Course syllabus
Universal design, teori och projekt
Universal Design, Theory and Project
TNSF10, 7,5 credits, G2 (First Cycle)
Valid for: 2023/24
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering, LTH
Decided by: PLED ID
Date of Decision: 2023-03-16
General Information
Main field: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.
Compulsory for: MVAR1
Elective for: BME4-bdr, C4-da, D4, M4, MD4
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English on demand
Aim
In a society for all products, services and environments are
designed based on the knowledge that people are different and have
different potential, and for the same person this will vary over
time and with different situations. This course focuses on
universal design (Universal Design), which can be explained as the
design of products, services and environments that are usable by
all people, to the greatest extent possible, withoutthe need for
special adaptation or specialized design.
The aim of the course is that the students, in their future
professional roles, can take into account people's different
conditions and abilities and get a practical training in how to
analyze and evaluate products, services and environments and
determine how well they meet the criteria for universal and
inclusive design.
Furthermore, the student is trained to propose and implement
possible improvements to products, services and environments so
that they better meet the criteria for universal and inclusive
design. The course covers the process (how to generate new designs)
and also the evaluation of results.
Diversity and inclusion are part of sustainable development, and
link to several of the goals in Agenda 2030, eg 3: good health and
well-being, goal 4: good education for all, goal 5: gender
equality, goal 8: decent work and economic growth, goal 10:
reducing inequality, goal 11: sustainable cities and communities,
goal 16: peaceful and inclusive communities.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to account for inclusive design principles and
evaluation methods (eg, based on Universal Design, Design for All,
Inclusive design) that can be used as guidelines in the development
or evaluation of products, services and environments
- be able to describe the benefits of universal and inclusive
design in a society that supports and strives for diversity
- identify and analyze situations, products, services and
environments from an inclusive perspective
- be able to describe how universal design, accessibility and
social sustainability are interrelated and what the differences
are.
Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to apply evaluation techniques for universal and
inclusive design.
- identify shortcomings of products, services and environments
and propose improvements according to the seven principles of
universal design.
- be able to develop a product, service and environment taking
people's different physical and cognitive conditions and abilities
into account. Industrial design students and engineeering
students carry this out in co-operation in groups.
- be able to apply the seven principles of universal design when
developing products, services and environments.
- be able to identify wider application areas for developed
products.
- be able to apply a user-centred design methodology.
- be able to combine subjective and objective methods when
assessing products, services and environments.
- be able to present methods and results orally and in writing
for a diverse audience.
- be able to present the results as a functional model, a visual
model and in a poster.
Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to describe the quest that lies in the design of
products and services so they are aesthetic and useful to as many
people as possible regardless of age and ability.
- to take into account that people are different with a great
variety of conditions and abilities and that they have different
desires and needs.
- be able to express how universal design contributes to an
inclusive society.
Contents
The course consists of seminars and assignments on universal
design, accessibility and social sustainability, as well as a
project assignment that industrial design and engineering students
carry out together.
The theory part focuses on the seven principles of universal
design and how perspectives and attitudes affect people with
different abilities and their opportunities enjoy new developments
is society. Empathy exercises will also be carried out.
The project assignment is assessed with a prototype that is a
universally designed product, environment or service. The course is
problem based and project oriented.
Examination details
Grading scale: UG - (U,G) - (Fail, Pass)
Assessment: The assessment is based on individual and group work. A passing grade will be given to students who pass individual compulsory assignments and a project carried out in groups.
The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.
Admission
Admission requirements:
- At least 120 credits awarded or credited within the engineering study programme
OR
at least 75 credits from an industrial design study programme
OR
at least three years approved full time education at university level (or a Bachelor degree) in architecture, landscape architecture or spatial planning
The number of participants is limited to: No
The course overlaps following course/s: TNSA01, TNSF01, TNSF02, TNX153
Reading list
- Handed-out material about the seven principles of universal design.
- Selected articles.
All compulsory literature is available in the course learning platform.
- The HaptiMap project, editors: Charlotte Magnusson, Kirsten Rassmus Gröhn, Konrad Tollmar, Eileen Deaner: User Study Guidelines. HaptiMap project, 2009. Download from: http://www.certec.lth.se/fileadmin/certec/publikationer/HaptiMap_d12.pdf.
- Maisel & Steinfeld: Universal design and the built environment. CRC Press, 2022. Maisel, J., & Steinfeld, E. (2022). Universal design and the built environment. In A. Mihailidis & R. Smith, Rehabilitation Engineering (1st ed., pp. 295–318). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b21964-16. PDF is available on Canvas.
- Hedvall, Price, Keller & Ericsson: Towards 3rd Generation Universal Design: Exploring Nonclusive Design. IOS Press, 2022. Hedvall, P.-O., Price, M., Keller, J., & Ericsson, S. (2022). Towards 3rd Generation Universal Design: Exploring Nonclusive Design. 85–92. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI220824. PDF is available on Canvas.
Contact and other information
Course coordinator: Håkan Eftring, universitetslektor, tekn dr, hakan.eftring@certec.lth.se
Examinator: Per-Olof Hedvall, tekn dr, per-olof.hedvall@certec.lth.se
Course homepage: http://www.certec.lth.se/english/education/