Let’s make design research more inclusive Michelle Ou (she/her) 

Special thanks In two year, across 10+ design research projects, I engaged with 200+ people from community • People with disability • Neurodiverse • LGBTQ+ • First Nations • People of colour • English as a second language speakers 2 

Today The nuances of inclusive design research What inclusive research looks like in practice How to convince people about inclusive design research Where to from here? 3 

The nuances of inclusive design research 

Inclusive design Design that considers the full range of human diversity with respect to ability, age, gender, language, sexual orientation and all other forms of human difference Inclusive design research uses the same • Methods • Process as a researcher • Approach depends on context Design research Inclusive design research Common 5 

The main difference Inclusive design research focuses on investigating exclusion / mismatch 6 

Design is much more likely to be the source of exclusion than inclusion “ ” Kat Holmes Author of Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design 7 

Who experiences the most difficulty with what you’re researching? Whose perspectives have never been included in the past? Why? 8 

Edge users People who experience the most difficulty with a product, service, place, policy, process THE CONCEPT OF EDGE • Centre: People who the design works for • ‘Mediocre’ Middle: People who can use the design but it’s difficult to use • Edge: People who can’t use the design THE DESIGN WORKS FOR ME 9 

Example: Mapping the edge Who do these stairs work for? • Can walk up and down steps without pain or discomfort • Have good stamina • Not afraid of heights • Seniors with weaker joints and less agility • Cane, walking frame or crutches users • Parents with prams and small children or pregnant • Holding heavy items e.g., bike • Wheelchair users • Have trouble with balance e.g., inner ear or muscular conditions • Have a heart or lung condition • Acrophobic (fear of heights) 10 

Another example Scenario Participating in an online focus group People who experience the most difficulty may include People who: • Don’t have internet or a device that can connect to internet • Have never used online conferencing tools • Aren’t confident English speakers or readers • Can’t stay in one position for long periods of time • Can’t see the screen (blind/low vision) • Can’t hear the facilitator (deaf/Hard of Hearing) • Have trouble understanding or processing new information • Have trouble focusing for extended periods of time • Have caretaker duties (parents, carers) 11 

It’s not about bell curves Edge is not Edge is The extreme tails on the edges of average on a demographic bell curve People who experience the most mismatch or difficulty with what you’re researching 12 

What inclusive research looks like in practice 

Inclusive Design doesn't mean you're designing one thing for all people. You're designing a diversity of ways to participate so everyone has a sense of belonging. “ Susan Goltsman Founding Principal of MIG, Inc. and co-author of Play for All Guidelines and The Inclusive City ” 

Inclusive practice looks like Research processes and environments that are welcoming and safe for everyone, regardless of human difference Respect human differences Reduce potential barriers Ask, listen and provide support Build trust and relationships 15 

Respect human differences • Use kind and respectful language • Acknowledge different needs • Build in flexibility 16 

Reduce potential barriers What potential barriers might people experience when • Accessing the research location? • Understanding the research information? • Using the research equipment? • Communicating with the researcher and other people? 17 

Ask, listen and provide support Make it general practice to include “Please let us know if you have any accessibility or other requirements for the session. We can provide support such as _____.” 18 

Build trust and relationships • Culturally appropriate communication • Pay people at the beginning • Clear exits • Ask for feedback about the research experience 19 

How to convince people about inclusive design research 

The Benefit of Designing for Everyone Report statistics Inclusively designed products and services can reach up to 3-4x times the intended audience 21 

Maximise research outcomes A mismatch for edge is likely to be a pain point for most Get richer insights with fewer participants And find the priority areas to solve THE DESIGN WORKS FOR ME THE DESIGN WORKS FOR ME 22 

Where to from here? 

My answer Every act of inclusion matters 24 

Beginning steps • Include an edge user as part of your cohort • Make it easier for people to participate in your research • Notice and talk about mismatch • De-centre yourself from design and research decisions 25 

We have a responsibility… …to enable as many people as possible to play a part in designing our world. 26 

Thank you 😊 Let’s talk more [email protected] /oumichelle