From connectivity to connectedness: Inclusive Design for Digital Public Services

Abstract

Designing public services means ensuring the full exercise of citizenship rights for millions of people. Ensuring that they are accessible, equitable, and inclusive is, therefore, a moral duty before it is a professional one. But what happens when a public service goes digital? How can the principles of equal treatment and universality be guaranteed in the face of a digital divide that is still distinctly widespread? Low digital skills on the one hand and unintuitive interfaces on the other combine to make it unrealistic to ensure sufficient and adequate equity in the use of digital public services, as well as the absence of discrimination based on age, level of schooling, health status - physical and mental - religious, sexual or political orientation. Applying Inclusive Design principles can help narrow the current gap by preparing today’s and tomorrow’s designers to meet the challenges of emerging technologies while maintaining an ethical, holistic and systemic vision.