Articles
7 Ways to Design for Everyone
Designing for everyone doesn't mean that you have to include every individual demographic. It simply means that as you are creating your designs, you should consider the needs of all users. There are so many ways that design can be inclusive. Whether it's colour or data, there are uses for inclusivity that are simple to follow. In this article, we'll be taking you through some practical ways to make your designs more inclusive.
01. Conduct user research and prioritize inclusion.
Inclusive design starts with understanding the needs and abilities of your diverse user base. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, whether it be a single person or an entire group. When you can empathize with others, you'll be able to create products that are more appealing to them and therefore make people happier overall.
When designing products for your audience (or any audience), designers should take time out of their day-to-day routines so they can actually connect with people who may be affected by their work in some way or another—and this doesn't just mean having conversations with coworkers or friends!
This means conducting user research that includes individuals with disabilities and other marginalized groups. It’s also important to prioritize inclusion at every stage of the design process.
.png)
02. Design for flexibility and adaptability.
One key principle of inclusive design is the concept of flexibility and adaptability. This means designing products, services, and environments that can be customized and adapted to meet the needs of different users. For example, a website should be designed in a way that allows users to adjust the font size, contrast, and layout to suit their needs.
03. Provide clear and simple navigation.
Good navigation is crucial for all users, but it’s especially important for individuals with cognitive and visual impairments. Make sure your design includes clear and simple navigation options, such as easy-to-use menus and buttons, as well as clear and concise labeling.
Also, it's vital to ensure that there's a way to "skip to main content" hidden above your navigation to allow users to utilize screen readers to navigate directly to the main content.
04. Make use of color and contrast wisely.
The use of color and contrast can greatly impact the accessibility of your design. For example, using high-contrast color schemes can make text and other interface elements easier to read for users with visual impairments. You can use tools like WebAIM or Coolors to check your color contrast.
It’s also important to avoid using color as the only means of conveying information, as this can make it inaccessible to users who are colorblind.
05. Include accessible features and controls.
Accessible features and controls, such as closed captions and audio descriptions, can make your design more usable for individuals with disabilities. These features should be easy to find and use, and should be integrated seamlessly into the overall design.
Accessibility is a huge part of designing for everyone. It’s something you should always be thinking about and researching because it impacts the way your site looks and feels for people with different needs.
- Patterns that are accessible: These are patterns that have been tested by accessibility experts to ensure they work well for the widest audience possible. They include things like using colour contrast ratios, padding around buttons and images, making sure text sizes aren’t too small to read easily across devices (mobile first!), etc.
- Patterns that are responsive: These are patterns designed specifically for mobile devices so they look good when viewed on smaller screens without sacrificing functionality—like website pages without collapsing panels or massive images being shown as thumbnails instead of full-size pictures scaled down from desktop resolution (which makes them harder to view). A lot of these days we're seeing more sites redesigned this way since more people now rely on their phones than desktops/laptops when browsing online.
In addition, conducting accessibility testing, a process of validating that the accessibility of your product meets the WCAG 2.1 guidelines. is an important step in the development process because it helps you catch accessibility issues early on and prevent them from becoming much worse later on down the line.
06. Test your design with diverse users.
Inclusive design is not just about following best practices – it’s also about testing your design with a diverse group of users to ensure that it meets their needs and is usable by as many people as possible. This can be done through user testing, focus groups, and other research methods. User testing is an important part of any design process. It's a way to get user feedback early in the design process, and it can also be used throughout the full development cycle.
User testing can be done in many different ways, including surveys, interviews and focus groups. You could even ask people to test your product on their own time! In all cases, you need to find people who represent a broad cross-section of users—not just customers but also those who aren't actively using your product yet (like potential new users).
07. Continuously improve and update your design.
Inclusive design is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Make sure to continuously gather feedback from diverse users and incorporate their insights into your design. This will help ensure that your design remains accessible and usable for everyone over time..
Conclusion
In conclusion, inclusive design is essential for creating products, services, and environments that are accessible and usable by everyone. By conducting user research, designing for flexibility and adaptability, providing clear navigation, using color and contrast wisely, including accessible features and controls, testing with diverse users, and continuously improving and updating your design, you can create inclusive designs that meet the needs of all users.
.jpg)