What is inclusive design and why is it important for your website?

Let's examine the concept of inclusive design, how it goes beyond accessibility and why it's crucial to the lasting success of your website

Did you know that a large number of visitors may be leaving your website immediately because of usability problems? Perhaps the text is too small, the design is baffling or important buttons are difficult to locate. These small details may seem insignificant, but they can determine whether a person decides to stay or go elsewhere with your business.

That's why inclusive design is crucial. It ensures that digital interactions are accessible and enjoyable for all users, regardless of their skills or situations. Taking into account the full spectrum of human differences, emphasis is placed on resolving long-lasting disabilities and temporary obstacles. This consideration for usability ensures that your product fits easily into various needs, settings and devices.

What is inclusive design?

So what exactly is inclusive design? Simply put, it involves creating products, services or experiences that are accessible and easy to use for a wide variety of individuals. This involves looking beyond the typical user and taking into account the requirements of individuals who may be excluded due to disabilities, multiple languages, cultural distinctions or temporary obstacles such as injuries.

However, the crucial point is that inclusive design doesn't involve making a different version of your website or platform for various groups. Instead, the emphasis is on creating a design that allows all individuals to interact with the same product in various ways. It's also a way of thinking ahead. Instead of waiting for a problem to arise, it proactively identifies and resolves obstacles during design.

An excellent illustration is when companies create websites that can be easily navigated by both keyboard and mouse users. This adaptability allows people who use assistive devices or have temporary limitations (such as a fractured arm) to interact effectively with the material.

The importance of inclusive design: advantages for digital products

At first glance, inclusive design may seem like an optional component, but in reality it is highly essential. The effect on your product can be significant, providing tangible advantages that go beyond mere accessibility. The main reasons why this approach is crucial in shaping a successful digital experience are outlined here.

Increased customer numbers

One of the main advantages of inclusive design is that it broadens your product's potential audience. Consider this: by restricting your website or app to specific demographics, you risk losing a vast number of potential customers.

According to the World Health Organisation, around 15% of the world's population has a disability. Embracing inclusive design supports these users and invites them to participate.

Creating with inclusion in mind ensures that your product is accessible to all individuals, regardless of their situation.

Now extend this concept to include temporary or situational restrictions. It's possible that a person is trying to navigate your website in broad daylight, making it difficult to see a low-contrast design. Maybe they're doing several things at once and are limited to using voice commands. Ensuring that your product is inclusive helps to ensure that it works for everyone, not excluding anyone's access.

Also remember to take the elderly into account. As people get older, they may have vision problems, reduced motor skills or cognitive difficulties. Taking these users into account during design will help ensure that they can easily navigate and interact with your website or application, thus broadening your customer reach.

Improved user-friendliness

A well-designed product not only benefits people with access needs, but also improves the experience for all users. By prioritising inclusive design, you are improving the user-friendliness of your product. Features such as easy navigation, larger buttons and clear information benefit all visitors, not just those with disabilities, improving the overall user experience.

Imagine incorporating high-contrast text specifically for visually impaired users. This basic change doesn't just benefit people with low vision. It also helps people who suffer from screen glare or fatigue after long periods of use. By solving a problem for a specific group, you end up improving the overall experience for more people.

A usable product is an inclusive product. What is beneficial for a certain group is usually also beneficial for others.

Greater ease of use results in higher levels of engagement. If users can navigate a website easily, they are more likely to spend more time on it, explore more pages and engage in valuable actions, such as buying something or registering for a service.

Compliance with regulatory requirements

Another crucial factor to consider when adopting inclusive design is legal requirements. In many countries, regulatory requirements mandate digital accessibility. Failure to comply can lead to legal consequences, financial penalties and damage to your brand's reputation.

Compliance with these legal regulations is crucial and should not be overlooked. Accessibility-related lawsuits are increasing in frequency, especially due to the growing dependence on digital services. Not being inclusive can jeopardise your company, affecting both finances and brand image.

By adhering to inclusive design principles, you can ensure that the product complies with these legal standards, safeguarding your company from possible legal problems. The WCAG is a valuable tool for ensuring compliance with these standards.

Strong brand presence

Finally, we'll discuss the factor of goodwill. In the modern world, consumers are more concerned about the values of the brands they support. Companies that strive to be inclusive usually benefit from a more positive and solid brand reputation. Implementing inclusive design signals your company's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which is reflected in numerous contemporary consumers.

