Inclusive design is a design process (not restricted to interfaces or technologies) in which a mainstream product, service or environment is designed to be usable by as many people as reasonably possible without the need for specialised design. Although inclusive design can be inspired by engagement with extreme users, who have specific needs, it differs from specialised design or design for disability in its mainstream focus .  Both inclusive design and universal design have as a goal making a product, service, or environment more inclusive, meaning that a wider diversity of people can make (easy) use of it. Universal design is generally more focused on a single solution that can be used by as many people as possible, whereas inclusive design involves designing for a specific individual or use case, and extending this to others, as described in the Steps to inclusive design . Universal design is mostly used in the built environment and product design to make sure that the building or product is accessible for all people of different abilities. Inclusive designcan be applied to any product or service and intentionally does not group people together. Instead, inclusive design considers the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, language, culture, gender, age, and other forms of human difference and how to serve the diverse individuals that will be using the product or service. Inclusive design and accessibility Inclusive design and accessibility are often grouped together since they are each focused on making products or services available to a wider range of people. However, accessibility is more limited in scope compared to inclusive design. Accessibility is focused on specific accommodations for disabilities (whether in a digital or physical space) or other areas of access that directly prevent accessing an experience . Inclusive design describes a process of welcoming all peoplefrom different and intersectional backgrounds to use your products and services in ways that are meaningful to them, while including diverse individuals throughout the research and design process . Accessibility is one piece of inclusive design, but it doesn't take into account many of the areas that inclusive design does (culture, identity, different perspectives) or involve considerations around work processes and planning. In general, designs created through an inclusive design process should be accessible by nature, as people with different abilities are considered as part of the design process. But accessible designs aren't necessarily inclusive if they don't move beyond accommodating people of different abilities to also take into account sociocultural and intersectional aspects of individuals .
Inclusive design is a design process (not restricted to interfaces or technologies) in which a mainstream product, service or environment is designed to be usable by as many people as reasonably possible without the need for specialised design. Although inclusive design can be inspired by engagement with extreme users, who have specific needs, it differs from specialised design or design for disability in its mainstream focus . Inclusive design considers many different aspects of human diversity such as ability, language, culture, gender, and age Both inclusive design and universal design have as a goal making a product, service, or environment more inclusive, meaning that a wider diversity of people can make (easy) use of it. Universal design originated in work on the design of the built environment and websites, while inclusive design arose in work on product design . The approaches are similar in practice, but inclusive design has a more explicit acknowledgement that it is not always possible for one product to meet the needs of absolutely everyone. It encourages designers to make informed decisions about what is commercially and practically feasible based on the characteristics of the target population. Inclusive design and accessibility Inclusive design is related to accessibility since they are both focused on making products or services available to a wider range of people. However, accessibility is more limited in scope as it is focused on specific accommodations to enable people with disabilities to obtain access to products, services or environments . Inclusive design takes a wider approach. It considers the needs of a wider range of people, including those with minor capability impairments that may not generally be considered to be disabilities. An example is age-related long-sightedness. Inclusive design may also consider other dimensions of human difference such as culture and gender. Inclusive design also looks beyond issues of access to improving the user experience more generally . As a result, accessibility is one piece of inclusive design, but not the whole picture. In general, designs created through an inclusive design process should be accessible , as the needs of people with different abilities are considered during the design process. But accessible designs aren't necessarily inclusive if they don't move beyond providing access to people of different abilities to consider the wider user experience and other types of human difference .
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product design to make sure that the building or product is accessible for all people of different abilities. Inclusive designcan be applied to any product or service and intentionally does not group people together. Instead, inclusive
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considers the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, language, culture, gender, age, and other forms of human difference and how to serve the diverse individuals that will be using the product or service.
. The approaches are similar in practice, but inclusive design has a more explicit acknowledgement that it is not always possible for one product to meet the needs of absolutely everyone. It encourages designers to make informed decisions about what is commercially and practically feasible based on the characteristics of the target population.
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compared to inclusive design.
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for disabilities (whether in a digital or physical space) or other areas of access that directly prevent accessing an experience
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describes a process of welcoming all peoplefrom different and intersectional backgrounds to use your products and services in ways that are meaningful to them, while including diverse individuals throughout the research and design process
takes a wider approach. It considers the needs of a wider range of people, including those with minor capability impairments that may not generally be considered to be disabilities. An example is age-related long-sightedness. Inclusive design may also consider other dimensions of human difference such as culture and gender. Inclusive design also looks beyond issues of access to improving the user experience more generally
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it doesn't take into account many of the areas that inclusive design does (culture, identity, different perspectives) or involve considerations around work processes and planning.
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