Inclusion and accessibility are fundamental to innovation, success, and human connection. Dr. Anthony Giannoumis is the author of The Sins and Wins of Inclusive Design, which provides actionable insights into avoiding common pitfalls (sins) and adopting best practices (wins), creating a truly inclusive approach to creating new solutions that solve the world’s most intractable problems.
Published:
29.05.2025
Writer:
Dr. Anthony Giannoumis
1. The ‘normal’ person fallacy
Sin: Designing for an imaginary ‘normal’ person often leads to excluding the very people who need your product or service most. For example, assuming everyone uses technology in the same way can alienate users with disabilities, older people and anyone that struggles using technology.
Win: Design for outliers, not averages. By addressing the needs of individuals at the extremes, you create solutions that work better for everyone.
2. Skipping collaboration
Sin: Innovating in isolation without consulting your target audience results in missed opportunities and irrelevant solutions.
Win: ‘Nothing about us without us’. Engage with diverse users throughout the design process to ensure their needs are met and your solutions are impactful.
3. Ignoring accessibility
Sin: Treating accessibility as an afterthought or a compliance checklist perpetuates inequality and leaves users struggling with barriers.
Win: Accessibility is a cornerstone of equality. Proactively design systems, spaces, and tools to ensure everyone can participate and thrive.
4. Failing to create safe spaces
Sin: Overlooking the importance of safe and inclusive environments stifles creativity and prevents full participation. When people fear judgment or exclusion, innovation suffers.
Win: Build brave spaces where all voices are heard, respected and empowered to contribute. Diverse groups create stronger, more creative outcomes.
5. Overlooking diverse needs
Sin: Offering a single solution or communication channel can exclude individuals with different needs, such as those who speak other languages or lack access to technology.
Win: Provide multiple pathways for connection. Offering choices ensures that diverse needs are met and everyone feels included.
6. Exclusion in evaluation
Sin: Performance reviews and evaluation processes often reinforce biases and fail to represent all perspectives.
Win: Make evaluations participatory. Involve a diverse range of stakeholders to co-create systems that are fair, equitable, and trusted.
7. Tokenistic inclusivity
Sin: Superficial attempts to include everyone, without meaningful engagement, can backfire and lead to resentment or distrust.
Win: Foster genuine inclusion by involving everyone in decision-making. Shared ownership and collaboration strengthen community and innovation.
Inclusive design is a journey that requires intention, effort and a commitment to continuous improvement. By avoiding these seven sins and embracing their corresponding wins, individuals and organisations can create systems, spaces, and products that not only serve but empower everyone. Ready to start designing inclusively? The road ahead is yours.
You can find out more about Dr. Anthony Giannoumis’s approach here: inclusiveleadership.solutions
