prEN 17161

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-november-2025
Oblikovanje za vse - Upravljanje dostopnosti izdelkov in storitev
Design for All approach - Managing accessibility of products and services
Design für Alle Ansatz - Management der Barrierefreiheit von Produkten und
Dienstleistungen
Approche de la conception pour tous - Gestion de l'accessibilité des produits et des
services
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 17161
ICS:
01.120 Standardizacija. Splošna Standardization. General
pravila rules
03.080.01 Storitve na splošno Services in general
03.120.01 Kakovost na splošno Quality in general
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD DRAFT
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2025
ICS 01.120; 11.180.01; 13.180
Will supersede EN 17161:2019
English version
Design for All approach - Managing accessibility of
products and services
Approche de la conception pour tous - Gestion de Design für Alle Ansatz - Management der
l'accessibilité des produits et des services Barrierefreiheit von Produkten und Dienstleistungen
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/CLC/JTC 12.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN and CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal
Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any
alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN and CENELEC in three official versions (English, French, German). A
version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN and CENELEC member into its own language
and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN and CENELEC members are the national standards bodies and national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and United Kingdom.

Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification
of any relevant patent rights of which they are aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN/CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means
Ref. No. prEN 17161:2025 E
reserved worldwide for CEN national Members and for
CENELEC Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Context of the organization – Design for All approach . 12
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context . 12
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties . 13
4.3 Determining the scope of the Design for All approach within the organization. 14
4.4 Accessibility following a Design for All approach . 14
4.5 Integration with established process systems . 14
4.6 Application and use . 15
4.7 Application of service provisions . 15
5 Leadership . 15
5.1 Leadership and commitment . 15
5.2 Policy . 16
5.3 Organisational roles, responsibilities and authorities . 17
6 Planning . 17
6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities . 17
6.2 Design for All approach objectives and planning to achieve them . 19
6.3 Planning for changes . 19
7 Support . 20
7.1 Resources . 20
7.2 Competence . 20
7.3 Awareness . 20
7.4 Communication . 21
7.5 Documented information . 21
8 Operation . 22
8.1 Operation planning and control . 22
8.2 Requirements for products and services . 22
8.3 Design and development of products and services . 22
8.4 Control of externally provided processes, products and services along the end-to-
end chain . 26
8.5 Communication with external suppliers . 27
9 Performance evaluation . 28
9.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation . 28
9.2 Internal audit . 29
9.3 Management . 29
10 Improvement . 30
10.1 General. 30
10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action in relation to accessibility outcomes . 30
10.3 Continual improvement . 31
Annex A (informative) Accessibility, Design for All approach and Human Rights . 32
A.1 Introduction . 32
A.2 Sustainable development with a Design for All approach . 32
A.3 Access, understand and use . 32
A.4 Examples of Design for All approaches . 33
Annex B (informative) User involvement . 35
B.1 Introduction . 35
B.2 Benefits of involving users . 35
B.3 Identifying and understanding potential users . 35
B.4 Demographic statistics . 36
B.5 Planning and performing user involvement . 36
Annex C (informative) Design activities within projects . 39
C.1 Introduction . 39
C.2 Activities and their inputs . 39
C.3 User input to activities (8.3.2.2) . 41
C.4 Understand and identify the users and the context of use (8.3.2) . 41
C.5 Requirements specification (8.3.3) . 42
C.6 Produce solutions to meet the user requirements (8.3.3.2) . 43
C.7 Evaluation (8.3.1) . 44
Annex D (informative) List of requirements . 46
D.1 Introduction . 46
D.2 List: requirements . 46
D.3 List: documented information . 51
Annex E (normative) Accessibility requirements of services . 54
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the
requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services
aimed to be covered . 64
Bibliography . 66

European foreword
This document (prEN 17161:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/CLC JTC 12
“Design for all”, the secretariat of which is held by SIS.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 17161:2019.
