Beyond Readability

Rethinking Inclusion in design

When accessibility is discussed in design, it is often framed through visual adjustments. Designers might improve typography, increase contrast, or structure information through clearer hierarchy so that content can be understood by more people.

These strategies are essential, particularly in communication design. Clear structure and readable information systems can significantly influence how people experience visual communication, but inclusion in design extends beyond making information easier to read.

Design also exists within larger systems. The people involved in creative work, the structures of design organisations, and the ways audiences engage with design experiences all shape how inclusive design can be.

Through my research and design studies, I’ve begun to think about inclusion in design across several different layers of practice.

A framework for inclusive design

To better understand how inclusion operates within design, we can consider a simple framework of three areas:

Inclusion in design practice — who participates in design process.

Accessible communication outcomes — how clearly design communicates information.

Participatory design experiences — how audiences interact with designed environments.

Together, these suggest inclusive design is not only about visual accessibility. It also involves the perspectives present within creative teams and the ways audiences engage with design.

Inclusion in design practice

Research by organisational psychologist David Dwertmann and colleagues suggests that exposure to colleagues with different lived experiences can increase perspective taking within teams. This expanded perspective can contribute to greater cognitive flexibility, allowing individuals to generate a wider range of ideas when solving complex problems.

Rather than viewing disability purely as a limitation within organisations, this research suggests that diverse cognitive experiences can contribute to creative innovation.

A related study by Zhao and Ren examining disability-inclusive workplace practices has also found that organisations that actively support inclusive employment often see improvements in employee creativity. Inclusive workplace environments appear to influence not only equity outcomes but also the creative processes that underpin design work.

Industry research reflects similar ideas. A report from JobAccess examining disability employment in Australia suggests that organisations embracing inclusive hiring practices often benefit from stronger innovation, productivity and workplace culture. Diverse teams are often better positioned to understand the needs of broader communities and identify opportunities that may otherwise be overlooked.

Together, these perspectives suggest that inclusion within creative teams can influence how design problems are interpreted and solved.

Participatory design experiences

Traditional communication design often positions the audience as passive viewers, receiving information presented by designers. Participatory design approaches instead invite audiences to actively engage with and explore design environments.

In her book The Participatory Museum, museum researcher Nina Simon describes cultural institutions where visitors can create, share and connect with each other around content rather than simply observing exhibitions.

Research examining interactive museum exhibits supports this idea. Studies by Li and colleagues found that features such as competition, social interaction and visitor control significantly increased the amount of time children spent interacting with museum exhibits.

Accessibility can also influence participation. Caitlin Kelly and Michael Orsini explore how cultural institutions should consider how visitors physically and emotionally experience exhibitions. Their research highlights that many museum environments assume a standard visitor experience, which can exclude people with different bodies, senses, or cognitive needs.

These perspectives suggest that participation can play an important role in creating more inclusive design experiences.

How this shapes my design practice

As a designer working with lived experience of disability, accessibility has become central to how I approach communication design. My work often focuses on clarity, hierarchy and readable information systems because these qualities allow information to be understood by a wider range of people.

However, exploring research around inclusive design has expanded how I think about accessibility.

Inclusion does not only emerge through visual adjustments or communication clarity. It also exists in the people who participate in creative work and in the ways audiences interact with design environments.

For me, this means thinking about accessibility not only as a set of visual guidelines, but as a broader design mindset, one that values diverse perspectives, encourages participation and creates clearer communication for the people who experience it.

Further reading

Dwertmann, D. et al. — Organizational Burden or Catalyst for Ideas? Disability as a Driver of Cognitive Flexibility and Creativity

Zhao, Z. & Ren, J. — Diverse and inclusive human resource practices and employee creativity

JobAccess — The compelling case for disability employment in Australia

Nina Simon — The Participatory Museum

Li, X. et al. — Evaluating Interactive Digital Exhibit Characteristics in Science Museums and Their Effects on Child Engagement

Kelly, C. & Orsini, M. — Beyond measure? Disability art, affect and reimagining visitor experience