INCLUSIVE DESIGN IN VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/uad.2026.1.6Keywords:
inclusive design, universal design, accessibility, visual communications, information design, typography, navigation, evaluation criteriaAbstract
The study aims to trace the historical development of inclusive design in visual communications and to develop a practical model for evaluating inclusivity across three domains: printed graphics, the urban visual environment, and digital interfaces. The research employs a review approach with source selection and analysis, thematic synthesis of findings, and a comparison of inclusive/universal design principles with accessibility and usability standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO 9241) standards. Historical development is interpreted as a gradual transition from early approaches to legibility and public information, through modernist information design, to universal design and 21st-century digital accessibility. A hybrid evaluation matrix is proposed, comprising the categories of sensory accessibility (contrast, size, information redundancy), cognitive clarity (hierarchy, predictable navigation, effective error messages), ergonomic usability (reachability of elements, sufficiently sized active areas, interaction pace, reduction of discomfort-inducing effects), and flexibility and technological compatibility (alternative formats, alignment with assistive technologies, resilience to scaling). Piloting the matrix on examples of printed materials, elements of the urban environment, and digital interfaces demonstrated that the most critical barriers vary by medium; therefore, indicators should be adapted to the specific format while preserving a shared evaluation logic. The paper clearly differentiates inclusive, universal, and accessible design in the context of visual communications and proposes criteria with measurable indicators that enable inclusivity to be assessed not only as a clear-cut compliant/non-compliant outcome but also by the level and quality of implementation. The matrix can be used as an evaluation tool and for instructional analysis in graphic design, navigation systems, and interface design.
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