Creating Integrated and Inclusive Environments for All

Dr Craddock is the inaugural Chief Officer of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, a statutory body established by the Irish Government in 2007. It is part of the National Disability Authority which is the lead state agency on disability in Ireland. The vision of the Centre is that Ireland becomes a more inclusive society through designing more accessible environments for all its citizens. The Centre’s key domain areas cover the digital and built environments, services, and systems. The centre also focuses on infusing universal design into educational curricula at all levels, supporting the development of both technical and design process standards in key life domains and creating awareness of the benefits of universal design within Ireland as well as at European and International level.

He is an expert evaluator for the European Commission’s research and innovation funding programme, the Horizon 2020). He is past president of the Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE). Prior to his role with the Centre, Dr Craddock managed a national assistive technology service delivery department. He has also headed up projects at both national and European level.

Dr Craddock is a graduate of Dublin City University with an Electronic Engineering degree, a Postgraduate Diploma in Social and Vocational Rehabilitation Management from University College Dublin (UCD), and a PhD from the Centre of Disability Studies in UCD. He has published widely in peer reviewed journals.

The presentation is introducing the concept of universal design and how it applies to the digital, built environments, services and systems. Why it is important to consider a universal design approach in the design and use of products and services including within the health services. Outlining the benefits but also the requirements that are requires that products and services to be designed to be accessible, understandable and usable by all people but in particular persons of any age size, ability or disability.  Some examples of current EU Horizon 2020 work relevant to the area.

“The only thing important thing about design is how it relates to people”

 Victor Papenek Design of the Real World 1971.