Universal Design a Win-Win

Simple designs easily cater to a large segment of society, or sometimes allow more accessibility to someone with a disability at the expense of making it clunky for the average user. Good universal design, however is a win-win that helps everyone. There is a cost in the effort of the designers, and even after it has been designed the end result may be more expensive than the original. But, in many cases even those without disabilities will choose the more expensive design because it also solves a minor problem for them. Take the bendy straw for example, it’s slightly more expensive than a straight straw. For some with motor disabilities it solves a major problem with drinking from a cup. However, the majority of bendy straws are actually sold to people without disabilities because it also makes drinking for them more fun or slightly easier. This is a clear win-win.