Inclusive By Design

Introduction xxi Chapter 1 The Fundamentals of Inclusive Design 1 Understanding Inclusivity in Design 2 Solutions Lie with the Problem Creators 3 We All Have the Ability to Make a Difference 4 The Power of Design and Intention 7 The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 9 The Immediate Benefits of DEI for Organizations 12 Broadening the Audience 15 Mitigating Reputational Risks 16 Enhancing Business Resilience 17 Creating a Competitive Advantage in the Market 17 The Long-Term Risks of Growing Inequality: A Path to Societal Collapse 18 Historical Lessons on Inequality and Collapse 18 The Fall of the Roman Empire 19 The French Revolution (1789– 1799) 19 The Arab Spring (2010– 2012) 19 The Importance of Addressing Inequality to Prevent Societal Collapse in the Context of Climate Change 20 Why Design? 21 The Foundational Role of Design in Tackling DEI Challenges 21 Design as the Beginning of All Creation 22 The Pervasiveness of Design 22 The Storytelling Power of Design 22 Systems Thinking 23 Multidisciplinary Integration 24 Creating Meaningful Change Through Design 26 The Ripple Effect of Intentional Design 26 Design as a Personal and Professional Tool 26 The Collaborative Nature of Design 27 Simplification and Systemic Challenges 27 Restless Testing and Feedback Integration 27 Diversity of Perspective 28 Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces 28 Historical Context and Evolution of Inclusive Design 29 Early Beginnings: Universal Design 29 The Disability Rights Movement 30 Design for All in Europe 31 Technological Advancements and Digital Inclusion 32 Human-Centered Design 32 Modern Inclusive Design 33 Notes 33 Chapter 2 The Inclusive Design Mindset 37 Developing an Inclusive Lens in Everyday Life 38 Understanding Your Role as a Citizen and a Consumer 39 Justice and Liberty for All 39 Vote with Your Wallet 40 Mastering Essential DEI Concepts 42 Embracing Diversity’s Full Spectrum 44 Transcending Politics: Equality and Inclusive Design 47 Understanding Equality Through Wealth Distribution 48 Inclusive and Equitable Design Beyond Politics 49 A Universal Aspiration and a Strategic Imperative 50 Overcoming Bias Through Design 51 The Implicit Bias in Generative AI: A Personal Exploration 51 Understanding Bias: A Double-Edged Sword 56 The Nature and Function of Biases 57 The Benefits of Biases 57 The Pitfalls of Biases 58 Experiments Highlighting Biases 58 Biases in Action: The Four-Cards Exercise 59 Addressing Biases for Greater Inclusion 60 Conclusion 61 Beyond Empathy—The Role of Vulnerability 61 The Power of Vulnerability to Accelerate Transitions 61 Overcoming the Pressure of “What Will People Think?” 63 Vulnerability in Leadership 63 Vulnerability and Resilience 64 A New Norm to Embrace 64 A Common Ground for Generations 64 Conclusion 65 Chapter 3 The Importance of Creating a New Narrative for Our Society 65 The Need for a New Narrative 66 Redefining Success: A Personal Journey Toward a New Narrative 67 Promoting Visibility of Diversity in Influential Media 68 Conclusion 69 Notes 70 Systempathy—or How to Empathize with People and the System They Live In 71 From Intention to Impact: The Systemic Approach to Inclusive Design 72 Systemic Thinking: The Foundation of Inclusive Design 72 The Inclusive Benefit Matrix 74 Universal Design 76 Personalized Design 77 Reducing Disadvantage 78 Empowering Communities 79 Connecting the Dots: The Systemic Impact of Inclusive Design 79 Defining the Problem: The Foundation of Successful Design 80 The Role of Empathy in Inclusive Design 81 Understanding Empathy in Design 81 The Broader Impact of Empathy 83 Essential Tools for Assessing Needs and Challenges 83 Anthropology and Ethnography in Design 84 Be an Investigator, Not a Judge 85 Inclusive Design and the Power of Status 89 The Weight of the Past in Inclusive and Equitable Design 91 Avoiding Stigmatization in Inclusive Design 95 Notes 97 Chapter 4 Strategies to Craft More Equitable Solutions 99 Shifting Perspectives: Reframing to Find Hidden Solutions 100 From Pills to Pots: A Case of Problem Reframing in Design 100 Framing the Challenge Helps Reduce Biases 102 Scaling Perspectives: The Ladder Exercise for Creative Problem Solving 103 From Milkshakes to Remittances: Applying “Jobs to Be Done” in Design 106 Being Creative—A Pragmatic Exercise 109 Finding Solutions