— further development of the alignment of the clauses to complement and be integrated to existing
organisational management and operational processes, to facilitate the integration of a Design for
All approach;
— service provisions included in a new Annex E Accessibility requirements of services;
— annex on non-exhaustive list of standards and guidance relevant to 'Accessibility following a Design
for All approach in products, goods and services' is removed and contents added to the
Bibliography;
— further developed of applications of use.
This document has been prepared under a standardization request addressed to CEN by the European
Commission. The Standing Committee of the EFTA States subsequently approves these requests for its
Member States.
For the relationship with EU Legislation, see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this
document.
Introduction
0.1 General
The Design for All approach enables organisations to manage accessibility by prioritising human
diversity from the earliest possible time. At the same time organisations can increase their market
share and create better opportunities in the procurement system. Accessible and usable products and
services are the intended outcomes. The Design for All approach in this document can apply to any
organization managing the accessibility of its products and services. This includes involving users to
maximize interoperability and accessibility.
Each design process and its outcome are unique. Applying a Design for All approach does not mean “one
size fits all”.
NOTE 1 Terms such as “Design for All”, “Universal Design”, “accessible design”, “barrier-free design”, “inclusive
design” and “transgenerational design” are often used interchangeably with the same meaning. Annex A address
different concepts and explains them in the relation of this document. It also provides with examples.
Implementing the Design for All approach in an organization inspires management to value an inclusive
and non-stigmatizing mind-set and supports a culture that prioritises people, innovation and continual
improvement.
Managing the Design for All approach ensures optimal practices and activities, so that operations have
the best tools and resources in place to enable them to achieve accessible and usable products and
services, that is what this document refers to as 'accessibility outcomes’. Any organization with the goal
to extend the range of users of its products and services can benefit from applying this document.
0.2 Legal accessibility obligations
All organisations that are subject to legal obligations to fulfil general accessibility requirements can use
this document. The requirements in this document can be used to define capacity needed to provide
accessible and usable products and services. This can be used in fulfilling legal and contractual
obligations, or in purchasing or procurement processes.
The European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882 along with other Union Acts, continues the EU
and the member states commitment to accessibility. This document provides a harmonized standard for
conformance with the process-related and procedural solutions for the design, development and
provision of services to fulfil the accessibility requirements set out in Annex I to Directive 2019/882 in
accordance with Section VI thereof. Annex ZA lists the relationship between the requirements in this
standard and the relevant accessibility requirements in the European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU)
2019/882 (EAA).
0.3 The benefits from involving users
Each individual user has their own profile of needs, characteristics, capabilities, and preferences, and
this fact needs to be recognized when developing mainstream products and services. In order to
improve accessibility and usability for a wider diversity of users, an organization will benefit from
involving users that can inform about their experience, for instance of accessibility barriers.
Furthermore, they can advise on the context of use which can cause barriers to the accessibility and
usability of products and services.
0.4 Accessibility along the end-to end chain
Addressing users’ accessibility barriers along the end-to-end chain is a key factor to widen the range of
users. Accessibility across the end-to-end chain can be addressed in planning, manufacturing,
packaging, sales, payment, delivery and support services internally and externally. Different
organisations could be involved. Generally, products or services do not exist in isolation.
0.5 Alignment with management system standards
An organization which does not have a management system can use this standard to demonstrate a
systematic approach to achieve accessibility outcomes.
The clauses in this document are aligned to complement and be integrated into existing organisational
management and operational processes in order to achieve accessibility outcomes. Organisations that
have adopted a management system standard such as EN ISO 9001, facilitates the integration of a
Design for All approach as outlined in this standard.
This document defines the requirements in an order that is consistent with organisational planning and
process management, i.e.:
— understanding the context of the organization, the needs and expectations of interested parties,
including people with disabilities, and the integration of a Design for All approach within
established systems and processes (Clause 4);
— leadership, policy and responsibilities in support of a Design for All approach and the achievement
of accessibility outcomes (Clause 5);
— the planning of Design for All objectives and how to achieve them (Clause 6);
— organizing the support and other resources, including people and information needed to realize a
Design for All approach and the delivery of accessibility outcomes (Clause 7);
— operational processes related to meeting users’ requirements, including persons with disabilities
when developing products and services to be accessible and usable across the entire end-to-end
chain, in accordance with the Design for All approach (Clause 8);
— processes to monitor, measure, analyse and evaluate the effectiveness and correctness of the
Design for All approach and its accessibility outcomes (Clause 9);
— the continual improvement of the Design for All approach (Clause 10).
