What is at stake?
Inclusive design refers to a creation process that aims to make a product or service accessible to a maximum number of individuals, regardless of their physical, mental, or social characteristics.
Why is it important?
Creating inclusive products/services, beyond the ethical aspect, allows you to:
➡️ Reach a broader audience, including people who are traditionally underserved (business). → For example, 24% of the French working population lives with a disability.
➡️ Develop new features and products (creativity).
→ Remote control and vibration modes on phones were invented for people with disabilities.
➡️ Ensure compliance with regulations and portray an image aligned with your values.
Three key steps to take
1️⃣ Conduct an Inclusive Market Study
This involves selecting a diverse range of individuals for interviews and beta testers (considering age, gender diversity, disabilities, education levels, cultural differences, etc.). Also, use various data collection methods and analyze the data taking these diverse perspectives into account. This approach provides valuable insights into the market at the MVP stage and helps you to develop products and services that cater to diverse potential customers.
2️⃣ Learn from Existing Best Practices
At this stage, learning about best practices is an excellent way to benefit from other startups' experiences and to apply that knowledge to the creation of accessible products and services from the outset.
Numerous online resources include case studies, articles, and guides offering advice and concrete examples for making products and services accessible "by design."
For example, check out Accessibility Principles.
3️⃣ Develop for the Majority, Not the Average
It is crucial to integrate inclusive design into the project's development roadmap from the beginning. This involves considering accessibility and diversity issues from the initial concept and incorporating them as key project objectives.
It's essential to then build a diverse product team, including especially those with expertise in accessibility and sensitivity to the needs of users with specific limitations.
By combining these aspects, the startup can begin to cultivate an inclusive and accessible culture, ensuring that these principles remain integrated throughout all stages of their project's development, including the pre-seed and seed stages that follow.
📚 Resources and further reading
📖 Report - Diversity & Inclusion in Tech: Creating inclusive products and services
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