Facilitating and Advancing Universal Design of ICT

Abstract

Background: In modern societies, the consequences of digital exclusion are severe. Legislation on Universal Design (UD) reflects socio-economic, democratic and ethical reasons for ensuring all citizens are able to use solutions based on Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Still, industry and higher education lack guidance on what UD of ICT entails in practice. Aim: This thesis investigates the possibilities and challenges when implementing the legislation in complex real-life settings, and articulates how educators and professionals should view UD expertise, and the necessary latitudes and appropriate priorities for ICT-projects. We answer: (1) What are best practice methodologies for ensuring UD of ICT? (2) What are applied aspects impacting UD of ICT? (3) How can we create advice or tools to facilitate UD of ICT? (4) How should we move towards advancing UD of ICT, and why? Method: Using a mix-method and applied approach, research methods include literature reviews, survey, interview studies, and case studies. We apply content analysis, statistics, and grounded theory to interpret the data, and generative and design-based research to utilize the insights. Contributions: We start by investigating best practice methodological stances and approaches. Due to the complexity of viewing UD of ICT as one field, we reframe our view and propose a uniform understanding of what UD entails for interaction design (IxD) and service design (SD). We find a mutual influence of Personal, Processual, Organizational and Social factors on UD success, and identify Critical Success Criteria (CSC) for ensuring UD in ICT-projects. From this empirical basis, different methods, models, and tools are developed, piloted and prototyped; including defining UD of services, and predicting UD success based on compliance to the CSC. A theoretical framework is modeled, reflecting the identified factors influencing UD. Conclusions: By increasing our abilities to predict and facilitate UD quality prior to or early in ICT-procurement and development processes, the thesis contributions inform future actions and advance a continued integration of UD in society. The findings can have relevance for researchers in the field of UD, for policy makers, for IxD and SD educators and professionals, for providers of ICT solutions targeted to the public, and the designers and developers creating these solutions and services.