Inclusive design is a design technique optimized for different groups of people. It describes how to create a product. Products need to support people of all backgrounds and abilities. For example, elderly people often cannot see the words on the screen because of the degeneration of their eyes. The inclusion design, with its larger fonts and darker patterns, has improved this problem.
In my own experience, inclusive design products can reach deeper into people’s minds. When it includes a variety of focused features, it is sure to bring in more sales as well as word of mouth. Tiktok, a ByteDance app, is designed to be inclusive. It can recommend similar videos according to different preferences to suit people of different ages and personalities.
Universal design refers to the design of buildings (equipment), products, and information that can be used regardless of differences in culture, language, nationality, age, and gender, and regardless of differences in accessibility and ability.
For products, there are seven principles of universal design:
- Anyone can use it — fairness
- Can be used no matter what condition — Freedom
- Simple, intuitive — simple
- It’s easy to understand — specificity — Even if you don’t know the language, you know the meaning from the figure
- You can use it in the wrong way — security
- Put as little strain on your body as possible — consistently
- Make sure you have enough space — spatial
Learn design inspiration
I needed to see if I could design a universal product for my entire family. First, I should consider the different ages of my family members and their preferences. Then make sure you use the product fairly.
Reference：
World Leaders in Research-Based User Experience. (n.d.). Inclusive Design. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/inclusive-design/
What is Universal Design? Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://universaldesign.ie/what-is-universal-design/
YouTube. (2019, March 31). The 7 principles of universal design | ed roberts campus. YouTube. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-tHuD7R8cs
