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The Inclusive Innovation Playbook
What is Inclusive Innovation?
Laying the foundations for inclusive innovation
What is inclusive innovation?
Inclusion and innovation may both be familiar terms. However when we combine them together, we create a new paradigm for an approach to innovation with positive social aims embedded.
Innovation is all about bringing fresh ideas and new ways of doing things to the table. Whether it's developing cutting-edge technologies, finding new business models, or streamlining processes, innovation is about creating value for customers, being more efficient, and gaining an edge over the competition.
Innovation has the potential to change lives - with new advances in medicine, working practices or financial management. It also has the potential to cause harm to people, impacting livelihoods, mental health or widening inequalities.
Inclusive innovation centres the idea that designing for diversity leads to solutions that are better and fairer for everyone.
Inclusive innovation is the creation of solutions, technologies, and practices that incorporate diverse perspectives, remove barriers and create more relevant, enhanced experiences for a broader audience, including those often underserved.
What does Innovating inclusively mean?
Inclusive innovation requires diverse and inclusive people adopting inclusive practices to intentionally create inclusive products and services that work for more people, more of the time.
Creating social value alongside economic value
Inclusive innovation is about creating a net positive social impact. This means maximising the benefits of innovation whilst at the same time reducing its potential harms and contributing to create a .
For organisations, Inclusive Innovation means:
Inclusion is for everyone
Inclusive innovation can sometimes be framed with the sole focus of addressing marginalised groups. This can inadvertently reinforce the idea that inclusivity is an add-on rather than a foundational principle.
Inclusivity is about designing for diversity as a whole, not exclusively focusing on marginalised groups, but ensuring that all groups—including those traditionally excluded—are equitably considered and represented. Inclusive innovation should be seen as a standard practice benefiting everyone, while still addressing the needs of marginalised groups.
Inclusive innovation leads to solutions that work better for everyone by accounting for a broader range of perspectives, contexts, and needs from the outset. It considers universality, equity and shared benefits.
Inclusive innovation involves everyone
Innovation with diversity and inclusion in mind means recognising and valuing the unique perspectives, experiences, and needs of different individuals, and creating an environment where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential.
It's about creating opportunities for different voices to be heard, and taking a broad range of perspectives into account in the innovation process. It's about going beyond traditional methods and ways of thinking, to actively seek out diverse perspectives and ideas to drive innovation.
Set yourself up for success by defining what Inclusive Innovation means for your organisation. Use the points above for inspiration, but just like your vision, mission and values are tailored for your organisation, it is important to work with a definition that is meaningful in the context of your organisation, market and industry.
Benefits of inclusive innovation
Historically, product development practices have primarily focused on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and speed to market. However, what has been missing is a dedicated emphasis on incorporating diverse perspectives, fostering inclusivity, and prioritising equity throughout the innovation process.
This shift towards inclusive innovation is crucial because it recognises the inherent value of diverse perspectives, experiences, and voices. By intentionally including a wide range of inputs in product and service development, we not only enhance the potential for creative solutions but also ensure that our products and services are more relevant, accessible, and equitable for a diverse user base. Embracing inclusivity in innovation not only aligns with ethical principles but also positions businesses to thrive in an ever-evolving global landscape, where diversity is a catalyst for creativity, resilience, and sustainable success.
Inclusive products are great for end-users, and also the companies that create them. By designing inclusive products and services for diverse audiences organisations can:
Inclusive practices can also lead to a more diverse and engaged workforce, which is critical for fostering a culture of innovation.
Inclusive innovation removes barriers to participation of individuals, groups, and regions that are underrepresented or have been historically underserved.
When it comes to digital products and services, inclusive design is key. When we bring together people from different backgrounds and perspectives, it leads to more creative and innovative solutions.
It's a win-win!
By designing products that are inclusive and equitable, we can help reduce social and economic inequalities and build a better future for everyone.
Why inclusive products matter
Have you ever felt excluded or left out while using a digital product?
Inclusive products are designed with everyone in mind. No matter your background, identity, or abilities, inclusive products make people feel welcome, safe and empowered. They provide equal access to information and opportunities, and help all users achieve their goals.
While this may seem like a basic premise, it's one that is often overlooked in the design process.
Creating a sense of belonging
When we design for inclusion, we open up possibilities for everyone. Inclusive digital products make everyone feel invited, welcome and listened to. This leads to greater engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty among users.
Lack of representation makes users feel uninvited, which can stop people using your product.
Breaking down barriers
Inclusive digital products help break down the physical and psychological barriers that can prevent people from feeling welcome and included in the digital world. By providing equal access to information and opportunities, inclusive products can help eliminate discrimination and contribute to creating a more fair and just world.
Products that perpetuate bias can cause discrimination.
Building trust and protecting from harm
Creating safe and secure digital products is essential for fostering trust and promoting inclusiveness. Inclusive products take into account privacy, security, and safety concerns for all users. Conscious attention to the experiences of people from minority groups is needed to reduce the risk of negative user experiences.
Systems that can ‘out people’ are not safe.
It is critical to recognise that not everyone is equally disposed to being able to engage with your digital experience and protect themself from harm. To create safe products we not only need to create protection mechanisms for our users, but we need to consider how easy it is for different people to use and adopt these mechanisms.
For example, the inquest following the concluded that it was access to unrestricted content on the internet that contributed to her death and questions the robustness of e-security systems in schools.
Empowering everyone
Inclusive products have the potential to empower everyone and level the playing field in the digital world. Inclusive products validate your users’ identity by making them feel understood. Users are able to interact with confidence as the product experience guides them smoothly and helps them overcome hurdles, helping them to achieve their goals. Products that are not accessible create exclusion.
The Financial Conduct Authority believes 47% of us will be experiencing some sort of vulnerability at any given time. The rules which came into force in July 2023 means Financial Services firms need to protect and cater to ANY customer who can become vulnerable.
Creating an inclusive Innovation Ecosystem
Whilst this playbook views inclusive innovation through the lens of innovating organisations, it is important to recognise the importance of developing an inclusive innovation ecosystem. This is essential to provide the support organisations need to drive the transformational change required to embed inclusion. An inclusive innovation ecosystem requires:
Use this playbook to embrace the power of diversity, equity and inclusion in innovation!
If you’d like support embedding inclusion into your people, products and practices, to find out how we can help.
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