the manual can’t satisfy the different ways students prefer to access information. The research provides interesting criteria on how to create a more relevant and useable DfA manual; however, further studies are required to elaborate upon these.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsNotes
- 1.
In 2006, European Institute for Design and Disability (EIDD) changed its name to Design for All Europe.
- 2.
The three curators of the workshop were Pete Kercher ambassador at EIDD - Design for All Europe; Jasmien Herssesn architect and professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Arts of Hasselt University; and Megan Strickfaden designer, anthropologist and associate professor at the University of Alberta.
- 3.
Appendix.
- 4.
According to Herssens [9] planes can afford certain actions in the built environment and there are three kinds of affordances regarding haptic experience in the built environment: moving, guiding, resting.
- 5.
- 6.
For instance, a student that prefers architectural elements organization asserts: “In this way you can search to something more specific (for example, when you need some more information about a ramp or a stair) while you are designing”. While, a student that prefer users’ needs wrote: “it is more clear to me because they describe every haptic parameter by the action of the user instead of per architectural elements that might be less clear to people without an architectural background”.
- 7.
Some students pointed out that the short duration of the workshop did not allow them to accurately read all the design guidelines. Indeed, only the students really interested consulted the manual in detail, instead the tool should be easy to use in order to allow everyone to use it.
References
The EIDD Stockholm Declaration (2004). http://dfaeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/stockholm-declaration_english.pdf
Ielegems, E., Herssens, J., Vanrie, J.: A V-model for more. An inclusive design model supporting interaction between designer and user. In: 20th International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED, 9 (DS 80-09), pp. 259–268 (2015)
Connel, B.R., Jones, M., Mace, R., Mueller, J., Mullick, A., Ostroff, E., Sanford, J., Steinfeld, E., Story, M., Vanderheiden, G.: The Principles of Universal Design. Raleigh: North Carolina State University (1997). www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udprinciplestext.htm
Steinfeld, E.H.: Evidence based practice in universal design. In: 52nd Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, HFES, vol. 52(11), pp. 728–732 (2008)
Steinfeld, E., D’Souza, C., White, J.: Developing evidence-based standards: a case study in knowledge translation. In: Caltenco, H., Per-Olof Hedvall, P., Larsson, A., Rassmus-Gröhn, K., Rydeman, B. (eds.) Universal Design 2014: Three Days of Creativity and Diversity. Assistive Technology Research Series, vol. 35, pp. 89–98 (2014)
Alfonsi, E., Capolongo, S., Buffoli, M.: Evidence based design and healthcare: an unconventional approach to hospital design. Ann. Ig. 26(2), 137–143 (2014)
Universal Design Week Hasselt (2016). http://www.designforall.be/
Herssens, J.: Designing architecture for more: a framework of haptic design parameters with the experience of people born blind. Unpublished thesis, University of Hasselt, Leuven, Belgium (2011)
Herssens, J., Heylighen, A.: Haptic design research: a blind sense of space. In: ARCC/EAAE 2010 International Conference on Architectural Research, pp. 374–382 (2010)
Froyen, H., Verdonck, E., De Meester, D., Heylighen, A.: Documenting handicap situations and eliminations through Universal Design Patterns. AMJ 1(12), 199–203 (2009)
McGinley, C., Nickpour, F., Dong, H., Cifter, A.S.: Designing for designers: Insights into the knowledge users of inclusive design. Appl. Ergon. 2015(46), 284–291 (2013)
Goodman, J., Langdon, P.J., Clarkson, P.: Equipping designers for inclusive design. Gerontechnology 4, 229–233 (2006)
Goodman, J., Clarke, S., Langdon, P., Clarkson, P.J.: Formats for user data in inclusive design. In: Stephanidis C. (ed.) UAHCI 2007. LNCS, vol. 4554, pp. 117–126. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)
Fehr, R., Capolongo, S.: Healing environment and urban health. Epidemiol. Prev. 40(3-4), 151–152 (2016)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Appendix
Appendix
Sample of one page of the manual focusing on guidelines. Chapter about Paths.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mosca, E.I., Herssens, J., Rebecchi, A., Strickfaden, M., Capolongo, S. (2019). Evaluating a Proposed Design for All (DfA) Manual for Architecture. In: Di Bucchianico, G. (eds) Advances in Design for Inclusion. AHFE 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 776. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94622-1_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94622-1_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-94621-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-94622-1
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)