Start with Inclusive Research
Invite moderators, mental health professionals, and community members to share the emotions they struggle to express online. Document key moments: celebrating progress, acknowledging setbacks, checking in on wellbeing.
Research deliverables
- List of normalized emotions (hopeful, overwhelmed, curious, uncertain).
- Trigger warnings and symbols to avoid for specific audiences.
- Voice and tone guidelines sourced from your Emotional Wellbeing Hub documentation.
Design with Accessibility Front of Mind
Empathy-first emojis must read clearly at small sizes and support assistive technology. Pair each asset with descriptive alt text that captures emotional intent without assumptions.
Accessibility checklist
- Maintain WCAG contrast ratios between emoji foreground and background.
- Test icons at 24px, 48px, and 72px to confirm facial cues are visible.
- Offer multiple skin tones or neutral abstractions to reflect diverse communities.
Pro tip: Add a link back to the AI Emoji Generator with preset prompts so moderators can request new supportive reactions quickly.
Roll Out with Care and Moderation
Introduce new emojis alongside updated community guidelines. Highlight use cases and clarify when moderators may intervene.
Launch plan
- Publish a long-form explainer referencing the Workplace Hub for internal employee resource groups.
- Schedule monthly listening sessions to iterate on feedback.
- Integrate emojis into response templates for coaches, mentors, or peer supporters.