Shift Left and Build Empathy Through Inclusive Design

Inclusive design involves putting people at the forefront of the software design process. When software is inclusive by design, it allows for users across a broad spectrum of capabilities to meaningfully interact with it and accomplish necessary tasks in the ways best suited to them. Simply put, the more inclusive a digital experience is, the more people can and will use it.

Development organizations often address individual components to meet accessibility
compliance guidelines, but when the components are put together in a user flow, they can
fail to provide a good UX for people with disabilities (PwD). Without involving your customers
in planning, design and testing there’s no way to truly understand their needs. This is why
companies need to build their products by working closely with all persons from the start —
PwD and non-disabled. It ensures an equitable experience for all…and benefits everyone.
This ebook is intended to help our customers and those involved in software design by covering some basic concepts around inclusive design and briefly walks through three repeating phases of how Applause addresses the “shift left” concept, starting with a commitment to inclusivity, toward an Agile and inclusive software development life cycle (SDLC). It’s meant to serve as a primer for further conversation on the topic and serve as a foundation for additional customization.