The importance of accessible and inclusive design for digital health and pharma products

Accessible and inclusively designed digital products consider the needs of all users right from the outset.

Through embracing these design principles, health and pharma companies ensure all patients and HCPs can successfully use and benefit from their digital solutions.

We look at what accessible design is and why it’s so important for health and pharma before summarising some design best practices and considering the important role of user testing research in the design process. 

Digital solutions that are designed with accessibility in mind are those that are inclusive to the needs of all users. Many people don’t use digital products in a traditional way, and this is often overlooked by developers, designers and content creators. 

Accessible digital solutions — websites, apps, services and other digital products — are those that can be used by a wide range of people, including individuals who have visual, motor, auditory, speech, or cognitive disabilities. 

Critical information and interactions 

Accessible content and inclusive design are particularly important for digital health and pharma solutions as they deal with critical information or interactions. 

The implications of getting it wrong and limiting who can access the digital information or services in this context are potentially huge — it is crucial that all users are considered. 

Furthermore, the day-to-day lives of patients and HCPs can be difficult enough without the added problem of inaccessible digital products and services. 

Diverse demographics 

Digital health and pharma products are used by patients from large demographics. The pool of patients for common conditions such as Diabetes is as diverse as the population at large. Disease doesn’t discriminate, and neither should design

This is an equally important consideration for digital products that cater to HCPs. Healthcare professionals as a group have a diverse range of needs and abilities and digital solutions that are designed to make their lives easier — for example, a drug website — must ensure they are inclusive and accessible for all. 

The irony of inaccessible design for health and pharma

The majority of physical products and solutions offered by companies in the health and pharma sector have the primary aim of improving the health and lives of patients. 

It would be ironic if a drug or medical device devised with the aim of improving or saving lives was unable to achieve this for a proportion of patients because of shortcomings in the accessibility of the corresponding digital products. 

By neglecting to consider accessibility and inclusivity in design, providers are neglecting their core commitment and purpose and risking the health of patients.

Inclusive design improves the user experience for all

Improvements to the design of digital products largely go either completely unnoticed by users without any additional needs or even improve the overall experience for all users. 

Designing an app that can be used easily by people with limited dexterity or limb amputations also makes it easier to use by people who are accessing on the go or with one hand due to carrying a child, for example. 

Ensuring high contrast, large point size, clear headings and simply structured text improves accessibility for users with low vision or color blindness. It also makes it easier for busy HCPs to scan and digest a page of web content and find the information that they are looking for. 

Inclusive design is not only for those with disabilities or conditions, but helps to improve the overall experience for all users.