A presentation delivered in London, 9 October 2019 exploring how inclusive design can generate business value as it allows for natural human variance.

1. www.openinclusion.com
@openforaccessChristine Hemphill, Open Inclusion
9 October 2019
The simple truth of accessibility
Creating better digital experiences for all improves business value

2. Who am I?
Christine Hemphill
Founder and Managing Director, Open Inclusion
Inclusive user research
Human centred design and strategy
Market and economic research and analysis
Inclusion-led innovation
Emerging technology optimist
I don’t identify as disabled but have lived experience of
exclusion due to disability through my family and many friends
Someone who really believes in the simple truth I’ll share today

3. open.inclusion
open.insights
open.access
open.minds
open.ability
open.value
We provide:
• User insight and engagement
• Market research
• Inclusion-led innovation
• Inclusive design solutions
• Workplace inclusion
Open Inclusion is an inclusive research,
design and innovation consultancy.
Designing better experiences

4. Open’s essence
We identify and remove hurdles or friction
between customers and product or service
providers so that both can achieve to the
fullest of their ambitions.
We do this by opening organisations to insights
from consumers with specific needs.
Broader insights
Better experiences
Genuine innovations

5. We are human!

6. Humans are awesome!

7. But even when we are on the same journey, we are all different

8. Even if we have the same genes, every human’s abilities and
experiences vary. We are fabulously, endlessly diverse

9. Desigual campaign Sept 18
“Difference is what we
all have in common”
There is a simple and consistent truth - we are all different!
Some differences are visible, most are hidden, many are variable

10. We are not even consistent ourselves. We vary today to
tomorrow, in different environments, moods and over time

11. Is this human “difference” or “disability”?
Disability is a mismatch between environments and users.

12. Environment + diverse human needs = enabled or disabled

13. For better or worse, the people who design the
touchpoints of society determine who can participate
and who’s left out.
Often unwittingly”.
“
Kat Holmes
Ex. Microsoft Inclusive Design
Current Director of User Experience Google
If we create environments, we can enable ability or cause disability

14. It may seem complex, but for designing products and services it
comes down to just 3 areas that mix in significantly different ways
We sense differently We move differently We think and feel
differently
Sight Neuro-
diverse
DexterityHearing Health, mental health
and event-based
vulnerabilities
Mobility

15. “Disabled” “Impaired”
Age related needs
Temporary / situational
We all have varying physical and cognitive abilities
We identify differently to our access needs
Do you identify as disabled? Do you have permanent access needs?
Or haven’t you quite found your’s yet?
1 in 5 1 in 3 All
Permanent Today Tomorrow

16. The market value of those with permanent access needs is huge, and
growing as society ages. Let alone the broader market that benefits
15%
Of discretionary spend in the UK
and growing as the population ages
£265b
=

17. What you see isn’t what you get
Of people with a disability, 3 out of 4 are invisible

18. 10% of
£23.50
To do
1/ ?
Walk
for MS
Words
Co-ordination Speech
What you see isn’t what you get
Of people with a disability, 3 out of 4 are invisible

19. Needs
Needs vary – even for the same need (e.g. vision)
People’s adaptation approaches and identity vary also
Adaptation
Identity “Blind” “Just getting older”“Vision impaired”
Chooses not to share“Disabled”

20. We are not single “categories” to be solved. We are human.
With diverse sets of abilities, adaptation approaches and identities

21. A simple truth.
An inconvenient truth.
An uncomfortable truth.
Inclusion isn’t about “them”.
It’s designing for our humanity.
Inclusive designs support our variance,
today, tomorrow and in the future.

22. Inclusion vs Accessibility

23. Inclusion supports all our needs
But accessibility provides a base
Legally businesses are obliged to provide
accessible products and services
• EA Act 2010, UK (all businesses)
• EU Directive 2016/2102 (public sector)
• Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018
More is expected to come
• FCA Customer Vulnerability Paper #8
• WCAG guidelines future changes (Silver)

24. Inclusion
User experience
Depends on each individual
Accessibility
Technical compliance
More objective

25. InclusiveAccessible

26. This one fails on every level – yet still ticks compliance boxes

27. Accessibility improves the resilience of products today
Inclusion extends resilience and deepens relevance & reach
Resilience
Durability over time and situation to users’ needs, expectations,
regulatory, technical or demographic changes.
Reach
Relevance
Accessibility protects today’s value and inclusion extends today’s and grows tomorrow’s
Attractive to a broader customer and talent base.
Supports increased loyalty and positive advocacy
Catalyse genuine innovation retaining relevance in fast moving
markets. Staff and customer value alignment and engagement

28. All good, but how do we
make our digital products
more inclusive?

29. 1. Assess the current customer experience
2. Improve individual elements needing attention
3. Embed inclusion into your business’ DNA
It is an ongoing waltz. 1,2,3 1,2,3 1,2,3 … that keeps playing
Inclusive by design: This all sounds good… but how do I do this?

