Stroke and universal design

Universal Design (UD) is usually stated to be “for all ages and abilities”. Given that stroke is a major source of disability, it is important that UD recommendations take stroke-specific problems into account. Within the framework of EU project STARR, we have investigated user requirements of stroke survivors. In this project we have used a mix of interviews, focus groups, design workshops and technology tests to come up with a set of design recommendations, which we present as a first step towards universal design recommendations which are inclusive for stroke survivors. Our general recommendations are: make it fun, do not make people fail, empower and encourage. The technology needs to be highly adaptable to different sets of abilities. Safety, but also aesthetics and simplicity is important, but it is pointed out that designs should not be “childish” – this can be felt to be degrading. It is important to be able to see and follow your progress and win small victories often. Consider social applications and activities –being able to connect to others in the same situation can enable discussions and provide peer support. More stroke consequence specific recommendations are to design to allow one-sided use (hemiplegia), avoid sensory and activity overload (fatigue), complement speech with images (aphasia), limit demand on memory, support learning and avoid errors (memory problems), and include multiple modalities in your design (reduced vision or hearing).