Voting and Inclusion

I grew up in Venezuela, a country where elections do not run smoothly and participation is not encouraged. Taking part there requires overcoming a series of obstacles, voters are misled and often intimidated. So, in the United States, every time I vote, I recognize what a privilege it is. And as a designer who constantly considers the customer experience, I saw some incredible examples of accessibility and opportunities for even greater inclusion.

Approaching the building and entering the voting area, signs were legible, wayfinding was obvious, interpreters were available, ramps and doors were wide enough for wheelchairs or baby carriages or just big groups.

What was inaccessible? The ballot. The font was so small, I had to use my phone flashlight. The check boxes were very small and required precision and a steady hand. There were no visual cues to check the other side which also had voting options. No doubt, ballots pose many constraints: information overload, limited space, scanner compatibility, cost.

Then again, I can’t think of a more interesting design challenge to improve the entire voting process from entrance to casting a vote. This is a great example of how accessibility and inclusion can engage all voters and ensure that the results actually reflect people’s choices.

Analogous focuses on inclusion-ready companies that are interested in growing their revenue model to incorporate a subset of people that are typically not targeted in the marketplaces. Learn about our inclusion-first approach.