30. 1. Assess the customer experience of your brand today
Customers experience the brand through a range of formats
Physical
environments
and products
Digital
environments
and products
Customer service Brand and
marketing

31. How to assess a live product
1. Complaints and other positive or negative feedback
2. Automated test (approx. 25% of the code is testable)
3. Expert accessibility audit to check against standards
4. Usability testing with authentic, diverse customers
1. 2. 3. 4.

32. For usability testing, test with genuine disabled users
vs expert users with or without a disability

33. It’s not what you don’t know that gets you in trouble.
It’s what you know that just ain’t so.
Mark Twain
“
Learning or unlearning

34. Variation in cognitive approach
• Learning
• Memory
• Social interaction / attention
• Mental health / anxiety
Variation in use
• Needs and preferences
• Senses utilized
• Physical interaction
• Motivations and attitudes
• Relevant constraints
SWIM to success (Someone Who Isn’t Me)

35. The Open Research Panel (+450) – our unfair advantage
Physical
Mobility
Manual dexterity
Balance
Speech impediment
Limb loss / loss of
function
Sensory
Blind
Partially sighted
Colour blind
Deaf/deaf
Hard of hearing
DeafBlind
Neurodiversity
Mental health
Dyslexia/dyspraxia
Learning difficulties
Cognitively diverse
Autism spectrum
Language difficulties
Other
Just older
No smell/taste
Under 4'11”
Over 6’ 3”
Major health
challenges
Complex
conditions
Chronic pain
Demographics Ages: 18 - 85 Ethnicity Socio-economic Sexual identity

36. Testing today’s digital environment - user needs’ based
Interactions Visual design & media
Personalisation
and AT support User assistance
Simplicity

37. 5. Build
• Staged,
modular or
agile
• Measure
• Learn
• Feed into future
design cycles
4. Test
• Journey based
• Functional
• Sufficient range
of users
• Specifically
include extreme
users
3. Prototype
• Low fidelity
• High fidelity
• Modular
• Co-create
• Testable
2. Design
• Create guidelines
• User-centred
process
• Co-design
• Design accessibility,
usability & delight
• Get creative
1. Ask and learn
• A broad range of
target users
• Extreme users
• Contextual needs
• Create a reference
group, personas &
other design aids
1. Ask
and learn
2. Design
3.
Prototype
4. Test 5. Build
2. Improve the elements that need attention
Creating better experiences, that are inclusive from the start

38. 3. Embed inclusive capability into the DNA of the business
Capability that extends beyond individual environments or periods
It also requires good leadership and measurement
that assess and expose both input elements and outcomes
Customer
experience
Delivering consistent
customer experience
requires aligned
policy, people &
practices

39. Build inclusion into your process not just products to create a
sustainable competitive advantage
Likely challenger Sustainable advantage
Advantage is at risk
Competitive
disadvantage
Inclusionembedded
intheprocess
Inclusion embedded
in the product

40. The power of inclusive design
• More consistent customer experience
• Greater, more sustainable revenues
• Lower average cost to serve
• Faster, more profound innovation
• Products that are more durable to
changing customer needs /preferences
• Easier access to quality resources
• Reduced business risks

41. When we design for disability first,
we often stumble upon solutions that are not only inclusive,
but also are often better than when we design for the norm.
Let people with disabilities help you look sideways,
and in the process, solve some of the greatest problems.
Elise Roy
US Attorney and inclusive design advocate
“

42. Better understanding
better solutions
better for all
Inclusive insight
Listening / learning
Human-centred design
Universal / adaptive
Broaden the value
Innovate / embed
Open Inclusion’s services
We are proud to be
expert partners of

43. openinclusion.com@openforaccess
better experiences for all
Thank you for your time!
christine@openinclusion.com
07478 335 028