Colette Fransolet, President of UD Inclusive Design, has been appointed to the Global Universal Design Commission (GUDC) Board of Directors. “We are excited to have a new member whose Inclusive Design expertise exemplifies forward thinking and innovation in the UD field” stated GUDC Chairman Peter Blanck. Colette is an expert Universal Access Consultant based in South Africa, who also consults at an international level on current ISO 21542 (2011) standards. She has a plethora of experience in the built environment, with diverse teams and various contexts. She is passionate about research, teaching and knowledge sharing on the paradigm of Universal Design and guideline and standard development to facilitate the broader implementation thereof in various sectors. Colette has a focus on creating lasting positive change for her clients through skills transfer and empowerment through teaching them the paradigm that is Universal Design, that once seen, experienced and understood, cannot be unlearnt and forgotten. Her energy and drive for Universal Design is a benefit to the teams and clients she serves, making her an easy collaborator and effective team player.
Colette’s expertise is in the application of Universal Design within areas of the built environment and transport and in accordance with International Standards. Her work areas of proficiency related to Universal Design include research, legislative assistance, guideline and standard development, implementation plans, onsite access auditing, plan reviews, training/training material development and specialist consulting. Since 2015, Colette has been the South African Representative for SC4A (SmartCities4All) which is a leading international organization dedicated to the promotion of inclusivity in both the built and virtual environments. Colette was among the first of international applicants to receive the highest echelon of accreditation, Level 3 Advanced Accessibility Consultant for the Certification of Professionals in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE) Program by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), for which she now serves as an Expert Panel member, along with other international experts in Universal Access. Colette is also currently involved in reviewing local standards in South Africa, she is a welcomed annual guest lecturer on Universal Access at numerous local Universities and she is a founding member and Acting CEO of the AAAP (African Association of Access Professionals).
Colette servers as an article reviewer for the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All (ISNN 213-7087) and is the process of completing her PhD based on proving the business case for the application of Universal Design in businesses that employ more than 500 employees.
On her recent appointment, Colette Fransolet said, “It feels like the perfect fit to be part of the GUDC because we share the same ultimate goal of making positive and effective change in the world through the use of Universal Design. What the GUDC do as an entity is very much needed, not only in South Africa, but the whole of Southern Africa, and although the amount of resources is vastly different in my context, the goal remains the same. To create Universal Access.”
The Global Universal Design Commission is proud to welcome Colette Fransolet.
