Amplifying insights from underrepresented users to build more inclusive products.

Airbnb brings together thousands of people from different backgrounds in over 191 countries everyday. Research has surfaced heartwarming stories of travelers and hosts experiencing lifelong bonds and magical experiences. However, research is also helping us learn where the product needs to evolve to scale inclusion for a global community—and how we might do that better.

What can we, as researchers, do to proactively include and amplify the experiences of underrepresented users who don’t feel a sense of belonging? This talk will look at the gap between how underrepresented users experience products vs. the general population, and how this gap can help to guide where efforts should be focused to make products more inclusive. It will dive into case studies and practices we can adopt in research to build better, more inclusive products that aim to provide equal access for everyone, and the ways in which Airbnb is tackling inclusivity at scale.