Fostering Inclusivity – Towards Principles for Inclusive Information Systems Design

Designing information systems (IS) for impaired individuals is crucial yet challenging. Current inclusive design approaches often prioritize technical functionality in artifact design. However, they frequently overlook social and structural factors within design processes, such as promoting social inclusion or addressing stereotypes. This limits design processes’ inclusivity. To address this research problem, we conducted a systematic literature review of inclusive design approaches unveiling six inclusion principles. These principles, derived from examining inclusive design approaches against the functional, social and critical disability model, advocate social and structural dimensions, which existing inclusive design approaches often neglect. The proposed principles can thus guide designers to more effectively incorporate functional, social and structural dimensions of disability in design approaches and by this, can foster greater inclusivity.