The Inclusive Innovation Playbook

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Inclusive Agile & Design Thinking

In this section we’ll explore how existing agile or design thinking practices can be adapted to consider diversity and inclusion.

This section is aimed at people who already know what agile and design thinking are, and are looking for ways to embed inclusion.

Inclusive Agile Practices

The

Manifesto for Agile Software Development⁠

states:

“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.

Through this work, we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”

Whilst Agile has become standard practice for most product teams, there is no mention, nor consideration to the importance for diversity and inclusion in the manifesto. This is not all that surprising when you consider the diversity of the people involved in creating the manifesto!

It is time for a rethink! The industry needs to consider how to build DEI into existing practices.

The good news is that much of the philosophy of agile supports the mindset and culture needed to create inclusion.

Valuing individuals and interactions is key. To embed inclusion you need to probe a little deeper to explore the unique needs of individuals, and how to create safety to allow authentic interactions.

We can also challenge what we mean by ‘working software’. Is software still working when certain users can’t access it because it doesn’t work with their assistive technology? What about when it causes discrimination or harassment? Is this still working software?

Collaboration is fundamental for Agile, but taking an inclusive approach forces us to refine our practices to more deeply question and refine the way in which we collaborate, and who with, to ensure all voices are heard. Hierarchy stifles innovation. Inclusive leaders empower their teams and allow those close to the detail to make decisions. It means valuing lived experiences, and shifting mindsets from ‘making decisions for people with lived experience’ to ‘making decisions with people with lived experience’. This means adopting co-design methods to ensure the active involvement of individuals who will ultimately use or be impacted by the designed solution, to ensure that the end product meets the needs, preferences, and aspirations of diverse users.

Responding to change is vital when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. A growth mindset can help teams cultivate an environment of continuous learning and improvement. Societal norms and expectations continue to shift and being responsive to an evolving landscape is key. As inclusion advocates we also have a responsibility to challenge the status quo, we need to drive change, not just respond to it.

Inclusive Agile Principles

Bringing this all together we see a new set of principles emerge for ‘Inclusive Agile Practices’.

Diverse individuals and authentic interactions over processes and tools

Working software, that causes no harm over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration and co-design over contract negotiation

Responding to and driving change over following a plan

Inclusive Agile Ceremonies

To adopt an inclusive approach to Agile consider how you can prompt discussion and inclusive action in your regular Agile ceremonies. This might include:

Sharing concerns about how a certain feature might impact a particular minority user group during your daily stand.

Allocating time during sprint planning to research the potential harm of new proposed features.

Dedicating a design sprint to explore the unique needs of a specific user group.

An Inclusive Design Sprint Case Study for Xbox social gaming.

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⁠

Explicitly sharing use cases relevant to users from minority groups during sprint demos.

Inviting the team to discuss the impact of a particular feature and how you could have made this work better for a specific minority group, during a retrospective.

Reviewing potential for bias or how representative a data set is during a code review.

Exploring usage patterns for specific minority groups during product usage data review.

The key to success is to built a team of inclusive thinkers, who regularly check that their efforts will not exclude.

Inclusive Design Thinking

Integrating diversity and inclusion into design thinking involves embedding these principles at every stage of the process to create solutions that are equitable, representative, and impactful. Here’s how you can achieve this:

⁠

1. Diversify the Design Team

Recruit Diverse Perspectives: Assemble teams with a mix of backgrounds, including gender, race, ethnicity, abilities, and experiences, to generate richer ideas and avoid groupthink.

Include Lived Experience: Invite individuals with lived experience related to the problem being solved, ensuring authentic representation.

⁠

2. Engage Diverse Stakeholders

Co-Design with Marginalised Communities: Actively involve underrepresented groups in workshops, feedback sessions, and testing phases.

Broaden Stakeholder Outreach: Expand user research to include voices from all socioeconomic, cultural, and ability groups.

⁠

3. Embed Empathy in the Process

Empathy Mapping for Diverse Users: Go beyond typical personas by understanding challenges and aspirations specific to diverse user groups.

Storytelling: Use narratives that reflect diverse realities to foster emotional connections and better design outcomes.

⁠

4. Apply Inclusive Practices in Ideation and Prototyping

Challenge Assumptions: Encourage questioning of unconscious biases that might influence idea generation.

Accessible Prototyping: Ensure prototypes are accessible to all potential users, including those with disabilities.

⁠

5. Test for Inclusivity

Diverse Testing Panels: Conduct user testing with individuals from various demographics to identify overlooked gaps.

Inclusive Feedback Mechanisms: Create spaces where all testers feel comfortable providing honest and critical feedback.

⁠

6. Incorporate Metrics for Inclusion

Define Success Criteria: Include diversity and inclusion metrics like user satisfaction across diverse groups and equitable outcomes in problem-solving.

Iterate Based on Feedback: Regularly refine designs to address inequities identified during evaluation.

⁠

7. Foster an Inclusive Culture

Train Teams in Diversity and Inclusion: Offer workshops and resources to help designers understand the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Leadership Commitment: Leadership should champion Diversity and Inclusion as a strategic priority and integrate it into organisational values.

⁠

8. Use Inclusive Tools and Frameworks

Bias-Busting Frameworks: Leverage tools like bias checklists to ensure Diversity and Inclusion remains a focus throughout design processes.

Universal Design Principles: Apply design principles that prioritise accessibility and usability for the widest range of users.

⁠

By embedding these practices, organisations can ensure their design thinking processes produce solutions that are not only innovative but also inclusive and impactful for all stakeholders.