In September 2024, Good Futures published the Radical Inclusion Horizon Scan report. This blog is a taster of some of the headlines. Let’s dive in!
For too long, we’ve been chasing the myth of ‘normal’ in design. Hoping that a universal, one-size-fits-all approach can create solutions that deliver insights or products that engage a ‘mass’ audience. The reality? The results are almost always beige, boring and middle of the road. And worst of all? Designing for an imagined average person risks leaves too many people excluded, on the sidelines.
‘Normal’ does not exist, and we need to stop designing, innovating for or targeting this imaginary group of individuals. We need to create avenues for wider audiences to engage, take part, raise awareness, and stand up for the causes they believe in. It’s time to ditch myths, assumptions, and stereotypes. They won’t cut through the noise of an increasingly saturated market.
It’s time to embrace radical inclusion.
DESIGNING FOR EVERYONE
Design solutions need to work across diverse identities and experiences, but everyone’s lived experience is unique. To design for this complexity, we need to dismantle the long-accepted idea of ‘normal’. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. Instead of trying (and likely failing!) to meet every single need of every single person, we need to find the balance between great designs for both the individual and the masses.
So What: Stop designing with a mythical ‘normal’ in mind – it doesn’t exist. One-size-fits-all design is outdated and ineffective. Innovation happens when you solve specific problems for real people. Support your audiences by designing with intention and precision, and create solutions that actually meet diverse needs.
INTERSECTIONAL STORIES
Stories, along with who gets to tell them, matter – they shape our realities, influence perceptions, and determine how we see ourselves and others. Yet, despite progress in diverse narratives, significant gaps in representation remain. For example, only 15.2% of film writers in 2023 were women. The same issue occurs across underrepresented identities, and across mediums – from the film industry to literature, gaming, marketing, and even fundraising. How are we supposed to create intersectional and diverse narratives if we can’t achieve parity in the rooms where stories are created?
So What: Intersectionality isn’t just a buzzword. Products and services need to consider the overlapping identities and experiences of your audience, in order to make for truly inclusive design. So who is in the room when you’re designing? We need to elevate new voices that can challenge outdated assumptions and frameworks, and help build new and exciting products designed for everyone.
CONSCIOUS EXCLUSION
What if creating a safe and inclusive space for your supporters means wilfully choosing to exclude some audiences? We see this debate play out in two key areas: in the workplace, around inclusive hiring practices (quotas in particular); and around safe spaces (who has the right to have them, and can they exclude some to be more inclusive to others?). Conscious exclusion can have its benefits, but it is still exclusion. How do you balance the need to foster inclusive, safe environments for your supporters, without excluding broad swathes of people who might equally want ways to support your product?
So What: Exclusive spaces can be essential for creating safe and supportive environments, but there’s value in opening up the party to everyone as well. Who are you really designing for, and who are you (un)intentionally excluding? Be intentional and transparent about your choices.
AMPLIFYING NEW VOICES
Your audience’s voices and opinions should be represented at every level of your organisation. This isn’t just about making your supporters feel like valued members of your community – it’s about elevating the voices of people with lived experiences in order to make your narrative and impact as inclusive and intersectional as it can be. No one understands what your audience values and expects from you better than the audience itself. Open up the conversation, making space for new and varied voices in product development, fundraising, marketing strategies, and more. It’s not performative, it’s core to innovation.
So What: Your audience isn’t just a group to be talked to – they have the potential to be collaborators. Elevate their voices and let them feed into your work. Trust your audience; they know what they need better than anyone.
TAKE A STAND
Audiences are craving bold views and values that align with their own. In an increasingly polarised world, people (and particularly younger audiences) want to get behind a cause that’s meaningful to them, and expect organisations to be vocal about their values. In fact, a 2023 report found that 64% of people under 45 support charities campaigning on political issues. Meanwhile, inverse giving (where charities see donations rise after getting backlash for political issues) is on the rise.
Don’t shy away from hard-to-navigate narratives, as long as you’re prepared to be the unpopular voice in the room. Speaking up and taking a stand is powerful, especially if you want to engage Gen Z and Millennial audiences.
So What: Be anything but beige. Stand up for your mission, your beliefs, and the communities you serve; even when it means telling a difficult story. Bold narratives will resonate, especially with younger audiences.
These headlines are only a glimpse of what’s covered in the full report, which also dives into: digital accessibility; unbias language and data; mobility; immersive experiences; parents in the workplace; and inclusive healthcare and lifestyles.
If you want to get your hands on the full version, please contact Daisy to find out more about subscribing to Good Futures, our trends and foresight service.