Do or DEI?

Mark Gash discusses the dangers of Diversity-Equality-Inclusivity-washing in your e-learning.

I was recently criticised on a client e-learning project for including a fictional avatar showing a woman of colour wearing a pink sweater.

Apparently, one of the learners who had undertaken the online course said that they worked with a real-life woman of colour who would never wear a pink sweater; therefore, our avatar was offensive. The avatar wasn’t supposed to represent a real person and as far as I know, there are no laws preventing women (let alone AI-generated women) of any skin colour from wearing pink sweaters. I would argue that for some unknown personal reasons, the woman was offended by the avatar but that it isn’t actually offensive. Semantics make all the difference.

Either way, I defer to Stephen Fry’s famous quote, “It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’ As if that gives them certain rights. It’s actually nothing more... than a whine. ‘I find that offensive.’ It has no meaning; it has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. ‘I am offended by that.’ Well, so fucking what.”

My anecdote aside, there is definitely a tightrope to be walked when considering the use of diverse characters in your e-learning. You might think that throwing in representations of people of different races, religions, body types and tastes in fashion is going to score you some points with your client and audience - but it isn’t quite that simple and there’s always somebody waiting to be offended.

Despite your good intentions - or perhaps no intentions if you were just looking for a filler image to make a nice background (tut-tut) - when it comes to e-learning, every image and every character has the potential to derail the story you’re trying to tell and piss somebody off. And of course, all e-learning should tell a story - it’s what gets the elusive buy-in and engagement from your audience and progresses them through to the final screen. But what happens when the story an organisation tells in its training courses doesn’t quite match reality?

Should characters in online learning reflect the actual workforce, or should they project an aspirational vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)? Or to put it another way, if nobody in the organisaton wears a pink sweater, but you think more people in your office should rock pink sweaters, should you include pink sweater-wearing characters in your e-learning?

Little White Lies

Imagine sitting down for an onboarding course at a new job. The training videos and e-learning modules are filled with a vibrant, multicultural mix of people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and abilities. The visuals scream inclusivity. But then you walk into the office for the first time and see a sea of white, middle-aged men in suits. The contrast is jarring. False advertising, or just forward-thinking branding? Many organisations struggle with this exact issue. They know diversity is good for business, that it fosters innovation, and that it should be reflected in learning content. But what if, despite their best efforts, their workforce remains homogenous? Is it better to be truthful about it, or depict the team they wish they had?

Truth vs. Aspiration

There’s a fine line between representing an inclusive future and misrepresenting the present. Showing diverse characters in e-learning could help shape an inclusive culture, encourage diverse applicants and set the tone for change, however, it’s misleading to present an organisation as more diverse than it actually is.

From a DEI perspective, aspirational representation makes sense - it reinforces the importance of inclusivity and normalises diversity. But from an authenticity standpoint, organisations risk being called out for ‘diversity washing’ - the corporate equivalent of virtue signaling.

Can an Image Be Offensive?

Let’s flip the question. If an organisation’s workforce genuinely lacks diversity, would showing that reality in e-learning materials be offensive? Or does offense come from the viewer’s interpretation of what they see?

In today’s world, there’s always someone waiting to dissect and scrutinise a piece of online content, looking for any opportunity to take offense at imagery that doesn’t fit their expectations of DEI. But if a company simply presents the truth - say, a training course featuring mostly white, middle-aged men because that’s who actually works there - is that inherently offensive? Or is it just an uncomfortable reality?

The truth itself isn’t offensive, but the implications of that truth might be. An all-white, all-male workforce is not a crime, but it can be a symptom of deeper issues. When people take offense, they’re reacting to what that truth represents - a lack of effort toward inclusion, systemic barriers, or a sense of exclusion. But should an organisation be held accountable for failing to fabricate diversity, or should it be accountable for failing to achieve it?

Get Your Juggling Balls Out

The best approach is to find a balance between authenticity and aspiration. Here are some key considerations:

Context matters: If the training is meant for internal employees, it should reflect the reality of the workforce while also incorporating aspirational elements. If it’s public-facing, showcasing diversity can help attract a broader audience and set the tone for inclusivity.

Use avatars & illustrations creatively: Instead of relying solely on stock photos of ‘diverse’ office teams, consider using custom avatars, illustrated characters, or abstract representations that sidestep the authenticity trap while still reinforcing inclusion.

Own the narrative: If an organisation is actively working toward diversity, acknowledge that journey. A simple statement in training materials - “We’re committed to building a more diverse workforce and reflecting that in everything we do” - can add transparency.

Avoid tokenism: Slapping diverse images into a course without real commitment to DEI can feel disingenuous. If an organisation wants to project a diverse image, they need to be diverse in reality.

So - Do or DEI?

E-learning professionals have a responsibility to create training materials that are both honest and inspiring. An organisation shouldn’t be afraid to represent itself truthfully, but it should also be mindful of what that truth says about its commitment to DEI. The best approach is to acknowledge where they are, while striving for where they want to be.

Should online courses depict the truth or an aspirational vision? The answer, as usual in these debates, is: both. Acknowledge the present, work towards the future, and make sure your e-learning visuals reflect progress, not just optics. After all, DEI isn’t just about looking diverse - it’s about being it.