The Accessibility Advantage: Why Inclusive Design is Better Business

Why do we typically design products for people who are young, healthy, and possess the average physical and cognitive abilities of a human being? This question was top of mind at Living Technology, a Reykjavík symposium on accessibility that connects people with disabilities, the technology sector, academia, government representatives, and others interested in equality and better technology for all. Gangverk’s Head of Design Ingvi Guðmundsson joined national human rights organization Throskahjálp and service design consultancy Mennsk Ráðgjöf for a sofa chat discussion on how we can use technology to empower and be more inclusive towards disabled people. 

Designing for all people

Our discussion brought to light one common shortcoming in the tech development process: when we create technology products, we design, test, and develop for people who have clear eyesight, healthy hearing, and well-functioning cognitive ability. Yet an estimated 1.3 billion people – or 16% of the global population – experience a significant disability (World Health Organization). That’s a population nearly the size of India or China that is unaccounted for in the design process. Overlooking disabled people creates a host of completely preventable issues. One example is Iceland’s Electronic ID, a service that grants citizens a digital ID accessible via their phones that allows them to log into banks, make purchases, and deliver tax reports. Despite the service being a necessity for Icelandic citizens to function in society, it’s nearly impossible for disabled people to apply for the service independently. 

Even when services are designed specifically for disabled people, these services can still overlook certain needs that are unique to the disabled community. For example, Iceland offers bus cards at a special price for disabled individuals. The bus cards were initially sold as single tickets in an app. However, once it became evident that non-disabled people were taking advantage of the lower-priced cards, the government required disabled people to purchase a monthly pass in person to provide proof of their disability. Not only is the in-person location a long distance away, but paying for a monthly pass is more costly and less convenient than the previous single-ride option. The program shifts the burden to the beneficiary and undercuts the accessibility of the service itself. 

How can product design and development be more inclusive? One obvious solution is to ensure stakeholders and end-users are part of the development process from the beginning. Partnering with different associations for people with disabilities could provide a mutually beneficial arrangement where organizations could subsidize access for their members. In exchange for allowing their members to help test out new products, these associations could be compensated and receive valuable funding for their own services. User testing with disabled populations could then help refine products so they not only work for everyone, but are easier for everyone to use.

The business case for investing in user testing

The purpose of the Living Technology symposium was to spread awareness of people living with disabilities, especially among organizations with the potential to build services for them. Many companies overlook disabled people as a key audience, and as with any product design, clearly understanding your audience is crucial to the product’s success. This was the case when Gangverk partnered with an in-home care company on the development of a mobile app. The in-home care company assumed that the caregivers using the app were in the 25-45 age range, but Gangverk’s user interviews revealed that these caregivers mainly were 60+ year old women of diverse nationalities who had a first language other than English. The initial audience mismatch meant the app needed to be entirely redesigned with larger font sizes and a simplified interface to meet the user requirements for the correct demographic.  

The original product-related survey questions had been skewed by the interests and ideas of corporate representatives who had not been on the ground with end-users. Another of those early ideas was to create a mass messenger chat connecting the caregivers, regional offices, and management, but the company didn't realize that adding a fourth communication layer on top of SMS texting, phone calls, and emails would create even more chaos.

Through further user research, Gangverk found that shift changes were causing the most chaos in the chat. To fill a shift, the offices would send an email blast to every caregiver in the city. The caregivers wanted to change their shifts to better paying ones, and thousands of those communications began flooding the main office. To solve this problem, Gangverk prototyped an “Available Shift” screen based on location, where caregivers could see available shifts and simply choose them, bypassing the need for a messaging solution entirely.

With a conscious effort to understand and consider the needs of the actual end user, the correct solution could have presented itself much earlier. Businesses often resist investing more in user testing, even though it can help them avoid future headaches and save them both time and money.

Beyond compliance

Achieving ADA compliance is a standard goal for businesses. But many also recognize that prioritizing accessibility yields a significant long-term return on investment that easily justifies the upfront costs. Inclusive design expands a product’s user base by opening up diverse markets, unlocking new revenue potential, and accelerating product innovation. 

Microsoft demonstrated the value of inclusive design with the successful launch of its Xbox Adaptive Controller in 2018. By developing a custom controller that makes gaming more accessible, Microsoft tapped into an underserved community of disabled video game players. It also opened the door to new partnerships, such as its collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and it provided the business case for the company’s continued investment in accessibility. In 2024 the company announced a new modular controller designed for players with disabilities. 

New companies focused on accessibility are also emerging to show the value, and necessity, of inclusivity.  One example is Danish firm Be My Eyes, a technology company that offers a free app that connects blind and visually impaired individuals with sighted volunteers for real-time visual assistance. With users in over 150 countries and partnerships with companies like Google, Linkedin, and Barilla, Be My Eyes shows that the business of inclusivity is in high demand across the globe.

Participating in The Living Technology symposium was a reminder to our community in Iceland and beyond that designing for inclusivity is simply better business. At Gangverk, we’ve seen firsthand how meaningful user research and inclusive design can lead to better, smarter products that solve real problems. Investing in inclusive research and design will shape a future where technology is truly a tool for empowerment, enabling everyone—regardless of ability—to fully participate in society. Businesses that make the investment are proving that accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s a competitive advantage.