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Universal design: the 7 principles, with examples from buildings
Universal design means designing products, buildings and services from the start so that as many people as possible can use them, without adaptation. The seven principles most people cite were published in 1997 by the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University.
This guide summarizes the sources it cites; it is not legal advice. The official texts are the reference.
What universal design is
The United Nations convention on disability rights defines it as the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design, and adds that it does not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where they are needed (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 2).
The principles themselves were written by a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers, Ron Mace among them, as version 2.0 in 1997 (The Principles of Universal Design (NC State)).
The 7 principles of universal design
- Equitable Use. The design is useful to people with diverse abilities, with the same means of use for everyone. In a building: one step-free main entrance, not a separate “accessible entrance” round the back.
- Flexibility in Use. It accommodates different preferences and abilities. In a building: a service counter with a high section and a low one.
- Simple and Intuitive Use. It is easy to understand whatever the user’s experience, language or concentration. In a building: consistent signs in the same place on every floor.
- Perceptible Information. It gets information across whatever the conditions or the user’s senses. In a building: elevator buttons with raised numbers and braille, plus an audible announcement at each floor.
- Tolerance for Error. It minimizes hazards and the consequences of mistakes. In a building: a tactile warning surface before the top of a staircase or a platform edge.
- Low Physical Effort. It can be used efficiently with minimal fatigue. In a building: lever door handles and automatic doors instead of round knobs and heavy doors.
- Size and Space for Approach and Use. There is room to approach, reach and use things, seated or standing. In a building: a 60-inch turning circle in a restroom.
Universal design and the ADA
Accessibility codes set minimums: a ramp no steeper than 1:12, a door with 32 inches of clear width, a restroom with a 60-inch turning space (2010 ADA Standards, 405.2, 404.2.3 and 304.3). Universal design asks a different question first: how to make a place nobody has to adapt later.
The 2010 ADA Standards point in that direction themselves. Their advisory on ramp slope recommends the least possible slope and, wherever possible, stairs alongside the ramp for people for whom distance is a bigger barrier than steps (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 405.2).
The authors say the principles are not all there is to good design: aesthetics, cost, safety, gender and cultural fit matter too (The Principles of Universal Design (NC State)).
Universal design you can spot in the street
- A station with one level entrance for everyone, instead of an elevator hidden at the far end.
- A crossing with a curb ramp, truncated domes and an accessible pedestrian signal.
- Signs with large type, strong contrast, pictograms and braille within reach.
- Benches with armrests and space beside them for a wheelchair or a stroller.
Frequently asked questions
What is universal design?
The design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 2).
What are the 7 principles of universal design?
Equitable Use, Flexibility in Use, Simple and Intuitive Use, Perceptible Information, Tolerance for Error, Low Physical Effort, and Size and Space for Approach and Use.
Who created the principles of universal design?
A working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers at the Center for Universal Design, NC State University, Ron Mace among them, published as version 2.0 in 1997 (The Principles of Universal Design (NC State)).
Is universal design the same as ADA compliance?
No. ADA compliance means meeting minimum requirements; universal design aims to make places usable by as many people as possible from the start, often going beyond the minimum.
Does universal design rule out assistive devices?
No. The UN Convention says universal design does not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where they are needed (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 2).
More accessibility guides
- ADA compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
- Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
- Truncated domes and tactile paving: what the bumps on curb ramps and platform edges mean, and their sizes in the US and the UK.
- ADA door width: 32 inches of clear width, maneuvering space, thresholds, hardware and opening force.
- All accessibility guides
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. United Nations, open for signature since March 30, 2007.
- The Principles of Universal Design, Version 2.0. NC State University, The Center for Universal Design, 1997.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice, published September 15, 2010; required for new work since March 15, 2012.
Braillito Maps
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