Over the past few years, accessibility has risen to the forefront of web design thereby creating a better, more digestible world for its users. However, another concept, inclusivity, is now coming into focus. Small and large brands alike have begun taking steps to showcase their stance on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, but how many are showcasing those beliefs online?

Let's take a closer look at the inclusive design landscape and why the practice is an excellent way for brands to earn a better overall return on investment (ROI) and improve brand favorability.

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The inclusive design landscape

Inclusive design is everywhere around us - walkways that support wheelchair accessibility, gender-neutral bathrooms, adaptive accessories for technology, lifestyle products for all skin tones - the list goes on and on.

As such, inclusivity must also be an online priority. Today, more and more graphic designers and web professionals are creating websites and apps that translate well to a broader audience. However, this idea isn't one size fits all and takes some forethought and technique to successfully use it in web design.

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The difference between web accessibility & inclusivity

Are inclusive web design and web accessibility the same thing? They are tangentially related but they are actually different concepts that should be integrated together for the best possible outcome.

Web accessibility focuses on designing for disabilities, whereas inclusivity focuses on different cultures, languages, races, genders, geographical locations, and more.

If you're interested in additional accessibility practices, check out my other articles about web accessibility:

• Designing beautiful and accessible interfaces
• The 411 on designing for accessibility

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An inclusive design mindset

Let's take a look into what makes a design more inclusive.

First of all, it's important for designers to understand that inclusive design elements need to be established early on in the creative process in order to create a cohesive end result. It should be a mindset. If inclusivity is an afterthought, the result will be a group of elements that are not united or effective.

Some ways to achieve that kind of cohesive result are to:

• Plan ahead - Take the necessary steps with your creative team at the beginning of a project (think user testing and market research.)
• Set the stage - Create an environment where everyone is free to express their opinions, provide honest feedback, share their concerns, and establish trust with their colleagues. Making that space for each team member will allow their output of ideas, designs, and content to be a reflection of the inclusive environment.

Co-author of The Inclusive City, Susan Goltsman, said, "Inclusive design doesn't mean you're designing one thing for all people. You're designing a diversity of ways to participate so that everyone has a sense of belonging."

This is an essential insight, because if you take the concept of inclusivity to mean, "Let's make this design generic enough that everyone can relate," you'll quickly realize that that approach will backfire. Making elements broad enough to relate to a more universal audience yet intimate enough to grab the individual's attention is a tough balance to strike.

Here are some ways that an inclusive design process that can be easily implemented throughout your website, digital product, or brand:

• Engage in user testing and market research early in the design process to better understand the target demographic.
• Pull in a broad group of people during the design process with not only user testing but also the production team. At the onset of a project, it's imperative that the entire team is aware of inclusivity principles.
• Be empathetic to all users who may interact with your website or digital product and solve possible difficulties before they happen.
• Utilize imagery with diverse subjects and illustrations that represent target demographics for higher user engagement.
• Design for both mobile and desktop users. As society shifts to a more mobile world, it's important to remember the older generations and other non-mobile users who rely on desktop digital products.
• Create multiple content types on your website so that users can choose how they want to absorb the same information; i.e. audiobooks, long-form content, interactive content, videos, and infographics. That choice will allow you to cast a wider net and include users who may struggle with written text or would rather absorb the information through video or audio.
• Recognize exclusion. Taking the time to understand who could be excluded from your design will help everyone on the team isolate areas of improvement in the design process and final product.

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Brand favorability & ROI from inclusive design

A brand that celebrates its diversity, equity, and inclusivity will be more successful in bringing a sense of belonging to its users. When a user sees themselves in a brand, they are more apt to interact, which will help cultivate lasting impressions and authentic, memorable connections with that brand.

From there, users will continue to interact with and trust those types of brands because they feel they are understood and are a part of a community.

Many lifestyle brands have made a push in recent years to be more size-inclusive or racially diverse, ensuring that all their users have a place in their brand and can find items that suit their needs. Those smart choices were likely made with the ultimate goal of increasing brand loyalty and generating more money from loyal users.

A better long-term financial health outlook is something everyone should strive for and one way to get there is by being more inclusive.

Remember, inclusive design is both a mindset and an ongoing process. Target demographics can shift, and websites and brands go through redesigns, so make sure to include "inclusive design" as a goal in your upcoming projects. Doing so will increase user interactions as well as create a brand that is welcoming, accessible, and trustworthy to all users.

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Edited by Gillian Barnes // Originally published on imarc.com