Usability and accessibility are two essential concepts in industrial design. Usability measures how easy it is to use a product, while accessibility is more focused on how available the product can be for everyone – including people with disabilities or those who speak different languages.
Usability focuses on making products easy to operate and understand for the user by providing helpful instructions, clear labelling and intuitive features. On the other hand, accessibility does this too. Still, it takes it one step further by considering various physical barriers that could impede an individual’s ability to operate a product due to impairment or disability. This includes providing appropriate sign language support or audio cues when needed and adjusting font sizes and contrast ratios to make the text easier to read. Accessibility also considers designing products with universal symbols universally understood worldwide regardless of spoken language.
At their core, both usability and accessibility strive towards improving the human-product interaction experience for all individuals so that they can feel comfortable using any given product regardless of any conditions they may have or cultural differences present within their environment. Considering both concepts when creating a new industrial design ensures your product will be usable and accessible for everyone!