Inclusive design creates better products, services and environments by acknowledging the diverse nature of our population and that it is now normal to be different. It then applies this understanding to guide a design response that is accessible to, and usable by, as many people as possible. It isn’t about one solution addressing the needs of the entire population, but rather about reducing usability barriers so that the user experience is improved for a wider range of people.
Who is inclusive design for?
Inclusive design acknowledges that in different situations, everyone can be disadvantaged and find the designed world difficult. There are many ways that we can be disadvantaged including being permanently or temporarily disabled. This can be major or minor, and can be sensory, physical or cognitive in nature. This includes short sightedness, loss of hearing, having a broken arm, being pregnant, being tired or even having an allergy.
In New Zealand we are not only bi-cultural, but also increasingly multi-cultural. We need to consider the needs of people whose language, values, meaning and associations differ from our own. Older people are also routinely ignored as consumers or active members of the economy yet they are an increasingly majority market. A target age group of 18–35 year olds in fact excludes most of society today. We are all aging, and by 2051 those aged 65+ will have grown from 12% to 26% of New Zealand residents. By taking into account the many ways that we can be disadvantaged it is possible to meet the needs of the widest range of people.