An investigation of universal design (UD) features in Indian household products

Universal design (UD) is a beneficial concept for better accessible design to improve easy approachability and industry-standard products. Specifically, Indian household products require UD features in domains such as bathroom and toilet, furniture, kitchen utilities, and home appliances. Among household product design in India, a lack of understanding of the product's universality might be a constraint for product designers. Also, there are no studies assessing the UD features of Indian household products.

(1) To examine the UD feature of Indian household products against the seven principles of UD; (2) To determine the most lacking UD feature among Indian household products; and (3) To find out the Indian household categories (i.e., bathroom and toilet, furniture, kitchen utilities, and home appliances) which are most lacking in UD performance.

The UD features were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire, which contains 29 questions on UD principles and general questions (gender, education level, age and house characteristics). Using statistical packages, the data were computed for mean and frequency distribution, as well as analyzed to achieve the objectives. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for comparative analyses.

The results indicate that the "flexibility in use" and "perceptible information" principles were lacking among the Indian household products. Also, bathroom and toilet and furniture household products were most lacking in UD performance.

The findings of this research will enlighten the insights into the usefulness, usability, safety, and marketability of Indian household products. In addition, they will be helpful in promoting UD features and obtaining financial benefits from the Indian market.