Management of the processes that constitutes the approach can be achieved by using a “Plan-Do-Check-
Act” (PDCA) or similar methodology. The normative clauses of this document broadly reflect the
widely-used PDCA model. The PDCA cycle is a way to achieve continual improvement in organisational,
development, manufacturing and service provision processes. In the same way that a circle has no start
or end, the PDCA method is also constant and unbroken.
Figure 1 illustrates how the processes and requirements set out in Clauses 4 Context of the organization
– Design for All approach to 10 Improvement are related and interconnected and how continual
improvement is achieved through repeated cycles of design and implementation. The figure makes it
clear that committed leadership as well as the provision of adequate support and resources are central
to achieving the right outcomes.
Figure 1 — Integrating a Design for All approach into the continual processes for design,
development and provision of products and services
NOTE 3 Figure 1 shows a diagram of the interrelations between the processes, procedures and activities in this
standard to achieve Accessibility outcomes based on the application of a Design for All approach. It consists of
concentric circles showing the various layers of these interrelating elements.
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements and recommendations that can enable an organization to design,
develop and provide products and services so that they can be accessed, understood and used by the
widest range of users, including persons with disabilities.
This document specifies requirements and recommendations that can enable an organization to widen
their range of users by identifying diverse needs, characteristics, capabilities, and preferences, by
directly or indirectly involving users, and by using knowledge about accessibility in its procedures and
processes.
This document specifies requirements that can enable an organization to meet applicable statutory and
regulatory requirements as related to the accessibility of its products and services.
The requirements and recommendations set out in this document are generic and are intended to be
applicable to all relevant parts of all organisations, regardless of type, size or products and services
provided.
This document promotes accessibility following a Design for All approach in mainstream products and
services and interoperability of these with assistive technologies.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
prEN 17210, Accessibility and usability of the built environment — Functional requirements
prEN 301549, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
accessibility
extent to which products, systems, services, environments and facilities can be used by people from a
population with the widest range of user needs, characteristics and capabilities to achieve identified
goals in identified contexts of use
Note 1 to entry: Context of use includes direct use or use supported by assistive technologies.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9241-112:2025, 3.15]
3.2
accessibility outcomes
outputs from an organisation’s policies, processes and activities that result in products and services
that the widest range of users can access, understand and use
3.3
assistive technology
equipment, product system, hardware, software or service that is used to increase, maintain or improve
capabilities of individuals
Note 1 to entry: Assistive technology is an umbrella term that is broader than assistive products.
Note 2 to entry: Assistive technology can include assistive services, and professional services needed for
assessment, recommendation and provision.
[SOURCE: CEN-CENELEC Guide 6:2014, 2.16]
3.4
context of use
physical and social environments in which a system is used, including users, tasks, equipment and
materials
[SOURCE: CEN-CENELEC Guide 6:2014, 2.7]
3.5
corrective action
action to eliminate the cause of a nonconformity and to prevent recurrence
Note 1 to entry: There can be more than one cause for a nonconformity.
Note 2 to entry: Corrective action is taken to prevent recurrence whereas preventive action is taken to prevent
occurrence.
Note 3 to entry: This constitutes one of the common terms and core definitions for ISO management system
standards given in Annex SL of the Consolidated ISO Supplement to the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. The original
definition has been modified by adding Notes 1 and 2 to entry.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.12.2]
3.6
documented information
information required to be controlled and maintained by an organisation and the medium on which it is
contained
Note 1 to entry: Documented information can be in any format and media and from any source.
Note 2 to entry: Documented information can refer to:
— the management system, including related processes;
— information created in order for the organization to operate (documentation);
— evidence of results achieved (records).
