Principles of Inclusive Design

The lived experiences of people with disabilities cannot be simulated or imitated. The only way to get an inclusive product or service is to make sure that people with disabilities are included at all decision points. That means establishing an organization that is *actually* inclusive rather than performatively inclusive. Easy-to-get accommodations and a disability ERG are good starting points. Following the four pillars of psychological safety is another. Having people with disabilities on the accessibility team is not enough. They need to be involved in user research, design, development, training, communications, support, and marketing. If your product is accessible, but your online communications are not (for example) that makes the experience for your disabled customers more difficult and dilutes your organization's message of inclusivity. Alt text: "Nothing about us without us" is not just a slogan, it is the deepest desire of every person with a disability. don't launch or change products or services without including people with disabilities in all aspects of your development. #SheriByrneHaberQuotes #accessibility #disability #inclusion #diversity

Accessibility should be the floor—not the ceiling. Because if your product only works for neurotypical users, you’re likely excluding 1 in 5 people—if not more. Neurodivergent users face common friction points: → Cluttered UIs and chaotic flows → Overstimulating motion or color → Abstract microcopy → Long, unstructured content with no alternatives These aren’t edge cases. They’re signals that your design may be leaving users behind. So what helps? → Chunk content to reduce cognitive load → Stick to consistent, literal layouts → Give users control over fonts, contrast, animation → Build calm, quiet defaults → Offer alternatives—audio, video, spacing, keyboard access These aren’t “extra” work—they’re simply good design that can help anyone. What are your go-to accessibility strategies? #accessibility #neurodiversity #uxdesign ⸻ 👋 Hi, I’m Dane—I love sharing design insights. ❤️ Found this helpful? 'Like’ it to support me. 🔄 Share to help others (& save for later). ➕ Follow me for more like this, posted daily.

Lyft knew they had a problem. Only 5.6% of its users are over 65, and those users are 57% more likely to miss the ride they ordered. So, Lyft created Silver – a special app version for seniors. But why create a separate app when these improvements would benefit all users? The curb-cut effect is real. Features designed for wheelchair users ended up helping parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery workers with carts. The features in Lyft's senior-friendly app wouldn't only benefit older riders: 💡The 1.4x larger font option? Great for bright sunlight, rough rides. 💡Simplified interface? Less cognitive load for all of us. 💡Live help operators? Great for anyone when there's a problem. 💡Select preference for easy entry/exit vehicles? Not everyone likes pickup trucks. What started as an accommodation should became a universal improvement. The most powerful insight? Designing for seniors forced Lyft to prioritize what truly matters: simplicity and ease of use. Will they leverage this for all their users? The next time someone suggests adding another button to your interface or feature to your product, consider this approach instead: sometimes the most innovative design is the one that works for everyone. Rather than creating separate "accessible" versions, what if we just built our core products to be usable by all? This is the paradox of inclusive design - what works better for some almost always works better for all. What "accessibility" feature have you encountered that actually made life better for all users? #UniversalDesign #ProductThinking #CustomerExperience

When we talk about neuroinclusion in design, we usually focus on conditions like ADHD and autism. I get it, I'm AuDHD. It dominates the conversation for me too. But here's where neuroinclusion experts need to really dig deeper. Neurodivergence also includes folks who experience altered states of mind, including people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dissociative disorders, or other mental health conditions that shift their perception, cognition, or identity. For a college student with schizophrenia, for example, an overly-crowded cafeteria can increase paranoia, while sound reverberation or inconsistent lighting can exacerbate auditory or visual hallucinations. Neuroinclusion isn't about designing for "typical" neurodivergent users - or just thinking about neurodivergence as hyper/hyposensitivity. It’s about creating spaces that support the fulllllllll spectrum of human experiences, including experiences that include plurality, hearing voices, dissociation, mania, and psychosis. (Thanks to Sonny Jane Wise for prompting these reflections today. 🧠 )

Had to pay in euros for this one… I’ve often thought there is a real dearth of literature related to non cis-white-male design principles. Especially when it comes to female-centered design. Leslie Kern’s “Feminist City” is a true triumph of a book, but stands relatively alone in its field. There are established bodies of work related to designing for age and for those using wheelchairs, but overwhelmingly our society is still designed for the body of the Vitruvian Man. The future of our cities needs to be created two-fold: First, we MUST use Universal Design as a guiding principle when new areas are developed… Secondly, (and where far more work is needed) when retrofitting existing neighborhoods, we should use the Targeted Universalism design framework to remove barriers for specific populations. I appreciate that Dr May East uses both approaches in her exploration of woman-centered neighborhood design, “What if Women Designed the City.” I’ll give my usual warning here that this is a fairly academic book and not well suited for a quick/light weekend read. I liked the format of the book, in that the bulk of the text is a set of principles/interventions (the author refers to them as “levers”) that were developed through a series of woman-led walking interviews. These levers are actionable and practicable by a wide range of urbanist actors. Too often academic publications don’t translate their discoveries and principles into concrete actions. East does a great job of distilling the walking conversations into actions that can be taken by city staff, architects, developers and guerilla urbanists alike. I hope this one becomes more available in the states soon. It needs to be read!

