Ghost is for All

'Ghost is for All' is a partnership that combines the visionary forces of Ghost Dynamics' strategic design practice, and All is for All’s creative consultancy team, all of whom have lived experience of disability. Championed by Julie Leuzinger and Grace Stratton , our shared mission is to authentically reimagine citizen services to be truly inclusive and deliver better outcomes for everyone.

In New Zealand and Australia alone, ~18-24% of government and business audiences are being excluded from your services if you don't already have an authentic and robust approach to consider and meet the specific needs of people living with disability. What about the aging population, or those with lower digital ability? This number only gets larger.

In an age where digital innovation is rapidly transforming citizen services and experiences, there is a tendency to prioritise efficiency gains and self-service solutions, often at the expense of those with lower levels of digital access. While the aim is to optimise public spending and cut costs, especially in tough economic times, this can inadvertently exclude those who need the service most, and create friction that drives people to higher cost channels or exacerbates the issues that we are meant to be solving for.

Designing for all isn't just about creating a more level playing field, it's about making services easier to use for everyone.

It’s more common to think about people with permanent disabilities such as blindness, but 'designing for all' also includes people with temporary impairments, changing abilities, poor internet connection, assistive technologies, and more. Consider someone using your website on their phone while on a noisy bus with patchy internet and a wet screen. Designing to work in this environment also caters for a person's needs beyond their individual ability - it also considers different modes and spaces we all operate in.

We all experience temporary impairments. Distractions. Bad wi-fi. Foggy glasses. Inclusive thinking is really designing for reality, making services more usable in more conditions, for more people.

Additionally, as we age, we may find ourselves less tech-savvy and experiencing cognitive decline. Digital services create new avenues for bad actors to target people with lower systems literacy and confidence. Thinking beyond compliance is key to mitigate the risk and cost of misuse.

More than half of over 65-year-olds experienced an actual, or attempted scam in New Zealand in 2023.

Embracing a ‘designing for all’ ethos has a strong case for investment.

A 'designing for all' ethos helps create products and services that can reach a greater potential audience, better mitigate risks, and ultimately, improve return on investment. It also results in a positive experience for more people, increasing satisfaction, task success, and advocacy, while reducing support costs and more expensive development rework later in the process.

01

Increase audience reach, fit, satisfaction and uptake.

02

Minimise legal risk and increase compliance.

03

Enhance brand, reputation, and preference.

04

Reduce cost to serve incurred through support channels and development rework.

While these aspects are all valuable, it's up to you to determine which are most important for your organisation, and guide our focus together.

Inclusive design thinking is also a key driver of innovation. Targeting 'edge user' needs often results in capabilities that are valuable at scale. For example, 'auto complete' was originally introduced for disabled users, but rapidly became mainstream due to its universal value. The same is true for the electric toothbrush, and video subtitles.

80% of people who use subtitles aren't deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles also help in public or noisy areas, and for concentration or translation purposes.

We're committed to creating systems that uplift and enable every individual and community, in ways that work for them. We seek to foster a society where inclusivity isn't an option but a standard, sustainably ingrained into the way our society serves people.

01

Inclusive innovation

We integrate the perspectives and experiences of disabled and underrepresented communities directly into our design practices. This ensures that services for people and communities are responsive to diverse lived experiences.

02

Enablement through participation

We believe in enabling communities by involving them not just in feedback sessions, but as active participants in designing, shaping and delivering services. This collaborative approach leads to solutions that are not only effective but also resonate deeply with the people they serve.

03

Enhanced outcomes

Ethical practice leads to more effective research outcomes and service delivery. By addressing often disregarded needs of communities, we move from perceived vulnerability toward sustainable and inclusive systems.

04

Impactful change

Our partnership isn't just about improving services; it's about redefining how governments and organisations interact with and serve their communities.

Ghost and All Is For All are trusted partners with as much capability as you need — from strategy through to execution. Whether you are just starting to explore how your product or service could be more inclusive, or you are a long time advocate of "designing for all", we offer flexible services to support your journey.

As specialists with a proven track record of inclusive innovation, we have established relationships that bring diverse communities together effectively and respectfully.

We believe there are no inherently vulnerable communities. However, when invisible needs are overlooked or misunderstood, some become vulnerable. Our mission is to identify and elevate these needs to help lift everyone's wellbeing through the work we do.

Certifications and accreditations

As a combined team, we are committed to remaining current with evolving web standards and compliance guidelines, so you don't have to. Our practices and practitioners are certified by leading industry bodies.