Creating a reputation for inclusion not only attracts more customers, but also encourages ongoing loyalty. When people see your dedication to developing products that are accessible to all, they are more likely to trust and remain loyal to your brand.

A brand that prioritises inclusion creates deeper relationships with its customers by demonstrating a genuine dedication to accessibility.

In fact, incorporating inclusive design into your business strategy can provide a competitive advantage. Many companies continue to neglect accessibility and inclusion in their digital products. If you give it greater importance, you can distinguish yourself from your rivals and win the loyalty of customers who appreciate inclusion.

Comparing inclusive design, universal design and accessible design

Inclusive Design

Inclusive design is an approach that aims to create products, services and environments that meet the needs of all people, regardless of their abilities, limitations or disabilities. It seeks to ensure that every individual, regardless of their personal characteristics, can access, understand and use design effectively. The idea is to think of solutions that can be used by everyone, without the need for special adaptations.

Example: A website that automatically adapts its layout for different devices (desktop, tablet and mobile phone) and offers multiple interaction options, such as voice and keyboard navigation.

Universal Design

Universal design is an approach that seeks to create solutions that are useful for as many people as possible, without the need for adaptations. Unlike inclusive design, which focuses on an individualised approach, universal design seeks to reach a wide audience from the start of the creation process. The aim is for the design to be accessible and usable for everyone, without the need for subsequent modifications.
Example: A chair that can be used by people of different heights, with or without disabilities, without the need for special adjustments.

Accessible Design

Accessible design focuses specifically on making products, services or spaces usable for people with disabilities. It takes a more targeted approach and seeks to meet the specific needs of groups such as people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments. Accessible design is often regulated by accessibility laws and guidelines to ensure that people with disabilities can make full use of these products or services.
Example: A website that uses alternative text for images, subtitles on videos and screen reader-compatible navigation for people with visual impairments.

Main differences:

Inclusive Design: Focuses on meeting a wide range of needs, including those of people with disabilities, without having to resort to adaptations.
Universal Design: Aims to create solutions for as many people as possible, without the need for specific modifications or adjustments.
Accessible Design: Focuses on specifically meeting the needs of people with disabilities, creating solutions adapted for this audience.

For more information, see the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

Essential principles for inclusive design

Inclusive design prioritises core principles in the structure of your product, rather than just adding extra features. These principles shape your perspective on users and how you fulfil their needs.

Recognise exclusion. The way you design can dictate who is involved or excluded. It's crucial to recognise when your decisions may be excluding specific users.

Find a solution for one and apply it to several instances. Creating a solution tailored to a particular group of users can often lead to benefits for a larger number of users than initially expected.

Offer several options for involvement. Offer various ways of using your product. Provide a variety of options, such as text-to-speech, larger fonts and adaptable navigation paths to meet the needs of different users.

Microsoft's inclusive design guidelines serve as an excellent basis for delving deeper into the principles of inclusive design. You can also find more information from groups such as the Inclusive Design Research Centre and the IDEA Centre, which provide useful resources and studies. Google's inclusive product design guidelines are another extensive resource for further inspiration.

Inclusive design solutions to improve the quality of your website

Now let's make it more practical. What's the first step to integrating inclusion into your product? You can consult our UI/UX design services among the available options to understand how we can help you implement such solutions. In addition, examining the impact of mental health on UX by reading our article on Mental Health and Inclusive UX can have a significant impact. We've outlined some practical solutions ready to be implemented quickly.

Accessibility of the keyboard and navigation controls

For individuals unable to use a mouse or dependent on assistive technologies, keyboard navigation is crucial. Your product should have full keyboard navigation capability, following a logical and intuitive sequence of tabs. In addition, well-organised designs and strategically placed navigation elements can eliminate misunderstandings and improve the overall user experience.

Having a well-structured design is crucial to ensuring that all users are able to navigate and interact with your product easily and efficiently.

Imagine trying to navigate a website without a mouse - moving seamlessly between sections should be smooth, not irritating. Adding quick ways to navigate and distinct bookmarks to focus on can have a huge impact.

Responsive design

Your product needs to look and perform the same on a mobile device as it does on a desktop computer. A layout design that adjusts to various screen sizes, along with adjustable text, ensures that your users can view your content on any device they use.

However, responsive design goes beyond just considering different screen sizes. Take into account people who need larger text due to visual problems. Adjustable fonts that users can easily enlarge are a simple but effective method of improving inclusion.

If you're not sure how to start implementing a more inclusive design, explore our responsive web design services to ensure that all your customers have the best experience with your product.