in Plain Sight: A Side-Step Approach to Inclusion 109 Borrowing the Best: How Cross-Industry Solutions Elevate Inclusive Design 112 Four Ways to Make a Difference—The Solution Matrix 115 Courageous Conversations: Unlocking Equity in Design and Innovation 117 Uncomfortable Conversation with an Equitable Designer 117 Brave Conversations for Lasting Change: A Partnership to Empower Black Founders 119 Breaking Taboos: Navigating Sensitive Conversations in FemTech Data Security 121 Notes 123 Chapter 5 Inclusive Design in Digital and Physical Spaces 125 Think Beyond the Product, Look at the Experience 126 Designing for True Inclusion: Addressing Every Touchpoint to Build Equitable Experiences 127 Rethinking Shampoo: How Sensory Design Can Break Barriers and Promote Inclusivity 130 Inclusive by Design: Starting from the Beginning 131 Breaking Barriers: How Thoughtful Onboarding and Distribution Create More Inclusive Access 134 The Power of Interfaces: Connecting People Through Thoughtful Design 135 Empowering Communities: How Companies Can Redefine Their Role in Society 138 Putting Your Product’s Strength at the Service of a Cause 138 Leveraging Strengths for Greater Impact: The Writing Assistant and Team Collaboration Platform Projects 140 Finding Places to Share the Power to Uplift Underserved Communities 141 Introducing Technology at the Same Pace to Avoid Deepening the Gap 142 Equitable Deployment of Technology: The Electric School Bus Project 144 Bridging the Digital Divide for Small Businesses: The Virtual Assistant Project 145 Transforming Technology: The Essential Role of Hardware and Software in Inclusive Design 146 Objective: Designing for Cognitive Inclusion 147 Bridging the Digital Divide: Integrating Hardware and Software for Inclusive Innovation 148 The Challenge: Accessibility Beyond the Screen 149 The Solution: Integrating Hardware and Software for Inclusive Design 149 The Importance of Ecosystems in Inclusive Innovation 150 Notes 150 Chapter 6 Designing for, with, and by Communities 151 Community Engagement in All Degrees 152 Engaging with Communities: A Powerful Starting Point 154 Three Levels of Community Engagement in Design 156 Designing for Communities 156 Designing with Communities 158 Designing by Communities 159 Different Paths to Inclusion: Stories of Designing for, with, and by Communities 160 Designing for Communities: The World-Renowned OXO Peeler 160 Designing with Communities: A Neurodiverse-Friendly Productivity Suite 161 Designing by Communities: Empowering Small Business Owners 163 Bringing Voices to the Table: The Power and Challenges of True Representation 164 Demystifying Community Outreach: Embracing Vulnerability to Build Trust 166 The Prototyping Strategy: Making Every Moment Count 167 Seeing Through Their Eyes: Using Photo-Elicitation for Deeper Community Insight 169 From Overlooked Details to Design Inspiration: Immersing in User Realities 170 Accessing Inaccessible Communities 172 Ask Local Experts 173 Leverage Netnography to Uncover Unique Insights 173 Explore Analogous Situations 174 Try to Create a Living Lab 174 Ethical Considerations and Power Dynamics in Equitable Design 175 Transparency and Building Trust 175 Inclusion Beyond the Loudest Voices 177 Ethical Compensation Without Creating Imbalances 177 Bridging Cultural and Social Gaps 178 Shared Ownership and Empowerment 178 Notes 179 Chapter 7 Implementing Inclusive Solutions and the Business Cases Behind Them 181 Business Cases: Four Ways to Make the Investment Count 182 Product Inclusion as a Growth Driver 182 From Corporations to SMEs: Expanding Reach with Scalable Solutions 183 Inclusive Banking: Expanding Reach and Revenue Through Better Design 183 Strengthening Customer Loyalty Through Inclusive Branding 185 Expanding Social Media Reach with Inclusive Features 186 Expanding the Pool of Partners, Talent, and Stakeholders 188 Leveling the Playing Field for Startup Success 188 Unlocking Workforce Potential Through Inclusive Job Design 189 Rethinking Recruitment: Expanding Talent Pools for Growth 190 Redefining Industry Standards to Stand Out 191 Setting the Benchmark for Seamless Authentication 192 Making Accessibility Mainstream: Panasonic’s Industry-Leading Approach 194 Beyond Syntax: Redefining Writing Tools for Inclusive Impact 195 Breaking the Mold: A New Approach to Streamlined Content Selection 