Glossary

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Uncanny valley

A concept in robotics and animation describing the discomfort people feel when a humanoid figure looks almost, but not quite, realistic. As robots or avatars approach human likeness, they can provoke feelings of eeriness or revulsion before reaching full realism. In…

Universal Design(also: UD)

A design philosophy and practice that aims to create products, environments, and systems usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Originating in architecture with Ron Mace at North Carolina State University,…

Universal design(also: UD, Design for all, Inclusive design)

A design philosophy that aims to create products, environments, and systems that are usable by the widest possible range of people without the need for adaptation or specialised design. Coined by architect Ronald Mace in 1997, universal design is guided by seven principles:…

Universal design for learning(also: UDL)

An educational framework based on research in the learning sciences that guides the development of flexible learning experiences to accommodate individual learning differences. UDL provides multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression, ensuring that…

Usability(also: Ease of Use)

Usability is the extent to which a product, system, or service can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use, as defined by ISO 9241-11. It goes beyond mere accessibility compliance to…

User persona(also: Persona, Design persona)

A fictional but research-based representation of a user archetype that captures key characteristics, goals, behaviours, and pain points of a segment of the target audience. In accessibility design, personas representing disabled users help development teams move beyond…

User profile(also: User model, Personal needs and preferences profile, PNP)

A structured collection of data describing a user's characteristics, capabilities, preferences, and requirements for interacting with a computing system. In accessibility, user profiles inform how interfaces should adapt to meet individual needs. Traditional approaches (such as…

User-Sensitive Inclusive Design(also: USID)

A design methodology that adapts user-centered design principles for contexts where the target user population is highly diverse and where individual differences — including those related to disability — are significant design factors. Unlike Universal Design which aims for…

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