The Future of User Experience (UX): Inclusive Design

Are you innovating to ensure your company’s success in the coming years?

Here, we reveal the secret to achieving it, and we can tell you it involves including customers in every project. Keep reading to discover this secret and, based on practice, achieve and secure the success you desire and need.

Before we proceed, it’s important to ask, What is User Experience (UX)? To learn everything about this crucial topic for discovering your future through inclusive design, you can read:

>>What is User Experience (UX) and What is it For?<<

Over the years, user experience design has grown considerably, and more companies are incorporating it into all their projects, contributing to their success. Even better, successful companies worldwide are considering the inclusive design discussed in this article, which will help you understand everything relevant and, of course, how to apply it in various business projects.

To uncover all the details and get ahead of your competitors, keep learning with us through this article.

Below are the topics that will be covered in this article:

- What are accessible design and inclusive design?
- In which projects is inclusive design applicable?
- Principles for company success today
- The best and most current tools for measuring inclusive design
- Success stories of companies that have implemented inclusive design

To better understand all the information provided in this article, it’s essential first to comprehend the difference between accessible design and inclusive design. So, without further ado, let’s discover what each term means and how they differ.

What are accessible design and inclusive design?

First, we will define accessible design, which focuses on meeting technical product characteristics to make it easier to use. This design is regulated by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) from the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). They describe technical standards, code, interaction, and design through their principles, guidelines, criteria, and techniques.

By adhering to these standards, it’s assured that people with hearing, vision (e.g., color blindness), speech, or cognitive disabilities can understand and interact with digital products without any issues.

On the other hand, inclusive design focuses on everyone. It seeks to meet all types of needs, whether temporary or permanent. This creates a more universal design than accessible design, which only considers permanent needs, as mentioned earlier. Indeed, inclusive design is a much more modern concept than accessible design, which is why it’s not yet legislated and thus not mandatory. However, companies ensure the success of their products and services by implementing it, regardless of who uses them.

We can conclude from these definitions that accessible design is part of inclusive design. So, if we imagine them, inclusive design would be a bubble encompassing accessible design and everything it involves.

Having understood the concepts, the relationship, and a bit of the difference between them, we might ask: In which products or scenarios is inclusive design applicable? To understand this, let’s explore the details below.

>>How to Improve User Experience on Websites<<

In which projects is inclusive design applicable?

From technology, urban design, education, and other areas, inclusive design is transforming how products, services, and projects are conceived and developed. As previously mentioned when defining key concepts, this transformation not only improves accessibility for people with disabilities but also benefits a broader audience by creating more intuitive, efficient, and satisfying experiences for all users.

In this section, we will explore a wide range of products, services, and projects where inclusive design is making a significant impact so that you can apply it in your company:

1. Technology and digital applications: From mobile apps to web platforms, inclusive design is essential for their success in a company.
2. Assistive devices and technology: In designing medical devices, mobility aids, assistive technology, and products for the elderly or people with disabilities.
3. Transportation and urban mobility: In designing public transportation systems, accessible vehicles, and urban spaces to avoid limiting any user, thus increasing revenue through their use.
4. Education and training: In designing educational platforms, teaching materials, and learning environments, inclusive design is crucial for ensuring equity.
5. Consumer product design: From everyday products like appliances, tools, and kitchen utensils to clothing and accessories.
6. Architecture and public space design: In designing buildings, public spaces, and urban environments that allow use by everyone, regardless of their physical or sensory conditions.

These six significant areas illustrate where inclusive design plays a critical role in ensuring the success of the companies that develop them. However, this does not mean it only applies to these areas; inclusive design should be present in every environment, platform, product, and service because no one deserves to feel less than another or have their tasks or needs hindered by external factors.

Principles for company success today

Every company striving for success carries out a series of actions to achieve it. That’s why in this article, we want to show them so that other companies can implement them, not only to increase their success but also to provide the best experience to their users, who should always be the focus.

Based on this, we will detail a series of inclusive design principles applicable to various real-life scenarios:

1. Consistent experiences: The experience for all users should be similar and not limited by any situation, so any user can complete the required task. For better understanding, consider a video on a platform and a person who has difficulty hearing. In this case, the company should provide options to display subtitles, transcripts, or descriptive audio, so this user can understand and experience the video without any issues.

2. Considering external factors: A person using a product, service, or platform doesn’t always do so in the same environment or circumstance. That’s why these designs must consider different factors that could disable the user in specific environments. For example, the contrast of colors on an app or website and a user who uses it in places with varying levels of brightness. The defined colors must enable the user to understand and perform the required tasks without being limited by low visibility in a bright environment.

3. Visual consistency: Innovating doesn’t mean inventing completely new patterns to stand out; you must be careful with this and ideally use universal patterns that ensure all users understand them. For example, the use of icons on a physical product or platform. Design systems help maintain consistency over time, regardless of who is in charge of the design, as they must adhere to what is established.

4. User control: The user must always be at the center of any experience to ensure the success of the physical product or platform. Therefore, they should be able to adjust certain aspects, especially on digital platforms, such as contrast, font size, the amount of content to consume through hidden blocks that only appear if the user chooses to click on a button labeled “see more.”

