-Equitable use
-Flexibility in use
-Simple and intuitive
-Tolerance for error ( I like that )
-Low physical effort
-Size and space for approach and use
(from the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University)
The principles of flexible, simple and useful are deceptively easy words to toss around. But finding your way to first steps can be tricky. The planning phase should start within the context of a culture of assessment rather than a system of theoretical approaches.
Western Libraries has made changes and improvements that follows the results from a variety of assessment tools, such as LibQUAL, SAILS, etc.
Space planning is a logical extension of implementing results that come from assessing user needs regularly. Design follows from the problems and concerns, the successes and strengths related by assessments and reports of the past.
