The premise behind Universal Design is that by utilizing the correct application of design guidelines or, in other words, by producing an objectively excellent design, things may become accessible to a large number of people, including those with special needs or impairments. Universal Design principles obviously intersect with the goals of any interface that aspires to create a positive user experience. Let’s take a look at six of those design principles in the context of accessible and user-friendly bitcoin wallets:
Principle 1: Equitable use
People of various capacities will find the design helpful and marketable. Beginners and experts alike should find simple to use wallets to store bitcoin. Give each user the tools they need to get the most out of it. For example, include tutorials and contextual support, as well as sophisticated choices (making it obvious that they are advanced).
Principle 2: Usability Flexibility
Individual tastes and talents are accommodated by the design. People have a wide range of personal requirements. Your user might be near-sighted, have small fingers, have a huge phone, be elderly and have trouble making exact movements, or even be a commuter on a shaky train who uses the wallet app regularly on his way to work.
Here are some ways of how the Bitcoin wallet may be used to account for this: On both desktop and mobile interfaces, several font sizes are available, taking into account the impacts of Fitt’s Law — the farther away a goal is and the smaller its size, the more challenging it is for the user to accurately fall on the target.
Principle 3: Intuitive and simple to use
Regardless of the user’s experience, expertise, language skills, or present attention level, the design is simple to use. This applies to all Usability principles, including delivering feedback, removing superfluous complications, ensuring the reliability throughout the interface, and organising objects in a visual hierarchy that represents their value, among others.
Principle 4: Perceptible information
Regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory capacities, the design efficiently transmits important information to the user. Because you need to transmit a message to the user, your goal should be to make that information as simple and ubiquitous as possible. For example, to increase readability, combine text and visual information, and make appropriate use of contrast and blank space.
Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
The design reduces dangers and the negative repercussions of unintentional or inadvertent activities. One of the most important features of modern interactive screens is error forgiveness. Can you picture what your life would be like if you didn’t have “Ctrl + Z”? As a result, there are a number of concepts in excellent design that address this need: cautions, action reversal (where feasible), organisation that avoids mistakes — such as segregating or insulating potentially dangerous options, and flexible input acceptance.
Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
The design allows for efficient, comfortable, and fatigue-free operation. This may not appear to be linked to software, but it is. It might be exhausting to have consumers read long paragraphs in a small font. What about needing to copy a Bitcoin address by hand? This results in some physical tension, which all users will profit from not having to deal with. As a result, it’s a good idea to have copy/paste and QR code reading options.