What does it mean to queer design? When I facilitate equity design workshops with clients, I like to distinguish between the *inclusion* of historically marginalized groups versus the *re-imagination* of our practice based on the centering of their identity and sociohistorical context. In their book Queer Methods and Queer Methodologies (see comments for link), scholars Catherine Nash and Kath Browne argue that to "queer something is to question the 'normalities' in our thoughts, words, practices and the time-spaces in which we are located." Within design, this could be questioning design patterns like: 📌 Predetermined categories: When a design assumes and/or forces categorization like one's gender and sexuality, turning these categories into “tools to construct a governable population” (to quote Kevin Guyan) 📌 Limited mutability: When a design makes it difficult to change one's platform identity such as one's profile name, demographic information, or photo. 📌Default publicness: When a design decision makes it possible to be outed via forced disclosure of one's “real” (state-validated) identity or being unsure about status visibility 📌 Minimal safety features: When a design does not give users flexibility for how they engage with other users in that platform or product. Instead, we can engage in the following practices: ✳️ Question defaults (e.g., who does copy center/exclude?) ✳️ Allow for flexibility and mutability (e.g., how easily can users change the display of their gender and within the same use period?)  ✳️ Provide autonomy over disclosure (e.g., at which touchpoints are users forced to disclose information about themselves or identity?) ✳️ Provide options for (r)establishing safety (e.g., who can users block?) #PracticalEthics #ResearchEthics #DesignJustice #UXResearch #UserResearch #QualitativeResearch #Design #UX

Your design might look clear and organized, but if that structure isn't in the code, assistive tech users miss out. Headings, lists, form groups, required fields, tables - they all need proper HTML to be meaningful. This carousel breaks down how to meet 1.3.1 and why it's important. Check it out 👉 #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign #WebDev #WCAG #SemanticHTML #DesignWithIntention If you prefer your content as text, read on: When design isn’t enough. Understanding WCAG 1.3.1. What is WCAG 1.3.1? Your design communicates meaning and relationships. But if it’s not in the code, assistive technology users can’t access that information. Why it matters. If you rely only on how things look, you leave out people who use screen readers, rely on braille displays, or can’t see layout or hear audio cues Common mistakes. These may look fine, but aren’t coded accessibly: Bold text as a heading Asterisks or red text for required fields Dashes for lists Tables made with spaces or tabs instead of HTML Do it right with semantic HTML. Use the correct HTML tags and attributes to convey meaning to assistive technologies. Reinforce style with structure. If color, sound, or placement communicates something, back it up with code. Code grouped form fields. Wrap form fields that go together in a fieldset and use a legend to describe the purpose of the set of fields. Code headings correctly. Use semantic heading tags in a logical order. Use h1 for the page title, h2 for section headings, h3 for subsection headings, and so on. Mark up lists correctly. Use ul or ol elements to code lists. Don't fake it with dashes or emojis. Mark up (and use) tables correctly. Use tables for tabular data, not for layout. Use a caption to describe what the table is about. Use th elements for table headers and define their scope. Use td elements for table cells. Label it or lose the meaning. Programmatically associate labels with form fields by using a for attribute on the label that refers to the ID of the input. Required field? Code it that way. Use the aria-required="true" attribute to mark required fields. No landmarks? No map. Provide page landmarks such as header, main, footer, aside, and nav to help users find their way. The big picture. WCAG 1.3.1 is one of the most common success criteria to have failures...and many of those are some of the easiest to fix! Learn more. Want more clear and actionable WCAG breakdowns? WCAG in Plain English is available now!

Inclusive design goes beyond compliance with accessibility standards. It’s about proactively removing barriers that create undue effort and separation, enabling seamless interaction for all users. This approach considers the full range of human diversity, including physical mobility, sensory experiences, cognitive skills, and other needs, aiming to create solutions that benefit the widest possible audience. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 - Universal Access: Inclusive design ensures that spaces and services are usable by all people, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life. - Human Rights: At its core, inclusion is a universal human right. It’s about ensuring fairness and equality, removing biases that lead to discrimination and intolerance. - Community and Belonging: By designing for inclusivity, we foster a sense of belonging and community. Everyone feels valued and able to contribute their best. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 - Architecture and Urban Planning: From wheelchair-accessible buildings to sensory-friendly public spaces that cater to neurodiverse individuals. - Digital Platforms: Websites and applications that offer alternative text, voice commands, and customization options to accommodate all users. - Service Delivery: Providing multiple ways to interact with services, ensuring that everyone can receive the support they need in a manner that suits them. What does inclusion mean to you in your daily life or work environment? How can we better implement inclusive practices across different sectors to ensure no one is left behind? #innovation #technology #future #management #startups

😇 Bookmark This: A Free Accessibility Resource Just for Designers If you're a designer working on digital product, —this is one of the best starting points out there. WebAIM's Designers' Accessibility Resource offers a crystal-clear breakdown of inclusive design principles made specifically for designers. No overwhelming jargon. Just clear visuals and best practices that make your work better and more inclusive. 🔹 What’s Covered? ✳️ Text and typography ✳️ Color and contrast ✳️ Layout and structure ✳️ Images and graphics ✳️ Focus and visual indicators ✳️ Controls and touch targets ✳️ Icon accessibility ✳️ Animation and motion ✳️ Forms and error messages ✳️ Responsiveness and flexibility ✳️ Links and clickables ✳️ Readability and plain language This resource pairs perfectly with your design system and should be in every creative team’s toolbox, especially before handoff to dev. 💡 Accessibility is not a “dev task.” It starts with your Figma file, your color palette, your typography. That’s why this resource is so valuable. 🔗 Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gDSeep_B #Accessibility #WebDesign #UXDesign #InclusiveDesign #A11y #DigitalInclusion #DesignSystems #GracefulWebStudio #DesignWithGrace #WCAG #AccessibleDesign #WebAIM