Building Information Architecture that Promotes Inclusive Communications
Nonprofit
NGO (Disability Inclusion)
Information Architecture, Creative Direction, Visual Design, Accessibility Design
Looking for Clarity
The organization had accumulated more than two decades of knowledge on employment and livelihood for persons with disabilities.
The challenge wasn't creating another publication. It was making a large body of knowledge useful to very different audiences. A corporate HR manager, a parent and a job seeker with a disability all needed different information, yet the publication had to remain one coherent resource.
The question became: How do you make 208 pages feel approachable instead of overwhelming?
Locating the Real Problem
Rather than treating the project as a publication, we approached it as an information architecture challenge.
The solution included:
Creating a clear wayfinding system so different audiences could immediately find the sections most relevant to them.
Designing an accessible visual language that did not rely solely on colour, making the publication easier to navigate for readers with colour vision deficiencies.
Developing an original icon system representing different disability types, including conditions without widely recognized visual symbols.
Working closely with the content consultant so the structure of the information and the written content evolved together.
Every design decision aimed to reduce cognitive effort rather than add visual decoration.
The Bottom line:
People rarely struggle because information is unavailable. They struggle because information is difficult to navigate. Creating clarity often means removing complexity rather than adding more content.
Aligning the Strategy
Structured the information architecture
Designed the navigation system
Developed the accessibility principles
Created the iconography system
Led the visual design
Collaborated closely with the content strategy
Solution and Tracking
The result was a single publication capable of serving audiences with very different needs without requiring separate resources. Instead of asking readers to work harder to understand the information, the publication helped guide them through it.
The project also established an accessible visual language and navigation system that could support future communication materials.
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