Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Measuring the Impact and Costs of Universal Design of Workplace ICT and the Consequences of Neglecting It

This paper presents the findings of a focus group workshop involving a diverse group of stakeholders from private and public sectors, civil societies, and academia discussing methods to measure the costs and effects of implementing Universal Design (UD) in workplace ICT. Two primary themes emerged: organizational and business-centric measurements, and societal measurements with an emphasis on people with impairments. These methods include a case-specific evaluation approach, a competence-and-awareness approach, and a
broader societal approach. Based on the findings, we suggest extending strategies for Cost-Benefit Analyses (CBA) of UD in workplace ICT by introducing a practical cost-benefit workflow, promoting enhanced UD awareness, and integrating UD methods into routine practices.