Benchmarking the effectiveness of universal design

Abstract

Evaluating the effectiveness of universal design is typically done through case studies conducted by experts in field settings. The logistics and costs of such case studies, however, inevitably constrain not only user participation but also the environments studied - further compromising case studies' already limited generalizability and frustrating evidence-based universal design practice. This paper proposes a method for benchmarking the effectiveness of universal design that removes these constraints and enhances case studies' generalizability by moving them from the field to the internet.