The DfA Quality Label: Design for All Practical Evaluation Experiences for Inclusive Design Solutions

In order to give everyone equal opportunities to benefit from environments, products and services, thus favoring social inclusion through the enhancement of human diversity, in recent decades various design approaches have been developed, with common objectives, but different principles and methodologies. Among these, Design for All proposes a holistic approach to the project, focusing on the individual as a whole, trying to satisfy everyone’s needs, from requirements to desires and aspirations. To do this it is also necessary to involve the entire supply chain of the decision. In an effort to investigate and experiment in practice this approach, for some years the DfA Italia association has issued a DfA Quality Label for product, service, environment or system, developed according to the Design for All approach. It is assigned through a particularly complex process, and declined with respect to two different levels. The highest level is assigned to design solutions meeting all the DfA principles and requirements; the lower one is assigned when not all the principles and requirements are fully satisfied (but can be, following some specific suggestions).