A list of free resources for creating inclusive UX copy

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A list of free resources for creating inclusive UX copy

Chinwe Uzegbu
UX Planet
A library scene with bookshelves in the background and a some books lying on a table in the foreground. A book with flipped pages takes center stage, inviting readers to explore its contents.
Image by jcomp on Freepik

I have a simple task for you. Take any random screen from your favorite app and try to visualize it without any written content. Every page title, heading, description, and button copy goes.

What do you have left?

Hold on, let me guess. Some images, icons, and a lot of confusion. Oh! And just in case you skipped the task, here’s a screenshot from one of my favorite apps without any written content.

Edited screenshots of two screens from the Airbnb mobile app. The screens contain only images, shapes, and icons, with no written content.
Edited screenshots from Airbnb. Original images from Mobbin

Without the context that writing gives, these images and icons could represent just about anything. This shows that UX writing plays a vital role in shaping user experience. And so it goes without saying that our content should be accessible to all users.

That’s why we must prioritize inclusivity in our work as UX writers.

Inclusive UX writing is the act of actively and intentionally creating copy that is accessible to all readers. It means using language, tone, and structure that considers the needs of people, irrespective of their age, gender, language skills, tech know-how, or physical abilities.

The more inclusive your writing is, the greater the number of people who can access (and enjoy) your product.

If you’ve decided to become an inclusive UX writer, but don’t know where to start, here are some free resources to get you started:

Articles and guides

  1. Accessibility Guidelines: These guidelines provided by the A11y Project offer recommendations for creating inclusive digital experiences that accommodate diverse users and their needs.
  2. Microsoft Inclusive Design Toolkit: A practical resource to help you understand how to create products that are accessible, inclusive, and cater to the diverse needs of all users.
  3. The Inclusive Panda by Per Axbom: This article introduces Inclusive Panda as a tool for promoting ethical and inclusive design. It offers templates and guidance to organizations aiming for inclusive and sustainable solutions.
  4. Inclusive Design Principles: This article introduces principles that prioritize people’s needs, regardless of disabilities or circumstances. It provides a comprehensive approach to inclusive design for web and app development.
  5. Writing accessible and inclusive content by Oxford Brookes University: This article discusses the importance of making content accessible and inclusive for all users. It states best practices for headings, lists, tables, PDFs, etc.
  6. Readability Guidelines by Content Design London: This article provides guidelines for capitalization, along with supporting usability evidence.
  7. How readability levels affect web accessibility by Chris: This article emphasizes the importance of writing web content that is easy to read, accessible, and inclusive. It also provides tips on measuring reading levels and offers alternatives for complex content.

And to give you a better idea of how people with various disabilities experience the web (and your content), here is a disability simulator:

Silktide disability simulator for the web

And there you have it! Some resources to help you get started with inclusive UX writing.

But don’t just explore these resources. Put the knowledge into practice. By doing so, we can collectively work toward a web that embraces every user regardless of their personal identifiers.

Let’s get started!

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