Design for vulnerability. Design for everyone.

Now more than ever, access - for everyone - to digital services is a core need. Inclusive design allows everyone to access, use and enjoy a service experience, no matter what their situation or context. So what does inclusive design look like for your organisation?

We believe businesses should be more accessible to more people, more of the time

At Idean, we care about inclusive design. We wanted to get a better understanding of what people in vulnerable situations need from their digital products and services – and what additional support might look like in practice. This site shares what we learnt.

What's stopping your organisation from being inclusive?

It can be difficult to build support for something that won't immediately improve the bottom line. Legacy systems, complex org structures and clearly defined roadmaps often add further layers of resistance. But there are small changes you can make that will have a big impact.
Create autonomous teams

Is inclusive design a priority for your business?

Inclusive design is rarely part of the standard design process. Any suggestion that it should be requires sell-in and gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Consider opportunities to help grow an inclusive and autonomous mindset amongst your team.
Start creating autonomous teams →
Give customers control

Do you understand all your potential users and their context?

Everyone experiences temporary impairments at some point in their life. Try giving customers more control over your products and services by representing a range of access needs in your design and development process.
Start giving customers control →
Connect your services

Do your customers feel like they’re interacting with one organisation, or five?

When products and services are disconnected, customers can slip through the cracks. Find opportunities to create a network of support based on your customers' needs, not the business'.
Start connecting your services →

Who are your vulnerable customers?

We researched four profiles of customers in vulnerable situations to uncover how complex vulnerability can be. Use these stories to build empathy in your teams and consider your own products and services from a vulnerable perspective. 

Linda’s story of financial manipulation

Read Linda's story →

Jenny’s story of access & independence

Read Jenny's story →

Brian’s story of cognitive decline

Read Brian's story →

Amy’s story of spiralling debt

Read Amy's story →