Note 3 to entry: this constitutes one of the common terms and core definitions for ISO management system
standards given in Annex SL of the Consolidated ISO Supplement to the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.8.6]
3.7
end-to-end chain
sequence of information, processes and activities that enable a user to discover, acquire, use, maintain
and dispose of a product or service, including post-sale support and warranty fulfilment
EXAMPLE 1 In order to make a train journey, a user obtains information about train times and facilities (pre-
sale), purchases a ticket, accesses departure and destination stations and facilities, boards, uses and leaves the
train and may require support or complaint (post-sale) services.
EXAMPLE 2 A user buying a new television, researches the market, finds a supplier, buys the television,
arranges delivery, installs, connects and configures it, uses it, and gets it repaired, updated or disposed of, as,
necessary.
3.8
interested party
stakeholder
person or organisation that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or
activity
EXAMPLE Users, consumers, customers, owners, people in an organization, providers, bankers, regulators,
unions, non-governmental organisations, partners or society that can include competitors or opposing pressure
groups.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.3, Modified, added examples of 'users' and 'consumers', Note 1 to
entry from source not included]
3.9
management
coordinated activities to direct and control an organization (3.10)
Note 1 to entry: Management can include establishing policies and objectives, and processes to achieve these
objectives.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.2 modified, Note 2 removed]
3.10
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes, but is not limited to sole-trader, company, corporation,
firm, enterprise, authority, partnership, association, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether
incorporated or not, public or private.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.1, Modified - Note 2 to entry not included]
3.11
Non-conformity
non-fulfilment of a requirement
Note 1 to entry: This constitutes one of the common terms and core definitions for ISO management system
standards given in Annex SL of the Consolidated ISO Supplement to the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.6.9]
3.12
requirement
need or expectation that is stated, generally implied or obligatory
Note 1 to entry: Requirements can include: user requirements, and other interested parties’ requirements,
statutory and regulatory obligations, such as legal accessibility requirements, and design and development
requirements, such as functional and performance design requirements.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.6.4 (option 2) modified; Note 1 added]
3.13
strategy
planned activities to achieve a long-term or overall objective
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.5.12]
3.14
Top management
person or group of people who directs and controls organization (3.10) at the highest level
Note 1 to entry: Top management has the power to delegate authority and provide resources within the
organization.
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9000:2015, 3.1.1, modified; Note 2 and 3 removed]
3.15
universal design
design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest
extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
Note 1 to entry: Universal design shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups or persons with
disabilities where this is needed.
Note 2 to entry: Terms such as universal design, accessible design, design for all, barrier-free design, inclusive
design and transgenerational design are often used interchangeably with the same meaning.
[SOURCE: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Art. 2, modified — Note
2 to entry has been added]
[SOURCE: CEN-CENELEC Guide 6:2014, 2.18]
3.16
usability
extent to which a system, product or service can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals
with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use
[SOURCE: EN ISO 9241-11:2018, 3.1.1, modified – notes deleted]
3.17
user
person who interacts with a system, product or service
Note 1 to entry: The person who uses a service provided by a system, such as a customer in a shop or passenger
on a train, can be considered a user.
[SOURCE: ISO 27500:2016, 2.12]
4 Context of the organization – Design for All approach
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
The organization shall determine at the earliest opportunity how to make a product or service
accessible and usable by the widest range of users to the greatest extent possible.
The organization shall determine internal and external issues that are relevant to its purpose and to its
strategic direction and that affect its Design for All approach, such as:
a) user needs, characteristics, capabilities and preferences;
b) feedback on existing products and services, in particular on their accessibility and usability aspects
and on the range of users they reach;
c) reputation of the organization;
d) legal and regulatory obligations;
e) competitors' activities;
f) functionality provided by assistive technologies;
g) compatibility and interoperability with assistive technologies;
h) technological factors and changes/advancements in technical capabilities;
i) capacities of the delivery/supply chain;
j) end-to-end chain;
k) economic factors;
The organization shall review the information about these internal and external issues.
