Annie Jean-Baptiste is disruptive in all the best ways. Her work at Google as the head of product inclusion focuses on shifting paradigms to make products and services more inclusive to people who are underserved and underrepresented. In her keynote presentation at NeoCon, she shared why designing for the few is what is best for the many.
One of her favorite quotes is “When you build for the margins, you get the center for free.” Design for people who are historically excluded and everyone else gets the benefit, too. Based on the collective hums and nods of approval in the room at THE MART, many others agree. But Jean-Baptiste is not satisfied with agreement or good intentions; she strives to make an impact.
So how do designers implement solutions that are effective and not simply well-intentioned? According to Jean-Baptiste, by asking a lot of questions. Introspective curiosity is routine for her. She recognizes the limitations of her knowledge with openness and humility.
That inquiry is the beginning of what Jean-Baptiste calls proactive innovation. To get ahead of what consumers want and need so they feel recognized for their differences. The best way to do that, she said, is by asking them. Or, as she put it in her keynote, “If you’re talking about ‘them’ there better be some ‘theys’ in the room .” Bringing new people into the process is essential to cross that bridge from intent to impact.
One thing she implores people to understand is the return on investment inclusivity offers. When equity meets innovation, the results are smarter, more sustainable business solutions. Designing for the marginalized is not simply the right thing to do — it is good for business.
Take the Google Pixel camera, for example. Historically, cameras were designed to capture the best images of people with lighter skin tones. Their product development team realized that the original paradigm no longer fit the needs of their consumers, so they changed it. The goal was to create a camera that captured every hue and pigment melanin can produce. The result? One of the most advanced and dynamic cell phone cameras ever created. The person who spearheaded the project? Annie Jean-Baptiste.
Indeed, diversity work is often called “disruptive” for the way it challenges norms and defies the status quo. But her keynote proved that “groundbreaking, meaningful and important” are far more accurate descriptors. Her holistic perspective on consumers gives their uniqueness meaning and honors their desire to be seen and understood. The impacts of her efforts expand the consumer base without sacrificing what already works.
“Reimagining the default” is the phrase the tech executive used to describe newly established standards for products and services. Curb cuts – or the ramps graded down on sidewalks to meet with the street – were originally designed for wheelchair accessibility. Their universal benefits were not readily recognized, and the proposal was met with backlash. Once the curb cut design was implemented, it became clear that they were convenient for everyone — from travelers with suitcases, parents with strollers, and regular pedestrians. Just like phone cameras that capture every skin tone, they are now the baseline of quality design.
At the end of her keynote, Jean-Baptiste was asked how her young life led her to this line of work. “Advocacy. To save myself and others,” she said. Both her parents are Haitian immigrants, and she is no stranger to being a minority. She shared a story about ordering plantains on DoorDash, only to be delivered bananas. What was meant to be a taste of home became a reminder of the importance of her work. Her father used to tell her, “Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.” So, while she solves problems for everyone, it is clear this mission holds a deeper meaning for her.
Her strategies express empathy with people who think differently and aim to unify them to a common purpose. “Profit and people are not mutually exclusive” is not a revolutionary perspective, but it is a guideline that helps drive prejudice and insensitivity out of organizations. It is also a perspective that led her to an executive position at Google.
The undertone of her speech reflected a valuable understanding: that her reasons for implementing change are not the same reasons as others. Equitable design is her imperative, but others strive for different standards. By linking profit, reputation and overall business success to diversity, equity and inclusion, Jean-Baptiste embeds her mission into the definition of organizational success.