Why Sustainable UI/UX Design Matters

Today, design isn’t just about looks—it’s about how digital products function, who benefits from them, and how they affect our environment. As awareness around climate change, accessibility, and equity continues to grow, startups must think beyond aesthetics and performance, embracing best practices for sustainable UI/UX design.

For Indian startups, adopting sustainable and inclusive UI/UX design isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic advantage. In this guide, we’ll explore practical steps Indian startups can take to create digital experiences that are both planet-friendly and people-first.

The Growing Importance of Sustainability and Inclusion

Terms like “sustainable design” and “inclusive UX” are more than industry buzzwords—they reflect the real needs of users and the planet.

Environmental Responsibility

  • Climate issues now affect every business sector 
  • Consumers expect greener, more mindful digital solutions 
  • Regulations around environmental impact are tightening 

Promoting Social Equity

  • India is home to a rich mix of languages, cultures, and abilities 
  • Good design must serve all users, not just the urban tech crowd 
  • Inclusive UX helps bridge the digital divide across regions and backgrounds 

Business Advantages

  • Eco-conscious and inclusive design attracts broader audiences 
  • These approaches lead to higher trust, loyalty, and lower churn 
  • Long-term, they reduce development and maintenance costs

Best Practices for Sustainable UI/UX Design: What Is It?

Sustainable UI/UX design means creating digital products that minimize energy use and digital waste, while offering lasting functionality.

Goals of Sustainable Design

  • Lower energy consumption by streamlining load-heavy assets 
  • Reduce digital pollution like oversized images or bloated code 
  • Design with longevity in mind, avoiding frequent overhauls

Practical Guidelines for Sustainable UI/UX in Indian Startups

Practical Guidelines for Sustainable UI/UX1. Optimize Visual Assets

Heavy media files slow down apps and websites, requiring more data and server energy.

Actionable Tips:

  • Use image compression tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh 
  • Implement lazy loading so images only load when needed

2. Embrace Power-Efficient Color Palettes

Dark backgrounds, especially on OLED screens, use less battery.

Pro Tip: Offer dark mode in your UI settings to give users a choice.

3. Clean Up Code and Architecture

The more efficient your code, the less energy it consumes.

Avoid:

  • Unnecessary scripts 
  • CPU-heavy animations 
  • Overloaded plugins 

4. Prioritize Reusable UI Elements

Using design systems like Material Design or Bootstrap saves resources by reducing repetitive design work.

5. Offer Low-Bandwidth Options

In many rural and Tier 2/3 cities, internet access is limited.

Offer:

  • Lite versions of your app 
  • Low-data mode toggles 
  • Compressed visuals and offline capabilities

What Is Inclusive UI/UX Design?

Inclusive design ensures digital experiences work well for people of all backgrounds, languages, ages, and abilities—not just a select few. While it includes accessibility, it’s a broader approach.

Why It Matters for Indian Startups

  • Opens your product to a much larger user base 
  • Builds a brand reputation rooted in fairness and empathy 
  • Makes the product more intuitive and enjoyable for everyone

Inclusive UI/UX Practices for Indian Startups

1. Support Indian Languages

India’s linguistic diversity is massive.

Tools to Use:

  • Google’s Internationalization (i18n) Toolkit 
  • Manual or automated language switchers in your interface 

2. Use Straightforward Icons and Text

Not everyone is familiar with English or technical jargon.

Do:

  • Use clear labels and icons 
  • Replace complex words with simpler alternatives 

3. Address Varying Literacy Levels

Long text blocks don’t work for everyone.

Better Options:

  • Use step-by-step images or short videos 
  • Offer voice guidance or symbol-based navigation 

4. Design with Disabilities in Mind

Follow WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to support:

  • Visual limitations: color contrast, screen reader compatibility 
  • Hearing issues: captions, visual alerts 
  • Physical disabilities: voice navigation, keyboard control 

5. Avoid Gender Assumptions

Gender-neutral design respects user identity.

Examples:

  • Use “They” instead of “He/She” 
  • Offer form options like “Other” or “Prefer not to disclose” 

How Design Thinking Enables Sustainable and Inclusive UX

As a design thinking and innovation firm, we’ve seen that empathy is the key to meaningful solutions. Here’s how design thinking helps:

How Design Thinking Enables Sustainable and Inclusive UX1. Empathize

Understand your user’s real-life context—whether they live in a low-connectivity area or use assistive tech.