NOTE 1 Understanding the external context can be facilitated by considering the impact of the whole supply
chain and end-to-end chain from a user perspective, as well as issues arising from regulatory, technological,
competitive, social and economic environments, whether international, national, regional or local.
NOTE 2 Understanding the internal context can be facilitated by identifying the drivers for integrating a Design
for All approach related to existing culture and values.
The organization shall maintain documented information related to its Design for All approach as listed
in 7.5. This can be integrated within existing documented information, including that maintained as part
of established management systems (see also 4.5).
The organization's drivers for adopting a Design for All approach can differ depending on the
organization and the context in which it operates.
The Design for All approach objectives and the intended accessibility outcomes should be aligned to the
organization’s drivers.
NOTE 3 Potential drivers for integrating this approach in order to achieve accessibility and usability can
include:
a) competitive advantage;
b) public policies;
c) sustainability;
d) human rights;
e) stimulation of innovation and creativity;
f) identification of new products and services;
g) increased markets and channels for distribution for products and services;
h) meeting or surpassing user expectations;
i) enhancement of organization image or brand;
j) improved user loyalty;
k) attraction of financing and investment, particularly from socially conscious investors;
l) enhancement of employee motivation;
m) increased knowledge about a product or service;
n) compliance to statutory and regulatory obligations;
o) improved internal and external communications;
p) enhanced sense of organisational pride and social responsibility.
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
The organization shall determine:
a) the interested parties that are relevant;
b) the requirements of these interested parties that are relevant to the organisational policies,
processes and activities following a Design for All approach.
c) the product and services that are existing and those which are in design or under development
The organization shall identify:
d) all interested parties involved in the sequence of accessing, understanding and using the product or
service;
e) users of its products and services;
NOTE 1 Users can be direct or indirect. Indirect users are those who interact with the product or service, or
access it through, another person, product or service.
f) non-users of its products and services.
NOTE 2 Non-users are
— persons who do not to use a product or service; and/or
— persons who are excluded from using a product or service due to barriers.
NOTE 3 Potential users are determined by examining the overlap between non-users and intended users.
EXAMPLE An organization may be designing a product for older people (intended users), but has discovered
that some users are choosing not to purchase it due to an inability to resize text (non-users). The overlap between
these two groups represents this product's potential users.
f) determine the reasons why these individuals are non-users, particularly in relation to accessibility-
related factors;
g) determine what will allow the widest range of users to access, understand and use the product or
service.
The needs and expectations of interested parties can affect, or potentially affect, the organization’s
ability to consistently provide products and services that meet user requirements and relevant
statutory and regulatory obligations. Understanding these requirements can result in non-users
becoming users of their product or service.
The organization shall review the information about these interested parties and their relevant
requirements. Information on how to involve users is provided in Annex B.
4.3 Determining the scope of the Design for All approach within the organization
The organization shall determine the boundaries and applicability of its accessibility following a Design
for All approach to establish its scope.
When determining this scope, the organization shall identify the:
a) internal and external issues referred to in 4.1;
b) needs and expectations referred to in 4.2.
The organization has a responsibility to ensure the accessibility of its products and services. Its
compliance with this document is not affected by any accessibility requirements that are not applicable.
4.4 Accessibility following a Design for All approach
The organization shall establish, implement, maintain and continually improve a Design for All
approach throughout the organization to achieve accessibility outcomes by addressing the
requirements specified in this document.
The organization shall seek to widen the range of users of its products and services, taking account of
human diversity including older persons and persons with disabilities.
The organization shall ensure that all relevant organisational policies, processes and activities follow a
Design for All approach.
Accessibility following a Design for All approach is related to other concepts. An explanation of the
relation between these is provided in Annex A.
NOTE 1 Human rights law and standards for sustainable development use 'Universal Design’ as a
corresponding term for ‘Design for All approach’, ‘accessibility’ and ‘usability’.
