Follow-up and support for Vinnova's program Universal design

Universal Design

Universal design ensures that the development of, for example, activities, environments and services, are designed for human diversity and everyone's participation.

Working with universal design strengthens the conditions for a society that is as accessible as possible for everyone, regardless of functional ability, age, gender, ethnicity or other social affiliation.

Vinnova has financed about 30 projects between 2017-2020 within the program initiative Universal design/Accessibility design, of which 20 are in progress and 13 are completed. To understand in what way the projects have contributed to the purpose of the investment and whether the projects have the potential to contribute to a positive impact at a systematic level, an initial follow-up of the program is needed. Previous experience of norm-changing projects, such as projects concerning cities' ability to innovate and adapt, shows that it is also positive to support collaboration and coordination between projects while they are ongoing.

Purpose and goals

The overall purpose of the assignment is to follow up Vinnova's government assignment on universal design / accessibility design for 2017-2020 and to produce a basis for Vinnova's feedback. The goal of the follow-up is that opportunities, obstacles and challenges are made visible and highlighted regionally and nationally and form the basis for policy changes and implementation. The assignment also intends to support the assignment and its projects in general in terms of collaboration both within the projects and between the projects. The collaboration support shall contribute to utilization, dissemination, exchange of experience and learning, as well as innovation-promoting initiatives.

The follow up thus stands on two legs

1. Provide documentation that describes, synthesizes and summarizes knowledge and lessons learned from the projects within the program. 

2. Collaborative support that promotes learning and innovation ability but also enhances opportunities, obstacles and challenges visible in the work with universal design from a larger system perspective.

In conclusion, the follow-up will highlight both obstacles and opportunities for universal design, which will act as support for increased accessibility in cities 'and communities', activities, environments and services. Part of the goal is that knowledge and use of universal design as a strategic tool for socially sustainable community building in Swedish planning practice has increased.