Imagine this: You're throwing a dinner party. Would you only set out one type of chair, knowing some guests might struggle to sit comfortably? Of course not! You would try to make your guests as comfortable as possible. Inclusive design is the same concept, but for the product space.

A more formal definition.

Inclusive design is design that considers the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, language, culture, gender, age, and other forms of human difference. (Inclusive Design Research Centre)

In less formal terms, inclusive design is design that recognizes that people who use, view, or in some other way consume our design work have different abilities. They come from different cultures, speak a variety of languages, have differing abilities, and identify in different ways. We, as humans, have many differences. As designers, we must recognize and design for those amazing differences. “You are not the user”, really applies here.

This does not suggest that it is always possible (or appropriate) to design one single product for the needs of the entire population of the world. On the other hand, it does mean we design for the widest possible coverage of people in our clearly defined target audience.

Accessibility

When we talk about accessibility, it's easy to think of physical ramps or closed captions. But in the digital realm, it's so much more. It's about crafting websites and apps that are usable by people with diverse abilities, whether it's visual, hearing related, motor challenges, or cognitive differences.

Think of it like building a house with wide doorways and hallways—everyone can move through easily. In UX design, this translates to a number of key areas, some examples include:

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensuring every interactive element is accessible without a mouse.
• Focus Management: Providing clear visual cues for where you are on a page, especially for screen reader users.
• Color Contrast: Making sure text is readable against its background, even for those with colorblindness.

And it's not just about abilities. Have you ever tried using a website on a tiny phone screen or in a noisy environment? Inclusive design takes those scenarios into account, too.

The W3C is a standards group has provided standards for achieving accessible design. In their effort they have created the WCAG.

Try to meet conformance level AA at least.

Visuals that Speak to Everyone

The images and graphics on your website or app are powerful storytellers. They shape perceptions and create emotional connections. But are they telling a story that resonates with everyone? When we choose/create images to be used in our interfaces, we should reflect deeply so that we can work toward a design that everyone feels part of. This is especially true for images and graphics that represent people. Using a graphic like the one below to represent a user is an inclusive fail.

It is very likely representative of only one type of many possible users. So again, think deeply about your target audience and how you might address the widest portion of people in that audience. Two concepts that can help you achieve this are abstracting and diversifying.

Abstracting

Abstracting is making image choices that, as much as possible, depart from detailed representations, of people. Instead, we create or make choices in imagery and graphics that any user can feel represents them, no matter their background, gender, identity or ability.

I found this great example on Career Foundry from the company Lemonade. I’m going to use this example too because its just too good.

The choice of toothbrushes to represent people totally departs from a detailed representation that could be answers for the question presented. While also being a metaphor that is universal to the Lemonade target audience.

Diversifying

Representation matters. Showcasing a variety of people, abilities, and cultures in your visuals sends a powerful message of inclusivity. Diversifying is an approach that is almost the opposite of abstracting. With diversifying we are attempting to represent a wide variety of differences that a user may identify with. Diversifying is often seen in illustrations or photography.

Inclusive Design: Not an Add-On, a Way of Life

The most successful companies don't just sprinkle inclusive design on top of their existing process—they weave it into the fabric of their culture. This means considering diversity and inclusion from the very first brainstorming session to the final launch. By engraining into the culture of the organization it doesn’t become an after thought or add on, that is likely to be forgotten. We did this at my current employer and it has taken hold throughout every phase of the design process.

The beauty of inclusive design is that it benefits everyone. By creating experiences that are usable and enjoyable for the widest possible audience, you're not only doing the right thing, you're also expanding your market reach and building a loyal following. So, next time you're designing something, ask yourself: "Who might be excluded from this experience?" Then, get to work building bridges, not barriers.

More Resources

I barely scratched the surface of inclusive design and didn’t discuss items like inclusive copy. So I highly recommend reading more on inclusive topic. Here are a few articles and resources that I’ve found useful.

Inclusivity in Design

What Is Inclusive Design? A Beginner's Guide

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