Optimum legibility with a high level of contrast

A strong contrast between text and background is important to make it easier for visually impaired people to navigate the content. This improves readability and results in more fluid interactions for a wider audience. In addition, providing descriptive text for images allows people using screen readers to interact effectively with your content. By prioritising these factors, you create a sense of accessibility and ease for all individuals.Optimal readability with a high level of contrast.

A strong contrast between text and background is important to help visually impaired people navigate content more quickly. This improves readability and results in smoother interactions for a wider audience. In addition, providing descriptive text for images allows people using screen readers to interact effectively with your content. By prioritising these factors, you create a sense of accessibility and ease for all individuals.

Forms and feedback with an emphasis on usability

Forms can cause great frustration for users when they are not created with accessibility as a priority. Make sure your form labels are easy to understand, provide informative error messages and give the option of various data entry methods. The use of visual and auditory feedback can help users navigate more complex tasks.

Creating carefully constructed forms that prioritise accessibility is essential for all interactions.

Take into account people with cognitive impairments who may benefit from visual prompts or short, clear instructions. Simplify forms and provide immediate feedback to make filling them out less cumbersome for everyone.

Accessibility of interactive components

Functionalities that require user interaction, such as modals, pop-ups and timeout alerts, can pose difficulties for people with disabilities. Make sure keyboard navigation is possible for modals and avoid alerts disappearing too quickly. You can find more information in our article on What is a modal in Web Design.

One detail that is often overlooked is the fact that people with slower response times need enough time to interact with pop-up notifications before they disappear. Adjusting the timeout settings for pop-ups or notifications ensures that no one is left out.

Features that can be adapted to individual preferences and provide support

Offering options such as less movement for sensitive users or text-to-speech for visually impaired users increases the adaptability of your product. Allow users to manage their interactions according to their individual needs.

For example, some users may feel nauseous due to scrolling effects or videos that start playing automatically. Providing a lower-motion alternative can significantly improve users' experience with your product.

FAQ

What is inclusive design?

Inclusive design is an approach to creating products, services, or environments that are usable by people of all abilities, backgrounds, and needs. It focuses on ensuring accessibility and usability for a diverse range of users, including those with disabilities.

How does inclusive design differ from accessible design?

Accessible design focuses specifically on meeting the needs of people with disabilities, while inclusive design takes a broader approach, aiming to create solutions that work for everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations.

Why is inclusive design important?

Inclusive design ensures that your product or service is usable by as many people as possible, promoting equality, accessibility, and inclusivity. It can also expand your audience and improve user satisfaction by providing a better experience for everyone.

How can inclusive design improve user experience?

Inclusive design makes it easier for users to interact with your product or service, regardless of their needs. It often leads to a smoother, more intuitive experience, which can enhance engagement and increase loyalty.

What are some examples of inclusive design?

Examples include websites with adjustable font sizes, apps that offer voice commands, and physical products that can be used by people with different physical abilities. Inclusive design can also involve creating accessible public spaces or educational materials.

Does inclusive design affect my website’s performance?

When implemented correctly, inclusive design does not negatively impact performance. In fact, it can improve accessibility, usability, and even SEO, as search engines favor user-friendly, well-structured sites.

How can I make my website more inclusive?

You can make your website more inclusive by using readable fonts, providing text alternatives for images, ensuring compatibility with screen readers, and offering multiple ways to navigate, such as keyboard shortcuts and voice commands.

How does inclusive design benefit businesses?

Inclusive design can attract a wider audience, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance brand reputation. It shows that you value diversity and accessibility, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and potential sales.

Is inclusive design the same as universal design?

Inclusive design focuses on addressing the needs of diverse users, whereas universal design aims to create solutions that work for everyone without the need for specialized adaptations. Both approaches overlap but have different focuses.

Do I need an expert to implement inclusive design?

While basic inclusive design principles can be followed by anyone, hiring a professional with experience in accessibility and inclusive design can ensure your solutions are well-executed and compliant with legal standards, making your product more effective and usable for everyone.

Summary

Inclusive design is more than just a popular term - it's an effective strategy for reaching more people. By taking human diversity into account in the design process, your product will become more inclusive and offer a superior user experience to all individuals who use it.

Improving navigation, increasing responsiveness and offering personalised options all contribute to a stronger foundation for user happiness. This consequently enhances your brand, cultivating stronger relationships with your audience.

At Studio.351, we're excited to guide you on this journey, providing you with the knowledge to embody these principles. Let's work together to improve your online presence and discover new opportunities.

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