A year ago, if you had asked me how inclusive design fits into instructional design, I would’ve said it was being able to engage, or interact with the technology, using tools like closed captions or responsive design. But our ongoing organization-wide conversation on what is truly at the heart of inclusion, and how to best create an inclusive workplace, challenged me to go beyond the technical end-user experience and consider the emotional and social impact we create.
So, I sought industry guidance on applying inclusive design that considers all aspects of how we connect to employees in instruction (quizzes, scenarios, imagery) to improve the employee experience. Surprisingly, one definitive source didn’t exist.
To help future content creators, I set out to define guidelines as a resource for teammates, peers, and colleagues. To do so, I pulled practices from across creative spaces, considered content intent and instructional design practices, applied those practices, and engaged our Paylocity Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) experts.
To get to a more intentionally inclusive place as a practitioner, I’ve learned it’s an ongoing journey to better ourselves and our content as we explore inclusive design practices. These ideas apply not only to material delivered through a Learning Management System, but to any content shared within an organization.
Let’s take a closer look at how visuals (icons and images) and expressions (word choice and language) affect the emotional and social impact of the learning moment.
Imagery connects the learner to the content, reinforces messaging and concepts, adds context, and simplifies complex ideas. When images and icons are added with a respectful and inclusive lens, they can help break down stereotypes. The inclusive imagery represents underrepresented people in all industries, roles, skills, and interests, while expanding and redefining norms. As a result, we can make everyone feel welcomed, represented, and valued.
Visual learners make up 65% of the population, so the intent of the imagery used is crucial to the learning outcome and influence of the social and emotional impact on the learner. Consider the why behind including an image and how it connects to the content, context, learning moment, and learning intent, including:
Language is a powerful tool to create action, build ideas, and share information, but it can also lead to exclusion and perpetuate inequalities. This can happen when expressions and language are used in a way that supports social stereotypes through the generalization of people’s attributes or characteristics. For example, reinforcing gender stereotypes in occupation physical appearance, domestic behaviors, and personality traits.
How can you address expressions and language through inclusive design?
When you meet someone new, you might introduce yourself with your pronoun and respectfully ask them how they’d like to be addressed. But what about when you design content, where you speak indirectly to a broader audience, or use fictional characters to highlight a behavior or action to the job? What pronouns do you use? How do you talk to the learner and share gender-inclusive examples and scenarios?
When you use examples and scenarios to highlight key actions, behaviors, or takeaways, consider:
Inclusive design will look different for every topic, learning intent, and application/pull through of content. As I’ve become more intentional about inclusive design my team’s work, I’ve realized it’s not always easy.
Here are some common missteps I’ve noticed from myself and others to be mindful of:
The considerations above offer general guidelines and are by no means a complete list. Our practice of inclusive design will continue to expand as society evolves and social stereotypes and norms change, so it’s essential to continually adapt, learn, and implement.
For starters, put practices and processes in place to continually review content, drive open dialogue, and move toward inclusive design.
No matter where you are in your practice, remember that inclusive design isn’t just about the imagery. Always take a step back and review your content holistically. Is everyone represented in a way that’s positive, welcoming, and professional? Are learning moments around DEIA and inclusive design intentional?
To hear more context about my journey, please tune in to my recent interview on the PCTY Talks Podcast, or you can tune in to this recent Paylocity webinar.
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