UCF Perspective of The Document Design Exclusionary Discussion

Part 1: Read and Respond

First, read “Document Design and Social Justice: A Universal Design for Documents” by Natasha N. Jones and Stephanie K. Wheeler. Then, respond to the following questions. Be sure to cite from the reading to contextualize your thoughts. Also, be sure to support your answers with concrete examples from your classes and/or professional experiences whenever possible!

1. Designing purely from the writer-designer’s perspective alone tends to exclude some readers, according to Jones and Wheeler. Why?
2. What are the three “frameworks” for document design that Jones and Wheeler discuss, and how do they differ from each other?
3. Universal Design for Documents is grounded in “collective access” and “participatory design.” What do these two principles mean? How can collective access and participatory design enact the ideals and practices of Universal Design?

Part 2: Find and Reflect

Next, locate a document (either paper or online) such as a flyer, a credit card bill, a bank statement, a webpage, etc. and compare it to Jones and Wheeler’s design guidance. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the document you’ve chosen based on its usability, accessibility, and universal design.