Overview
EN ISO 21802:2021 (ISO 21802:2019) - Assistive products: Guidelines on cognitive accessibility for daily time management - provides design principles and practical guidance to improve the usability and cognitive accessibility of products and systems that support people with cognitive impairment in managing daily time. Adopted by CEN in 2021, this guideline focuses on features and functions that increase independence and participation but does not include test methods or measurement procedures.
Key topics
The standard organizes guidance around core time‑related functions and usability concepts:
- Time awareness - helping users perceive the passage of time and temporal cues.
- Orientation to time - knowing when events occur and recognising day/night or schedule context.
- Time management - estimating durations, structuring daily routines, planning activities and managing multiple tasks.
- Adapting to time demands - supporting timely responses and appropriate sequencing of actions.
- Usability & cognitive accessibility - design goals that combine effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction; emphasizes user involvement in development.
- Definitions and terms relevant to assistive products and daily time management.
- Informative annexes with design examples and rationale (no test/measurement methods included).
Practical applications
EN ISO 21802:2021 is intended for anyone designing, specifying, procuring or supporting time‑management solutions, including:
- Product designers and manufacturers of clocks, reminder systems, electronic planners, mobile apps and dedicated assistive devices.
- Occupational therapists, clinicians and rehabilitation teams selecting or configuring assistive products for clients with cognitive impairment.
- Service providers and caregivers implementing systems for daily living, work or education contexts.
- Procurement officers and policymakers who need guidance on inclusive design for products supporting time management.
Practical outcomes include better‑designed reminders, simplified planners, adaptive scheduling features, clearer visual/haptic cues, and device‑user matching strategies that increase independence.
How to use it
- Apply the guideline when developing or adapting digital or analogue time devices (smartphones, alarm clocks, specialised assistive products).
- Engage users with cognitive impairments in design and evaluation to ensure real‑world usability.
- Combine EN ISO 21802:2021 guidance with measurement standards (for evaluation) - for example consult ANSI/RESNA CA‑1:2016 for feature measurement and documentation where needed.
Related standards
- ISO 21802:2019 (original international text) - identical content.
- ANSI/RESNA CA‑1:2016 - provides measurement methods and reporting that can complement EN ISO 21802 for evaluation and certification purposes.
Keywords: EN ISO 21802:2021, ISO 21802:2019, cognitive accessibility, daily time management, assistive products, usability, time awareness, time management.