Why Accessible Packaging is Good for Businesses
- Kevin Condo
- Nov 6, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 21, 2020
Let’s get this straight: nobody enjoys a package that is poorly designed.
It seems like poor packaging design and low accessibility go hand in hand. Flimsy tabs, hard-to-read text and poor material choices can make opening a package incredibly difficult. The list goes on for features that can make a packaged product inaccessible to some users.
Keeping accessibility in mind for your business can have unparalleled positive effects for both your company and the products that you offer to your customers. So, let’s dive in and see why accessibility is important and the benefits that can come when designing with accessibility!
The Importance of Accessibility
A quick fact worth mentioning is that 26% of Americans and 22% of Canadians have either a cognitive, vision, or motor disability (CanView.ca, 2019; CDC.gov, 2020). This makes a total estimate of 86,060,000 Americans and 8,303,240 Canadians.
It is apparent that there are a large number of people living with disabilities who therefore rely on accessibility. Many companies are becoming aware of this and have recently begun implementing user-friendly packaging for their products. For example, Tylenol has recently introduced a larger push-to-open cap that is much easier to remove and place back onto the bottle, which is beneficial for those with arthritis. Another example is Microsoft releasing the Xbox Adaptive Controller, which was specifically tailored for people with disabilities. The controller comes in a package that excludes plastic wrapping, zip ties and complex closures. This makes the box easy to open for people with motor and cognitive impairments.
These innovative concepts show how accessible designs allow for everyone to use a product the way that it was intended to be experienced. Furthermore, increasing accessibility creates a better experience for users who do not necessarily need the additional aid. It also shows that a company is thinking with an open mind and acknowledges that every customer is important and appreciated.
People should not feel that they are unable to use something because of an impairment that they may have. Everybody deserves the right to equal experiences and accessibility helps them achieve this.
How Businesses can Implement Accessible Design
In order to reap the benefits that come with offering user-friendly products, a good starting point would be to implement accessibility into the workplace. By doing so, all employees can participate on an even playing field.
Examples of accessible aids include using large readable text in documents and planning boards to help accommodate those who have visual impairments. Additionally, maximizing the contrast of text and images on signage around the facility can make them easier to read. Providing easy access points within the building such as ramps and textured flooring is also essential to ensuring an accessible workplace environment. A workplace that lives and breathes accessibility empowers employees to develop equally accessible products and services for customers. It also provides employees with disabilities a better chance to showcase their talents and creativity. When it comes to designing with accessibility in mind, it is extremely beneficial to involve those who are directly affected by poor accessible design to allow their insights and experiences to guide new improvements.
Let’s backtrack a little now. The attributes mentioned above can not only be implemented into the workplace, but also to a product’s packaging! Enlarged text, raised areas and high contrast on packaging can greatly improve the experience of a visually impaired customer.
Ways that Companies and People Benefit
Once both the workplace and products are well acquainted with accessibility, several benefits will become apparent in all aspects of one’s business.
Easy-to-open packages elevate the user’s experience and attract customers who have dealt with the nightmares of poor accessible design. Accessible packages also tend to have more unique and innovative structures, providing your company with a competitive advantage in the market. Additionally, developing products that are accommodating to people with disabilities expands your market reach. It also strengthens your customer loyalty base and makes them more likely to recommend your product to others. The combination of these positive effects all contributes to increasing your company’s bottom line. In a nutshell, incorporating accessibility will be sure to garner a positive reaction from others about your company.
More importantly, accessibly designed products empower people with disabilities. Often, with the plethora of products available in the market today, it can appear as if they are underrepresented due to how most generic package designs lack accessible features. By designing with accessibility, people with disabilities will be better represented and will no longer be pushed to the side.
Conclusion
To wrap up, accessibility is extremely important to include in a business. Developing an accessible workplace is a great start to further implement more accessibility down the line in products. Once more customers are able to use your products, an increase in profit is sure to make its appearance in your company. But at the end of the day, accessibility is all about allowing everyone to experience a product in the best way possible. So let’s keep accessibility in mind when coming up with new designs to help those who need it most. They’re counting on us.
References
Boogard, K. (n,d.). How To Make Your Workplace More Accessible For People With
Disabilities. Retrieved from
CanView.com. (October 30, 2019). The Link Between Accessibility and Growing Your
Brand. Retrieved from
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. (September 16, 2020). Disability Affects
All Of Us. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html#:~:text=61%20million%20adults%20in%20the,is%20highest%20in%20the%20South
GameTrailers. (July 25, 2018). Xbox Adaptive Controller - Accessible Packaging.
[Video]. Youtube. Retrieved from
Jeriann. (May 30, 2017). How Improving Accessibility Helps Businesses.
Tylenol. (n.d.). You Spoke, And We Listened: Meet Our New, Easy-Open Pill Bottle
Cap. Retrieved from https://www.tylenol.com/safety-dosing/usage/easy-open-pill-bottles
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