Usability, Universal Usability, and Design Patterns

Abstract

The concept of universal usability brings practical purpose to web accessibility efforts by focusing on enabling diverse populations to successfully and independently use the web for meaningful goals. Design patterns have emerged as a means to capture and standardize research-derived knowledge in the accessible interface and interaction design through presenting definitions and examples of how commonly used interface components can be designed with accessibility in mind. A design system and code library with patterns that incorporate accessibility features is a powerful tool for ensuring people with disabilities benefit from new technologies. Additionally, patterns benefit general usability by improving the learnability and memorability of interaction patterns. Guidelines that encourage or enforce standard interaction patterns, like Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines (Apple in Human interface guidelines, 2018), improve user experience and in turn, increase loyalty behaviors such as repurchase and referrals (Hoisington and Naumann in Qual Prog 36(2):33–41, 2003). In this chapter, we reaffirm the relationship between accessibility and universal usability, reflecting on developments since the Universal Usability chapter in the first edition of this book (Horton and Leventhal in Universal usability. Springer, 2008). With today’s more mature technology platform and profession, we explore the use of accessible design guidelines and patterns to provide interactions that are usable by everyone.