Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design by Kat Holmes

• To adopt inclusive practices, one needs to understand why exclusion takes place. The books mention that we are naturally better at exclusion and, this starts from a very young age. Inclusion takes practice.
  
  That got me thinking that this is indeed true because we witness the formation of all sorts of cliques at school 🏫. Exclusion happens because one is afraid 😱 that the team dynamics might change and one might lose control and power. This behavior continues as one grows older. I have observed how some companies emphasize hiring candidates based on cultural fit. On the other hand, some companies are looking for culture add as they understand the importance of having a diverse team. I can’t wait for this to be the norm 📈.
  
  
• The book highlights a brilliant incident on inclusion, where a school teacher 🧑‍🏫 instructed the students that they can engage in games and they cannot tell their peers the following: “You can’t play with me.”. Sure, there was some displeasure and friction. But overall, this incident yielded a positive experience 🙂, especially for those students who bore the brunt of exclusion for a long time. Students gained new friendships 🤝 and found their confidence. Given that inclusiveness causes positive experiences, why should we, as designers, ignore it?