The Extra Steps

Accessibility is a start, not a finish line.

The WCAG guidelines are a vital baseline, but inclusive design shifts the conversation from “bare-minimum compliance” to human-centered design. It considers cultural, emotional, cognitive, and personal context to build experiences that work for everyone, not just the average user.

• Accessibility is about ensuring people can use your product
• Inclusivity is about ensuring people feel respected, understood, and welcomed when they do

✨ Beyond Accessibility - Inclusivity Guidelines

1 - Language and Culture

Websites should be easy to understand and support right-to-left (RTL) languages

• Avoid idioms, slang, or cultural references that don’t translate well
• Be cautious with flags: not all languages map cleanly to countries
• Offer language switching that’s accessible and persistent

RTL Languages

• Use logical CSS properties (e.g. margin-inline-start) for RTL language support
• Mirror directional icons (e.g. forward arrows) where appropriate for RTL language support
• Be careful with CSS properties that may need tweaking for RTL language support (e.g. translateX)

2 - Contact and Communication

Websites should respect users communication preferences

• Let users choose their preferred contact method (e.g. "email", "no calls"...)
• Prefer asynchronous communication (e.g. email, chat) over synchronous (e.g. phone calls)
• Do not opt-in users to communication channels without explicit consent

3 - Identity and Personalization

Websites should respect and acknowledge diverse identities

• Use neutral language by default (e.g. "they" instead of defaulting to "he")
• Do not assume users have traditional identities or family structures
• Avoid collecting unnecessary personal information (e.g. gender, phone numbers...) unless essential
• If you do, explain why and provide inclusive options (e.g. nonbinary, prefer not to say...)

User Names

• Allow users to provide preferred names vs. legal names when appropriate
• Allow flexibility in name structure (e.g. "full name" field instead of "first name" and "last name")
• Do not restrict name formats (e.g. no hyphens, no special characters, at least 2 characters...)

4 - Respect and Mental Health

Websites should not use dark patterns or trick users

• Avoid manipulative design patterns that pressure or guilt users (e.g. fake scarcity, countdown timers)
• Do not ask users to justify themselves when they perform actions (e.g. deleting accounts, opting out)
• Write neutral and respectful error messages (do not blame, do not shame)
• Make it easy for users to cancel, delay, or opt-out of services without hassle

5 - Economic and Device Inclusion

Websites should be accessible to users with limited resources

• Optimize for low-bandwidth connections (e.g. lazy loading, compression, 3G testing...)
• Support older browsers or devices as much as possible
• Support small screens and touch interactions

6 - Light and Dark Mode

Websites with lots of content should provide a light mode, as it is easier on the eyes for reading

• Always provide a light mode option, even when dark mode is the default

How to implement inclusivity

• Use inclusive design principles from the start, not as an afterthought
• Test with real users who reflect the diversity of your audience
• Test with edge cases, not the average user data point
• Document and challenge assumptions about your users