Practicing content design with inclusivity in mind
Darcey Taylor, Content Design Manager talks about the value of user experiences has never been more important.
As our societies and industries continue to advance into a digitally-led era, the way we speak to people during these experiences is critical to both understanding and engagement.
Since the dawn of branding and marketing, the way businesses and organisations communicate with customers and clients has been massively important to both reputation, and often, success. And the tone in which this is done has been known in many industries to either garner praise or criticism, or cause controversy.
But what about the way we communicate with people? By this I mean; the information we display, the words we use and the way we use them. This is where content design comes in.
Being an inclusively-minded content designer can make the difference to ensure everyone is included and comfortable in the conversation you’re trying to engage them with.
So, what do I mean by inclusivity?
Quite simply — thinking about and including everyone. More specifically through the lens of content design; thinking about everyone who could want to use the product or service you’re designing for, and making sure all these people could understand, navigate, and engage with that content.
This can sound daunting, especially if you’re new to the world of content design. But channelling this mindset can help you improve your craft, support your business in its goals and ultimately improve your user’s experience.
Are accessibility and inclusivity the same thing?
They certainly overlap, but differ in definition and aim. Industry-recognised accessibility organisation W3C defines accessibility as,
‘…ensuring that digital technology is usable by people with disabilities… the fundamental goal of accessibility: meeting the needs of disabled people in the real world. Accessibility is an important aspect of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).’
When referencing inclusion, this focuses more on those who are at risk of being marginalised through social exclusion. And we need to consider how we can stop this from happening in our digital spaces.
Why is inclusivity in content and UX design important?
So everyone has the opportunity of using and engaging with digital services, tools, and information in the same way. And actively thinking about inclusivity when creating content and designs is fundamental in making sure this is possible.
A simple way to describe digital content is information. And how this information is processed by a user will be completely individual and affected by a number of factors.
Such as:
· The language used and reading age
· Someone who is a non-native English speaker
· Mental health
· Ethnicity and race
· Digital literacy
· Being neurodivergent
· Stress levels attached to the situation
· Socio-economic background
· Access to the internet or digital devices.
With well crafted, inclusively-minded content design, we can ensure all possible users and their individual circumstances are considered, and the content we create can be understood by everyone who wants to engage with it, in all situations. The last thing content should be is a barrier or, unintentionally, only accessible to certain people.
This is an ideal state, I’m aware. But something all in UX should strive for as we advance further into being digitally-led. The more people who can easily use and successfully engage with the products, services or tools you’re designing, the more choice they have access to. And the more they are engaged with your business or organisation. Everyone benefits.
In fact, according to Money and Mental Health, ‘59% of people with mental health problems would be more likely to choose a provider who offered additional support for people with mental health problems.’
How does inclusive content design look in practice?
This would all be dependent on the page, journey, or format you’re designing for. But one of the most important factors is the considering what situation you’re designing for.
For example, if your user is looking for help and support in a situation involving fraudulent activity, or needs help with their finances, this would be a high-stress situation which can subsequently affect a person’s ability to focus and take in information. It may also create more stress and frustration if they’re met with barriers with the designs in finding the help they’re looking for.
Considering how a user thinks and feels, as well as the nature of the situations and experiences they’re navigating, will enable you to create content that both supports the user as an individual and help mitigate any detrimental impact in your user experience.
Tips for inclusive content design practices:
· Keep language polite, calm and clear. Avoid words which add high levels of urgency and grammatical features such as exclamation marks.
· Make sure your average reading age is between 9–11 years old. This is the average reading age of newspapers in the UK, reflecting the average reading age of the population, so this will maximise the comprehension of your content.
· Be clear about the journey you’re taking users on. If you’re taking people to different pages, channels, or external sites make sure you’re clear about that transition through your content to avoid confusion and panic.
· Avoid using metaphors, idioms and colloquialisms. Sentences and phrases which are not standard English, local to where you live, or relay information through imagery, might not be immediately understood by people who aren’t native English speakers or are neurodivergent.
· Don’t assume people just know how to do things. Your user experiences need to cater for first-time users as well as people with different levels of digital literacy. So explaining things and providing instructions will help users understand both your content and how to navigate it.
· Make sure you use language that makes everyone feel welcome and considered. Remember, your users are people, and every person is different. Everyone has different backgrounds and needs, and our user experiences should represent equality through their designs.
Article written by Darcey Taylor, Content Design Manager, BT Business
