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A beginner’s guide to inclusive UX design
What it is, why it matters and lots of resources
🆕 Updated resource list: Mar 30, 2023
With the Internet, and the emerging metaverse, anyone can produce content and products that instantly have global reach. With that power comes responsibility to ensure products are inclusive and respectful of their global audience‘s diverse social identities.
People approach products and technology believing that a team of experts have implemented checks and balances to ensure the product was designed with them in mind. People expect to have experiences that have taken into account their product-relevant social identities — their disability, race, gender, skin color, age, size, language.
Skeptical that inclusivity matters that much? Here are some statistics:
- 10% of people worldwide identify on the LGBTQIA spectrum. (Source: LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey)
- 15% of people worldwide live with some form of disability. (Source: World Health Organization)
- 44% of consumers worldwide feel they are not fully represented by the people they see in ads. (Source: YouGov, 2021)
- 46% of 18 to 29-year-olds in the US know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns. (Source: Pew Center Research, 2021)
- 49% of Gen-Z consumers, in the US, stopped purchasing from a brand that did not represent their values. (Source: Microsoft, 2020)
- 65% of consumers worldwide, say they prefer brands that promote diversity and inclusion. (Source: Kantar Global MONITOR, 2021)
UX, accessibility, inclusion, oh my!
UX design is research-based with the goal of creating optimal user experiences. Historically, UX pioneers and 1st wave thought leaders have not emphasized designing for a diverse range of user identities. So, UX design is often taught with little-to-no mention of inclusive design practices.
Accessible UX design minimizes barriers so that content and features can be accessed and used regardless of one’s permanent, situational or temporary disabilities in the areas: hearing, motor, vision, speech, and cognition. Since disability is only one aspect…
