Diversity is a word that, in recent times, has come into fashion in various market niches. However, more than that, it gradually becomes more and more understood in its real importance.
The most different professionals need to consider it in their products and services, whether digital or not. In this context, inclusive design is no longer a trend to become a necessity for those who want to create engagement and loyalty to their audience.
In this article, we thoroughly explore the concept of inclusive design, explain its real importance, and outline the significant challenges that still need to be overcome.
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What is inclusive design and what is its importance?
Also known as universal or total design, the inclusive design is one designed for everyone, with no exceptions. To use it, it is necessary to consider from the beginning of the creative process that the young and healthy population is only part of a possible target audience.
Different aspects must be rethought to include not only people with disabilities – which may even be temporary – but also seniors and foreigners (who do not speak fluently, for example). In this way, inclusive design goes beyond guaranteeing accessibility and needs to be present in several spheres of our daily life, not only in architecture.
What prevents blind gamers from being a success in this industry? How do people with hearing impairment get involved in the music world? Or, how does design make these individuals use the products or services you develop like any others?
Thus, it can be concluded that the primary goal of the inclusive design is to create a more just, accessible and equal society. Together with the aging of the population, the existence of disabled people deserves attention and presupposes the need for a paradigm shift in the market.
What are the main challenges of inclusive design?
Enabling and stimulating the conviviality and autonomy of people with disabilities in any space are the main goals of the inclusive design.
However, some challenges still need to be overcome for the definitive adoption of inclusive thinking in all spheres of design. Meet some of them below.
Changing Mindsets
The first change of perspective required by all design professionals is to understand that the disabilities of people with disabilities are designed. In other words, it is more a limitation of the environment, of the objects and the products at disposal than of themselves.
So, instead of thinking about accessibility, it is interesting to chart the project with different skills in mind and how to standardize products according to the maximum number of people possible.
Real understanding of the target audience
You must have come across both the term persona and the target audience expression. Both seek to portray the client, but with different levels of detail. It is worth remembering that nobody is immune from needing the tools of inclusion to use a given product or service, either temporarily or because of natural aging.
Therefore, a higher notion of the “problem” to be solved becomes necessary. Thus, in thinking of inclusive design, a new layer of empathy needs to be conquered and crafted.
Market Opportunities
At present, inclusive design is closely related to the work developed by NGOs, being mostly focused on the fields of medicine and rehabilitation. All these initiatives are valid, but it is increasingly necessary to bring them into everyday life and also to include them in digital media.
Design professionals need to understand the importance of not leaving portions of society out of the developed projects – such as disabled people – as well as considering the aging of the world population and sustainable development.
Creating something simple and intuitive
Creating something easy to understand, using widely distributed symbols and colors, increases the chances of design is genuinely universal.
Have as parameter emergencies that, due to the level of complexity, end up limiting the use to children, foreigners or people with some disability. You will be able to get around these problems as best as you can.
Fair use
Designing something fair use corresponds to creating a marketable item to people with different abilities. Supermarket automatic doors can be a good example.
While facilitating the use of people with busy hands, they are also inclusive of the wheelchair and elderly people.
Experience with disabilities
Empathy again is relevant to the effective reach of total design. Permanent limitations (people with disabilities), temporary (someone who has broken a limb and needed to put it on) or temporary (individuals with busy hands or arms that can not be used) must be taken into account.
Flexibility in use
In addition to considering the unique abilities and limitations of individuals, the universal design must respect the rhythm of each user. It is necessary to offer different possibilities of use, to consider not only preferences but also skills that are specific to each person.
It is nothing more than a way to democratize different products and services, making them accessible and useful to the broadest possible range of users.
The universal design is one that does not require adaptations or adjustments so that different people, with different abilities or limitations, can use a specific item.
However, a change of stance is paramount for this to happen – and inclusive design needs to be considered from the outset of project execution.
The new market demands and the need for inclusion and diversity are just a few of the reasons why this new mindset is needed.