Universal Access · The framework
Five domains, one lifecycle, seven principles.
Every audit looks at a place across five domains of access, takes it through six stages, and scores it against the seven Principles of Universal Design. Because a public place is never just bricks. It's the whole journey a person makes through it.
What we measure
The five domains of access.
Domain 01 · UAE: Dubai Universal Design Code · Europe/ISO: EN 17210, ISO 21542
Built Environment
Getting there, getting in, level access, moving around, going up and down, washrooms, refuge and getting out. The physical fabric of buildings and public spaces.
Domain 02 · UAE: Dubai Universal Design Code · Europe: EN 17210
Mobility & Transport
Accessible parking and drop-off, unbroken step-free walking routes, transit stops and interchanges, ticketing and boarding.
Domain 03 · UAE: Dubai Universal Design Code · Europe/ISO: ISO 21542, EN 17210
Wayfinding & Communication
Signs you can read, tactile and audible guidance, colour and contrast, plain language, sign language, captions, and information for every sense.
Domain 04 · UAE: TDRA Web Accessibility Policy (WCAG 2.1 AA) · Europe: EN 301 549, WCAG 2.2 AA
Digital & ICT
Websites, apps, kiosks and terminals, digital documents and public-service technology. Things people can perceive, operate, understand and rely on.
Domain 05 · UAE: Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 · Europe: EN 17161 Design for All
Service & Experience
Staff who are ready, reasonable accommodation, service journeys that include everyone, help when it's needed, and emergency plans that leave no one behind.
The thread
One continuous journey.
Nobody experiences these domains one at a time. So we follow a single journey through all five (a gap anywhere breaks the chain) and score the place as a whole, not as a checklist of parts.
How we audit
Six stages, every time.
The same process for a bus terminal, a college campus or a government portal, so a certificate means the same thing wherever it's awarded.
1
Register & Scope
You apply, we agree the boundary of what's being assessed, and you complete a self-assessment.
2
Document Review
We check drawings, digital assets and policies against each domain's checklist.
3
On-site & User Audit
We measure on site, then walk it with a panel of persons with disabilities.
4
Findings & Gap Report
Scored by domain and by the seven principles, with a prioritised plan to fix what's missing.
5
Remediation & Re-audit
Time and support to make changes, then we check the gaps are really closed.
6
Certify & Register
The mark is awarded for a fixed period, listed in the public Access Registry, and checked periodically.
How we score
The seven Principles of Universal Design.
Written down by Ronald Mace and the Center for Universal Design (NC State, 1997), the principles don't just ask "is it compliant?" They ask "does it work, equally, for everyone?"
Principle 1
Equitable Use
Useful to people with different abilities, with the same way in for everyone wherever possible.
Principle 2
Flexibility in Use
Works for a wide range of preferences and abilities, with a choice in how to use it.
Principle 3
Simple & Intuitive
Easy to understand, whatever your experience, knowledge, language or focus.
Principle 4
Perceptible Information
Gets the message across in more than one way (visual, spoken, tactile), whatever your senses.
Principle 5
Tolerance for Error
Keeps hazards low, and mistakes forgivable.
Principle 6
Low Physical Effort
Comfortable and efficient to use, without wearing you out.
Principle 7
Size & Space
Room to approach, reach and use it, whatever your body or mobility aid.
+ Our eighth test
Verified in use
Every principle is confirmed by a person who depends on it, not just by a tape measure.
Next
From framework to certificate.
Universal Access
See the standards behind each domain, and the three tiers a place can earn.
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