4.5 Integration with established process systems
The process approach described in this document is aligned with, compatible with, and complementary
to, established management system standards, including quality management systems. The Design for
All approach as specified in this document is written to be easily integrated into existing organisational
processes and practices.
As with management systems, outcomes are realized most effectively and efficiently when they are
understood and managed as deliberate, interrelated processes.
A deliberate process of integrating accessibility following a Design for All approach within existing
management systems ensures that:
a) the requirements that allow a product or service to be accessed, understood and used by the widest
range of users of a product or service are known, recognized and consistently met;
b) the added value of widening the range of users and of high levels of accessibility and usability for
all users (not just those with a specific profile of capabilities) of a product or service is understood
throughout the organization;
c) the processes that govern all aspects of design, development, manufacturing, implementation,
deployment, commercialisation, marketing, provision and support are effective and implemented
with regard to the Design for All approach;
d) processes are improved continually based on evaluation of outcomes and the use of data and
information related to widening the range of users and accessibility.
4.6 Application and use
The process described in this document can be used to continually improve an organization’s position
to fulfil legal accessibility requirements of products and services. Organisations obliged to fulfil any
other relevant obligation with respect to accessibility requirements in contractual activities, such as
procurement, or providing public funds can use the standard to ensure the accessibility capacity of the
supplier or fund recipient.
4.7 Application of service provisions
Organisations shall, when required, have process-related and procedural solutions for the design,
development and provision of services (features, elements and functions) that fulfil the accessibility
requirements in Annex E.
The processes described in this document facilitate accessibility outcomes for the widest range of users
of products and services. However, organisations applying this document can be a means to fulfilling
legal obligations of accessibility.
5 Leadership
5.1 Leadership and commitment
Top management shall demonstrate leadership by formalizing its commitment to:
a) the integration of a Design for All approach across the entire design, development, supply and
delivery chain;
b) achieve accessibility outcomes;
c) continual improvement to achieve accessibility outcomes for products and services;
d) facilitate active participation by all employees, including those engaged in planning, design,
development, manufacturing, provision and marketing;
e) foster the creation of new ideas and innovation to widen the range of users and improve
accessibility.
NOTE 1 In some organisations, the term 'top management' is interchangeable with 'management' or 'senior
management'.
In their organisational strategy, top management shall include the role of accessibility following a
Design for All approach vision.
This strategy shall:
f) inspire persons within the organization;
g) provide appropriate targets against which progress can be measured (information on evaluation is
provided in Clause 9).
Top management shall foster a mindset in support of addressing accessibility following a Design for All
approach and a culture within the organization to which people can contribute. In relation to a Design
for All approach and accessibility outcomes, management shall:
h) allocate resources;
i) define objectives and targets;
j) assign responsibilities, tasks and accountabilities;
k) define, support and monitor planning, design and development;
l) review the opportunities from a brand and marketing perspective;
m) organize reviews of planning, design and development;
n) identify recruitment and training needs, extending the range of diversity in the staff.;
o) define measurement and performance indicators;
p) provide an accessible and usable workplace
NOTE 2 The process of widening the range of users and integrating accessibility following a Design for All
approach into the planning, design and development of products and services can be initiated either by
management (top-down) or by designers and developers (bottom-up). In practice, both approaches take place
simultaneously. Regardless of which organisational function initiates the process, top management level support
is needed to have a significant effect on an organization’s activities in planning, designing and developing
products, and services.
NOTE 3 Top management actions are needed to enable effective implementation of procedures and
programmes. This includes the allocation of sufficient financial and human resources and time for the tasks
involved in widening the range of users by integrating a Design for All approach that focuses on realizing
accessibility outcomes. An effective integration programme engages actors involved in the planning, design and
development processes, such as developers and designers, and experts from marketing, production,
manufacturing, procurement, service personnel and organisations representing a wide range of users.
NOTE 4 Commitment by decision-makers is often instrumental in realizing accessibility following a Design for
All approach.
5.2 Policy
Top management shall establish the policy to integrate a Design for All approach to achieve accessibilit
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