Leaving an inclusive legacy
Product Design & Validation
With Leaving a Legacy
Challenge
Leaving a Legacy and its newly launched app presents a remarkable opportunity for individuals to positively impact the planet and foster a sustainable future.
As part of their mission to push intersectional sustainability forward, they wanted to guarantee the app made the envelope in terms of accessibility and welcoming all users as active community members.
Outcome
A step by step roadmap to push the user experience forward, with a strong focus on equitable design, accessibility, and representation.
context
Leaving A Legacy in a profit for purpose founded to support grass route initiatives around the world that are working to solve and service our planet’s ever-growing challenges (Carbon Emissions, Sustainable Development, Environment Degradation, Habitat and Wildlife loss).
As a part of their effort to create a driven community and connect like-minded individuals in 2023, they launched an app that operates as a hub of information, inspiration, and connection.
This launch also marks the perfect timing to push the user experience forward, with a strong focus on equitable design, accessibility, and representation.
About the app
Users can access the latest sustainability news expert advice through the app or participate in activities such as growing their food, sustainable living workshops, and connecting with like-minded individuals who share a deep appreciation for nature.
Initially intended for the UK, the app has expanded its vision towards a global one. Leaving a Legacy expects more users from Kenya and the East Africa regions. This evolution is a testament to the universality of our collective responsibility – a responsibility that knows no borders and transcends cultural differences.
Process
We used our proprietary tool, t:rex, to test the new Leaving a Legacy app on over 40 parameters related to equitable design, accessibility, and representation.
Through meticulous attention to detail and thoughtful consideration, we crafted more than 100 recommendations.
Key Finding
Maintaining an inclusive space within a community app that relies on user-generated content can be challenging. However, by prioritizing users’ diverse needs and experiences, we can take the first step toward creating an environment where everyone can engage with the app.
Maintaining inclusivity within a user-generated content community app requires ongoing effort and vigilance. Regular moderation, clear community guidelines, and responsive feedback mechanisms
An essential aspect of improving accessibility is to adjust interface elements to accommodate different user requirements by creating accessible design and development systems that prioritize universal design principles and implementing accessibility standards.
However, it is crucial to understand that working toward accessibility is not a one-time effort but a continuous and intentional process. Accessibility should be integral to your daily content creation and imagery, as the choice of words and images can significantly impact accessibility.
Creating an inclusive space goes beyond mere representation; it fosters an environment where every user feels valued, encouraged, and heard. By promoting respect, empathy, and open dialogue within the community, we can embrace diverse perspectives and cultivate a sense of belonging for all.
Additionally, it’s fundamental to create dedicated spaces where the voices of individuals involved in the different projects and groups can be heard and amplified.
+100
Recommendations
16
Recommendations Representation
27
Recommendations Equitable Design
58
Recommendations Accessibility
- +100 recommendations and solutions to improve all issues mapped;
- Roadmap for optimizing user experience containing recommendations for 4 areas of action: content, ux/ui, interaction design, and product strategy;
- A score based on the tool's clear metrics (as-is) and projective results;
- Screen analysis, illustrating the areas in which the app excels and those that need improvement and why.
“It’s invaluable! Every organisation that truly cares about being more inclusive shouldn’t even think twice [about buying this service]".
Wendy Bonham-Carter, CMO Leaving a Legacy
Impact for client work
Incorporating an evaluation of inclusion and accessibility during the beta test phase of the app’s development will allow the product team to address most of the suggestions before the official launch.
The roadmap is strategic and action-driven, and the step-by-step task list to improve accessibility and inclusivity saves time and resources.
By adhering to these recommendations, we anticipate a significant enhancement in app performance and inclusivity, with our projections indicating an improvement ranging from 25% to 30%.
The app performance and inclusivity are expected to improve significantly — a medium-scale improvement of more than 25%.
“The roadmap and step by step is invaluable. If we just follow the recommendations, I know inclusivity and accessibility will be one of the foremost principles of our user experiences — not just in the app but across all that we do”
Wendy Bonham-Carter, CMO Leaving a Legacy
On a strategic level, it will help the organization reframe product design, marketing and social media efforts and put user experience and inclusivity in everything they do. One of the key results is to reframe how they talk to marginalized groups and create a better user experience and engagement for anyone who uses it.
Key Takeaways
This approach enables the team to create a more enriching experience for all users, fostering a diverse community and enhancing engagement with the app.
By recognizing the importance of these factors to create a genuinely impactful platform, Leaving a Legacy is committed to ensuring that the app caters to a diverse range of users.
