Briefing for accessibility in design

Purpose The aim of this paper is to report on a study that was undertaken into the practice and process of briefing within the UK. The purpose of the study was to assess the nature and extent to which accessible environments for new public buildings are considered at the briefing stage of the design process. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was distributed to 2,017 design practices in the UK, resulting in a usable response rate of 961 questionnaires. Findings The analysis of the questionnaires showed that, while designers are keen to ensure that buildings and their environments facilitate social inclusion, there are significant barriers to achieving this, particularly due to a lack of understanding of disability and how a person with a disability interacts with a building, and how the regulations and legislation can support this interaction rather than just providing minimum standards. Practical implications The implications of the research are that designers and clients are procuring buildings that are not fully inclusive, thereby excluding people from fully participating in the activities that are undertaken in that building. Originality/value The paper provides an insight into the relationship between designers and users by demonstrating that, while designers are keen to ensure that buildings and their environments facilitate social inclusion, there are significant barriers to achieving this.