Embracing inclusion in all aspects of business generally means preventing the exclusion of people from products, marketing, services, and recruitment. It also applies to design and other areas of business strategy.
An interesting paradox of the design world, which may also seem a bit counterintuitive, is that developing something for a minority can make that product or service better for the majority. A quite typical example of that is Aga, which uses an inclusive design. This stove was made to benefit blind people but ended up being beneficial for other people as well.
Voltaren, which is a pain-relief product, comes in tubes whose caps are easy to use for people with arthritis. As a result, they are easy for everyone else.
In order to make a product or packaging and design or sign inclusive, you will have to question yourself if the outcome will be usable for left- and right-handed people, and that the test will be easily readable for everyone, including color-blind people.
An inclusive design starts with few people but accepts a wider audience later on. The purpose of this strategy is to make sure that no one is alienated. While thinking during the development, you will have to consider humanity in every stage. It helps you can your designing team to solve every problem before it even arises. The goal of this process is to make the final experience completely intuitive.
It means that an inclusive design or product considers people who are generally excluded during the development and marketing stages.
Having that said, it would be worth mentioning a few principles that you must consider to create an inclusive packaging design.
- The first principle of bringing inclusiveness in packaging design is to work on a process that makes the final product equally available to everyone.
- This packaging design has to accommodate abilities, strategies, and preferences to let people choose their method of use. It should help both left- and right-handed people, and it has to be adaptable to the user’s precision.
- It should be easily understandable regardless of user experience, skills, and knowledge. For this purpose, it has to remove unnecessary complications. It should be informative for everyone regardless of the literacy levels.
- It should be able to communicate necessary information quite effectively. It includes the ability of the product or design to serve people with sensory limitations or other issues.
- You have to make sure that there are no consequences of the wrong use of packaging. If it is not possible, you will need to make sure to add warnings to inform people about possible hazards.
- One of the most necessary features of the inclusivity of a product or packaging is its ergonomic design. Make sure that it is readily adaptable to the natural design of the body.
- Last but not the least, an inclusive packaging design should appeal to all potential users. That’s where you will have to use visual language, colors, and other designs and patterns in the right way.
If you have any concerns about the inclusiveness of a packaging design, you may consider contacting your packaging consultant for guidance.
