Whether in everyday life, in products and services, in public infrastructure, Design for everyone The goal is to enable everyone to use it without individual adaptation or special assistance. It is a design task and discipline that aims to ensure accessibility, usability, and experience for as many people as possible, without taking into account abilities, skills, needs, and preferences, and without stigmatizing users through specialized solutions.
In the context of art and culture, for example, it is important to design exhibitions in such a way that they are inclusive and accessible.
An example from our MuseumsGuide is the Charlotte Taitl Learning and Memorial Site in Ried im Innkreis, Upper Austria, which offers comprehensive access to its permanent exhibition according to the criteria of Design for All. A white, multi-sensory floor information system guides visitors to the entrance. Larger-than-life black metal panels with laser-engraved and tactile birth and death dates of the victims guide visitors to the exhibition. A tactile map with pyramid script and Braille in the entrance area provides orientation for blind and visually impaired people. In the memorial room itself, the names of the victims are inscribed in white on white along the walls using spot varnish, complemented by a surrounding Braille band that serves as an information carrier and provides additional orientation within the space. The dates and life stories of the victims are told on steles, which are clearly arranged throughout the room. Selected photos and documents are presented in a tactile manner. In-depth information can be accessed via touchscreens, and there is also a workstation with a PC, Braille display, and internet access. All information is translated into audio description and sign language.
The museum has thus complemento 2018 of the ÖZIV Federal Association for People with Disabilities and was included in the honorary list of the 2018 Inclusion Award of Lebenshilfe Austria.
Anyone who wants to learn more about the Design for All approach can contact the international competence network EIDD Design for All Europe with partners in 23 European countries.
The German partner network EDAD Design for All – Germany eV is particularly active in the field of art and culture, with its own working group Culture in Design for All, which is aimed primarily at employees of museums, memorials and other cultural institutions.