Why inclusive design makes smarter technology for all

Inclusion is often discussed in terms of culture, hiring or representation.

These things matter deeply, but for a technology company, it is critical that inclusivity is also reflected in the products and services our customers use every day – in other words, smarter technology that’s truly for all.

Living our Smarter Technology for All vision has always depended on building a culture where people feel they belong.

In my view, inclusion is not a team that exists in one part of a business .

It’s a cultural pillar that’s reflected in how we make decisions and serve our customers.

This effort to embed inclusion has led us to establish an Inclusive Product Design Office (IPDO), which integrates inclusive design expertise into product development rather than treating accessibility as an afterthought.

Who a product serves That means we need to think about who a product serves from the outset, considering all consumers’ unique needs and attributes early enough to mitigate bias or limit usability of our products and services.

The bias we’re working to eliminate could be part of anyone’s background – cultural, physical, or economical.

However, people with disabilities continue to represent one of the most important and complex demographics we’re working to include through the efforts of the IPDO.

The scale is significant.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, representing 16% of the global population.

That is one in six of us.

Plus, almost everyone will experience some form of disability, temporary or permanent, at some point in their life.

Accessibility should therefore be treated as a part of mainstream product design, because users with disabilities are part of the mainstream.