February 27, 2022
Inclusive Innovation: How Considering a Disability Lens in Tech Design Benefits Everyone
When you think of innovation today, what first comes to mind?
Elon Musk’s rocket design!
Apple’s latest iPhone!
Smooth self-driving cars!
Technology designed for people with disabilities.
Not what you had in mind, was it?
One of the most underrepresented groups historically has been people with disabilities. While the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act has had a profound effect in the tech industry, there is still much work to do.[1] This is especially apparent when it comes to women with disabilities whose needs are even further understudied and unaccounted for not just in tech, but in other vital spaces including healthcare, energy, and more.
Why does this matter?
Because when people with disabilities are left out from the conversation— the result is their collective erasure. That is the erasure of ONE BILLION people worldwide.[2]
So, what does this mean for tech and innovation?
Well, conventional wisdom tells us that considering a disability lens in innovation only benefits people with disabilities.
BIG mistake!
Incorporating a disability lens does not just benefit people with disabilities, but society at large. This is called inclusive design.
According to Microsoft, “Inclusive Design is a methodology, born out of digital environments, that enables and draws on the full range of human diversity. Most importantly, this means including and learning from people with a range of perspectives,'' because “...exclusion happens when we solve problems using our own biases.”[3]
As an example, Microsoft designed Skype Translator to help individuals with a hearing disability to visually see the translation of what is being said on the Skype platform in real time. While this program was designed to help the 600,000 people in the U.S. and 360 million people across the globe with hearing disabilities,[4] it benefits all individuals as the technology works across language barriers, connecting individuals globally in a unified language.
That’s right—through Skype Translator, an individual in China can speak with an individual in the U.S. in their own native tongue, and then that statement will be translated into text on the screen in real-time in the other person’s language.[5] Now that is innovation.
This is just ONE example of how inclusive design can benefit not just people with disabilities, but everybody. In fact, it is through inclusive design that innovative solutions can be further cultivated and expanded upon.
Imagine if all organizations adopted inclusive design as a company practice as Microsoft has. The innovations generated would benefit the entire world and create a more inclusive one.
So, what next?
First, it is important to educate yourself and your organization on the importance of incorporating a disability lens. By learning how including a disability lens impacts not just people with disabilities, but everyone, organizations may be more inclined to consider this lens in strategic innovation.
It is equally important to design and hire inclusively. By asking questions such as —Is my design inclusive? Have I considered people with disabilities in my design? How can my design benefit ALL people? Are perspectives from people with disabilities and other diverse backgrounds represented at the table?...innovation can become a more inclusive process.
Finally, it is important that inclusive design be applied not just in the tech industry, but to other sectors. By applying these considerations in the food industry, healthcare, and more, we can begin to cultivate inclusivity everywhere.
It is through inclusive design that we can innovate better technology, and create a better world.
There is no time to waste.
Ariana Lily Nikmanesh is a Master of Science in Foreign Service candidate at Georgetown University concentrating in Global Politics and Security, earning a Graduate Certificate in Gender, Peace, and Security from Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, and a Graduate Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. She is a founding member of the National Millennial Community and a guest contributor for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women.
[1] Coldewey, D. (2020, July 27). As Ada turns 30, Tech is just getting started helping people with disabilities. TechCrunch. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/27/as-ada-turns-30-tech-is-just-getting-started-helping-people-with-disabilities/
[2] Disability inclusion overview. World Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability#1
[3] Microsoft Design. Microsoft. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.microsoft.com/design/inclusive/.
[4] McPhillips , E. (2022, January 2). World wide hearing loss: Stats around the world. Audicus. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.audicus.com/world-wide-hearing-loss-stats-from-around-the-world/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20World%20Health,million%20people%20across%20the%20globe.
[5] Microsoft Design. Microsoft. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.microsoft.com/design/inclusive/.