Developing 'Curriculum for training professionals in Universal Design' (CEN UD-PROF)
Friday, 02 July 2010
This week Joshue O Connor attended a workshop in the NDA offices aimed to complete work on the CEN 'Curriculum for training professionals in Universal Design' (CEN UD-PROF). The meeting was attended by representatives from Fraunhofer FIT, DIT, Siemens, ATRC, (University of Toronto), European Disability Forum, CEN, NSAI and our hosts in the CEUD.
Universal Design (UD) aims to design ICT products and services so they can be used by everyone without the need for specialised solutions or adaptations regardless of a person's age, environment, ability or disability. A crucial part of the approach is compliance with relevant standards and guidelines. It aims to develop technology that is robust, can be used on different platforms or in different contexts of use, as well as being usable by users with different skills.
In order for ICT industry to adopt UD principles, methods and solutions, the professionals involved will need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. This is a crucial condition for an effective, as well as economic, change in management and production process in the ICT industry.
Proposed CEN Workshop Agreement
The UD curriculum to be specified by this CEN Workshop shall identify the knowledge and skills that are necessary to successfully implement the UD approach in an ICT development process.
The training guidelines shall reflect the special training needs of ICT professionals, the conditions and context of training for professionals, and the different needs of different professional roles in the ICT industry.