196 Transforming a Commodity: How Inclusive Design Can Revitalize a Notebook Brand 197 Minimizing Reputational Risk with Inclusive Design Strategies 199 Empowering Consumers Through Ethical Transparency 199 The Risks of Overlooking Data Privacy in Sensitive Markets 200 Addressing AI Bias to Prevent Reputational Damage 201 Steps to Implementation 202 Defining a Testing Strategy 202 Making Testing Count: A Deep Dive into User Feedback 204 Adapting to Company Timelines While Staying Agile 206 Aligning Teams for Inclusive Design Implementation 207 Notes 208 Chapter 8 Scaling Up: From Local Initiatives to Global Impact 211 Orchestrating Change 212 Leading with Vulnerability: The Key to Scaling Inclusive Design 212 Meet Them Where They Are 213 Sometimes a Little Nudge Goes a Long Way 215 Aligning Incentives: Building Accountability and Engagement for Inclusive Growth 215 Supplier Diversity 219 Practical Metrics for Measuring Impact: Ensuring Tangible Outcomes in Inclusive and Equitable Design 220 Identifying Easy-to-Measure Metrics 221 Long-Term Metrics: Guiding Systemic Change in Inclusive and Equitable Design 229 Chapter 9 Local vs. Global and the Replicability Puzzle 230 Focus on Mechanisms, Not Just Contexts 230 Adapt to Local Distribution Channels 232 Scaling and Additionality 232 The Nike Hijab Example 233 A Recipe for Scaling 234 Prove the Success with Documented Metrics 234 Attract Funds and Important Support to Grow 235 Work with Community Partners and Users to Build Credibility and Scale 236 The Speed Dilemma 237 Be Ready for the Unexpected 238 Navigating the Challenges of Equity in a Changing World 238 Notes 240 The Next Generation’s Power: Rethinking Inclusion for a New Era 241 The DEI Reckoning: What Went Wrong? 241 A Movement That Lost Its Way 242 The Real Story Behind the Backlash: Disillusionment, Not Rejection 243 The Next Generation and the Crisis They Will Inherit 244 Inclusive Design as the Next Phase of Real Change 246 The Danger of Monolithic Thinking: Teaching People to Think Independently 248 The Next Generation’s Awakening: Recognizing Their Influence in the Corporate World 249 From Performative Change to Embedded Inclusion: The Next Chapter 252 Notes 252 Chapter 10 The Future of Inclusive Design 255 Future Modeling and the Decolonization of Futures 256 Decolonizing the Future 257 The Role of Design Fiction in Future Modeling 257 Why Future Modeling Matters for Inclusion 258 Exploring Future Scenarios for Inclusive Design 259 The Commons Economy: Cooperative Ownership as the New Standard 259 AI as the Ethical Guardian: Bias-Free Decision-Making or Algorithmic Control? 260 A Day in This Future 260 Switches That Enable This Future 261 Critical Question 261 Neo-Tribalism: The Fragmentation of Society into Micro-Identities 261 A Day in This Future 261 Switches That Enable This Future 261 Critical Question 262 The Post-Diversity Workplace: Hiring for Adaptability, Not Identity 262 A Day in This Future 262 Switches That Enable This Future 262 Critical Question 263 The Resilience Index: Measuring Inclusion Like We Measure Carbon 263 A Day in This Future 263 Switches That Enable This Future 263 Critical Question 264 How Leaders, Decision-Makers, and Designers Should Use These Scenarios 264 Transitioning to Measuring Inclusion—Lessons from Sustainability 266 Distributivity: Measuring How Value Is Shared 268 How to Measure Distributivity 269 Applying Distributivity to the Digital Inclusion for Unbanked Citizens Initiative 270 Expanding the Impact Through Distributivity 270 Measuring Distributivity: Practical Approaches 271 A Simple Formula for Distributivity 272 Advanced Methods for Measuring Distributivity 272 Additionality: Ensuring True Impact Rather than Displacement 275 How to Measure Additionality 276 Applying Additionality to a Real-World Example 276 Measuring Additionality: Practical Approaches 277 Why Additionality Matters 279 The Dual Framework: Using Distributivity and Additionality Together 279 Why One Metric Alone Is Not Enough 279 The Conceptual Matrix 280 Real-World Applications 280 A Future-Proof Approach to Inclusive Design 280 Why Inclusive Design Is the Best Future Strategy 281 The Role of Governments, Businesses, and Communities 281 A Call to Action: Moving from Reactive to Proactive Approaches 282 Conclusion: Designing a Just and Equitable Future 282 Notes 283 Index 285