Case Studies on Universal Design
Sponsor: US Department of Education
PI: Jim Mueller
Period: 09/01/1999 through 08/31/2004
From 1994 -1997, James Mueller directed a project for the Center for Universal Design funded by the US Department of Education. This project, Case Studies on Universal Design, explored how the US business community applies the Principles of Universal Design (Center for Universal Design, 1997) to its business practices.
Thirty-eight individual business applications of universal design were studied through this project. Fourteen of these examples were developed into business case studies and published as the Case Studies on Universal Design in 1997. One of these was fully developed into a business teaching case in 1997 through Design Management Institute and Harvard Business School and is distributed worldwide by Harvard Business Publishing.
In 1999, the Center for Universal Design embarked on a 5-year program to further study companies efforts toward applying universal design in their businesses. Companies studied in the previous project were revisited, as well as 14 companies not previously studied. Each case study tells a unique story of why and how a business integrated the concept of universal design into its customer products and services. Collectively, they illustrate the roles of personal commitment, corporate culture, legislation, management support, and market forces in making universal design integral to effective business strategy.
The following eleven case studies include eight case
studies completed between 2000-2003, as well as three 1997 case studies updated
with recent developments in the companies' universal design efforts:
Case Studies
Fiskars Develops
Its Softouch
Oxo International
Becomes a Universal Design Icon
Beyond the
Tupperware Party: Reaching New Generations of Customers
LidsOff
Adds to Ergo Approach
Amtrak Acela Express Accommodates All
Duracell Listens
to Its Customers
Florian: Gardening
for All Ages and Abilities
Ford Drives a Mile
in an Older Person's Suit
Gold Violin:
Marketing to Seniors with Style
Nokia Helps Lead
IT Industry to Customers with Disabilities
Philips Interactive
Healthcare Services: Putting the Patient in Charge
Toys R Us: Toy Guide
for Differently Abled Kids