User centred

People within the population have a range of different capabilities and skills, past experiences, wants and opinions. Many organisations already carry out market and user research. Commissioning such research at the right time, with the right focus and within an appropriate design framework enables valuable insight at little, if any, additional cost.

Population aware

A typical misguided viewpoint is that someone is either disabled or fully able, yet a wide spectrum of capabilities is clearly apparent within any population. An understanding of quantitative population statistics can also inform design decisions.

Business focused

Every decision made during the design cycle can affect design inclusion and user satisfaction. Failure to correctly understand the users can result in products that exclude people unnecessarily and leave many more frustrated, leading to downstream problems, such as increased customer support requirements that can ultimately reduce commercial success. Conversely, successful implementation of inclusive design can result in a product that is functional, usable, desirable, and ultimately profitable.