Inclusive Design for a Digital World

Approach digital design with care, curiosity, and the people most often left out. This book invites you to rethink how we create digital systems, products, and tools, not just to meet accessibility requirements, but to shape a more inclusive future. UX design professor and author Regine Gilbert provides a thoughtful, practical, and global perspective on designing with empathy and intention across websites, apps, games, and emerging technologies like AI, VR, and AR.

This expanded edition reflects the rapid evolution of the tech landscape. It features up-to-date guidance on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2), the European Accessibility Act, and international standards. It also explores the intersection of AI and accessibility, examining both the promises and risks of machine learning, automated tools, and algorithmic bias. You’ll learn how to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and design for real human experiences, especially for those historically excluded.

Inclusive Design for a Digital World, Second Edition isn’t a checklist or a fix-it manual, it’s a collection of reflections, case studies, questions, and examples that help you design with more people in mind from the start. Whether you’re working on a subway kiosk, an AI chatbot, a learning app, or a video game, inclusive design is about recognizing who’s being left out and doing the work to build systems that allow more people to participate, contribute, and belong.

What You Will Learn

Apply WCAG 2.2 and understand how to meet international compliance requirements

Navigate the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and its implications for digital products

Design inclusive experiences for users with visual, motor, auditory, and cognitive disabilities

Identify how AI and machine learning impact accessibility and inclusion—both positively and negatively

Incorporate assistive technologies into your design and testing workflows

Create accessible mobile apps, websites, video games, and immersive experiences like VR and AR

Conduct user research and usability testing with diverse participants

Build inclusive design systems and content architectures from the ground up

Who This Book Is For
Designers, developers, researchers, product managers, content strategists, educators, and technologists working to embed inclusion into every phase of the digital product lifecycle, with a special emphasis on those exploring the impact of AI on accessibility.