Universal design

Universal design.

Criticism

Calling a Western local tradition a human universal

When Koreans and Americans listened to music played on the bonang, an Indonesian instrument, and were asked to evaluate it, they showed a preference for kinds of harmony that Western instruments (such as the piano) cannot produce. One of many examples showing that what the West calls a “human universal” is actually just a “local tradition.” (Paper: Timbral effects on consonance disentangle psychoacoustic mechanisms and suggest perceptual origins for musical scales)

Be careful to avoid this kind of mistake.

The problem of calling something merely universal to humans “universal”

For a long time, usability meant “usability for nondisabled people.” “Usability for disabled people” was separated out under the name accessibility. These days, the view that accessibility is included in usability seems to be gaining ground. That’s a relief.

The term universal design is similar: the “universal” here actually means only “universal to humans,” and does not consider nonhuman animals. (See: animal-centered design)