2. Define

Frame challenges around real people, like:
 “How can we design a learning app for someone in a rural village using a basic smartphone?”

3. Ideate

Brainstorm diverse and imaginative ways to serve all user segments while minimizing environmental impact.

4. Prototype

Create low-fidelity versions to test ideas quickly with real users.

5. Test

Involve diverse testers, such as rural users, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, to gather authentic feedback.

Mobile App UX Tips for Indian Startups

Since India is largely mobile-first, here are key tips to make your app eco-efficient and inclusive:

  • Avoid autoplay background videos 
  • Keep APK files under 10MB when possible 
  • Use lightweight vector graphics 
  • Add offline capabilities wherever you can

Design with India’s Realities in Mind

India’s tech ecosystem is unique—design must reflect the ground reality.

  • Power outages are still common in some areas 
  • Many people still use budget smartphones 
  • Internet quality varies widely by region 

Startups that build for these realities don’t just meet ethical standards—they gain a market edge.

Real-World Examples from Indian Startups

Koo

  • Multilingual UI with 10+ regional languages 
  • Light version for basic devices 

Dunzo

  • Dark mode improves battery life 
  • Easy visuals support older and younger users alike 

Aarogya Setu

  • Compact app size 
  • Accessibility features helped during the COVID-19 crisis 

These brands prove that applying best practices in sustainable and inclusive UI/UX can drive national impact.

Measuring Your Design’s Impact

You can and should measure the results of your design decisions.

Sustainability Metrics:

  • Faster page loading speeds 
  • Smaller file sizes 
  • Lower server and data energy usage 

Inclusion Metrics:

  • More active users in low-bandwidth zones 
  • Engagement from different age brackets 
  • Higher accessibility scores 

Useful Tools: Google Lighthouse, Axe DevTools, PageSpeed Insights

Quick Checklist for Indian Startups

✅ Sustainability

  • Compress and optimize media files 
  • Simplify code and architecture 
  • Offer dark mode and low-data options 

✅ Inclusion

  • Support multiple regional languages 
  • Follow accessibility guidelines 
  • Include visual/voice instructions for diverse users

Conclusion: The Future Belongs to Ethical, Inclusive Design

As India rapidly digitizes, the responsibility of founders and designers is greater than ever. Building with care for the planet and all people isn’t just ethical—it’s essential for long-term success.

By following these best practices for sustainable UI/UX design tailored to Indian startups, you’re not only building better products—you’re building a better future.

FAQs

  1. Why is sustainable UI/UX design critical for Indian startups?
     Because it improves efficiency, reduces environmental harm, and supports users with limited data, battery, or tech access.
  2. How can I make my UI/UX more inclusive?
     Start by offering multiple language options, simplifying your UI, and following global accessibility standards.
  3. Does inclusive design increase costs?
     Initially, it may require more planning, but it significantly reduces churn, boosts engagement, and scales more effectively.
  4. What tools help with sustainable UI/UX design?
     Try Figma for systemized UI creation, TinyPNG for image compression, and Google Lighthouse for performance tracking.

5. Will sustainable and inclusive UX improve my brand’s image?
 Absolutely. It positions your startup as forward-thinking, ethical, and deeply user-focused.

About the author

Anuradha is a passionate Design Thinking practitioner with 10+ years of industry experience. She has dived into the field of Design and Design Thinking, where she is trained to design experiences. She is the Founding Partner and Design Lead at Humane Design and Innovation (HDI) Consulting. Her professional career spans various roles in Advisory, UX Design, Service Design, Engineering Design, Design integration, and Training. She was the lead designer of the Design Thinking and Innovation practice at KPMG. She has designed multiple digital experiences by conducting strategic UX workshops and design experiences that add functional and emotional value. To her friends & peers, she is the Bonding Agent of the team and always a go-to person. She is an avid reader, blogger & painting enthusiast.

We at Humane Design strongly believe in the human ethos and draw inspiration from humans and other elements of nature to design innovative solutions for organizations of all sizes. We will be glad to be your success partner. Please email us your requirements at explore@humaned.in.

Best Practices for Sustainable UI/UX Design