5. Content prioritization: You must define a task and information order displayed to the user, enabling them to complete a task successfully. It’s not about overwhelming them with information, but rather choosing the appropriate content and providing correct navigation between steps. For example, in an email app, the inbox and the option to compose emails take priority over the spam folder or sent messages.

6. Adding value: Ideally, a product or platform shouldn’t be limited to a single use method but should provide multiple alternatives to integrate more users. For example, in an app requiring login, alternatives such as fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, or the most common method of entering email and password should be available.

The world of inclusion is vast, and many more principles could be defined here. However, those listed can be interpreted and adapted to different scenarios, ensuring a comprehensive experience that positively impacts the company that owns the product, service, or platform.

>>Benefits of User Experience in Your Company's E-commerce<<

The best and most current tools for measuring inclusive design

To improve, it’s essential first to measure what we’re already doing to identify improvement areas and ensure efforts are well-focused and positively impact the business.

In this case, measuring inclusive design is crucial for assessing and enhancing accessibility and equity in products, services, and projects. Here are some tools and methods that can help measure inclusive design:

1. Web accessibility evaluations

Tools like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) and axe by Deque Systems allow for analyzing the accessibility of websites and web applications, identifying common errors, and providing recommendations for improvement.

2. User testing

Conducting user testing with people of diverse abilities and needs can help identify accessibility barriers and evaluate a product or service’s usability for different user groups. Test sessions can include specific use scenarios that address the needs of people with disabilities.

3. Compliance evaluations with standards

There are internationally recognized accessibility standards and guidelines, such as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which provide detailed criteria for evaluating web accessibility. Tools like the W3C Accessibility Checker can help verify compliance with these standards.

4. Demographic data analysis

Analyzing user demographic data, such as age, gender, ethnicity, and abilities, can help identify usage patterns and specific needs of different user groups. This can inform the design and personalization of experiences to better accommodate audience diversity.

5. Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Defining and monitoring KPIs related to accessibility and inclusion, such as the conversion rate of users with disabilities, user satisfaction for different demographic groups, or the retention and loyalty of diverse users, can help measure the impact of inclusive design on business outcomes and user experience.

6. Expert Evaluations

Having experts in accessibility and inclusive design conduct comprehensive evaluations of products and services can provide critical insights and detailed feedback on areas for improvement and best practices to follow.

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Success Stories of Companies that Have Implemented Inclusive Design

After understanding this important topic, it’s essential to know some of the best success stories of companies that have trusted and worked on inclusive design, demonstrating their commitment to accessibility and equity.

From large corporations to innovative startups, these cases exemplify how inclusive design not only improves user experience but also drives business growth and promotes inclusion in society. Let’s take a closer look at some of these inspiring cases and discover how they are transforming the business landscape with their inclusive approach.

1. Microsoft

A leader in inclusive design, with initiatives like the "Microsoft Inclusion" program focused on creating accessible technology for people with disabilities. Products like Microsoft Office and Windows 10 have integrated accessibility features such as screen readers and narration functions, making their products more accessible to people with visual or learning disabilities.

2. Apple

Apple has excelled in its approach to inclusive design in products like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Features like VoiceOver, which provides an audible narration of what’s on the screen, and the ability to increase contrast, make their devices more accessible to people with visual or motor disabilities.

3. Google

Google incorporates inclusive design into several of its products and services, such as Android and Google Maps. Features like TalkBack on Android, which provides auditory and tactile feedback, and the "Accessibility" feature on Google Maps, which helps people with reduced mobility find accessible routes, are examples of their commitment to accessibility.

4. Airbnb

Airbnb’s platform reflects its effort to be the most inclusive for people with disabilities. They have introduced features like accessibility filters to help users find accessible accommodations and have provided resources for hosts to make their properties more accessible.

5. Procter & Gamble

P&G has demonstrated its commitment to inclusive design through initiatives like its "Universal Design" program, which focuses on creating products that are accessible and easy to use for all people, including those with disabilities. Examples include the ergonomic design of personal care and household product packaging.

6. IKEA

IKEA has embraced inclusive design in its products and commercial spaces, with initiatives like developing furniture and accessories that are easy to use for people with disabilities. They have created products such as tables and chairs with adjustable heights and wider seats to accommodate various needs.

Now that we’ve learned all of this, it’s clear that design shouldn’t be taken lightly; it must consider a series of factors that, at the end of the day, will impact user usability and therefore sales or transactions through a platform or physical product.** If you are looking to increase sales and succeed in today’s highly competitive market, you must put the user or customer at the center, listen to them, and work to always provide them with the best, regardless of their temporary or permanent condition. This will yield positive results, as we have seen with the success stories.

Lastly, remember that what isn’t measured can’t be improved, and this should be an active and iterative process that is constantly updated based on the results of measurements made with the tools provided in this article. These results will indicate the frequency with which adjustments should be made to ensure they are always inclusive.

At this point, you might be thinking that perhaps you’re not ready to take this step or that you need guidance and support in developing and implementing an inclusive product or service. That’s why we at ICX are here to guide you, support you, and ensure your company’s success.

If you want to learn more strategies and discover the secrets to achieving success in your business, we invite you to explore our articles. At Imagineer Customer Experience, we are here to help you reach your business goals.