Document detail

Inclusion, not just an add-on

Kampala: Pollicy (2022), 25 pp.
"This guide was created to drive conversations within technology entities to reconsider and reconceptualize how they approach inclusive design practices. Historically, inclusion has been a “nice-to-have” add-on within digital platforms, and as such, discriminates against and excludes a large proportion of the world, based on factors such as race, gender, class, ability, sexuality, geolocation, language, religion etc. The guide is intended to serve as an exercise in thinking about diverse perspectives and needs of unique users when developing programs, policies and platforms. We would like to note that in this guide, accessibility is used interchangeably to refer to ‘access to the internet’ or as used in disability rights." (Introduction) "First, we will take you through some concepts and frameworks. The guide then presents three personas, i.e. reliable and realistic representations of the patterns of audience, users or customers for reference. These personas reflect the lived experiences, needs, risks and frustrations that they might face. The personas serve as a foundation on how to engage with the four frameworks, Accessibility-by-Design, Gender-by-Design, Privacy-by-Design and Safety-by-Design, as well as other considerations to create inclusive design in technology policies, practices and products. After each persona, the guide presents a list of challenges and potential solutions. This list is in no way exhaustive, but is a starting point for a larger conversation on a rapidly evolving field. As a result, we encourage you to develop several other personas, especially with regards to the context you are embedded in. At the end of this guide, the best practices are distilled down to a few overarching principles, together with additional resources and guides for further reading." (How to use this guide, p.5)
Contents
Introduction, 4
Case Study: Accessibility as a Foundation, Not Afterthought, 11
Case Study: Meaningful Connectivity in Low-Resource Settings, 14
Case Study: Safeguarding Vulnerable Children and Adults, 17
Best Practices for Inclusion, 20
Resources for Designers and Developers, 23
Conclusion, 24