Summary
We know there’s massive opportunity for AI to be used for greater speed, growth, and insights, but how can we avoid the pitfalls? Head of Accessibility Innovation at Fable Kate Kalcevich will share how to best leverage current AI tools in your day-to-day work with inclusion in mind.
Key Insights
-
•
AI-generated images often lack accurate disability representation, showing whitewashed, stereotyped, or incorrect depictions like guide dogs with leashes instead of harnesses.
-
•
Using AI to create personas for disabled users can yield implausible combinations of assistive technologies and devices, limiting their usefulness.
-
•
AI-generated design mockups may include accessibility issues such as low color contrast and non-unique button labels, requiring human review.
-
•
AI tools like Stark Sidekick can enhance design productivity by automatically identifying some accessibility problems but are not replacements for expert audits.
-
•
AI scheduling apps can support neurodivergent individuals by optimizing daily tasks and time management, improving inclusion through productivity aids.
-
•
Prompt engineering to refine AI outputs about disability requires deep subject matter expertise, otherwise bias and inaccuracies persist.
-
•
AI can help detect bias in accessibility automation projects, suggesting the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration and careful validation.
-
•
Human-centered user research and testing remain essential for understanding disability needs, as personas and AI-generated content provide limited insight.
-
•
Voice interfaces in AI tools must align visible labels and accessible commands precisely to avoid usability issues for assistive technology users.
-
•
The AI design space is evolving with pattern libraries and growing interest in integrating AI inclusively, but challenges around prompting accessibility remain widespread.
Notable Quotes
"I wear hearing aids in both of my ears and identify as disabled, so I rely on captions when I’m in meetings."
"If you have questions, I will take them throughout, so please use the Q and A."
"All the images generated of blind people using guide dogs had very inaccurate representations, like leashes instead of proper harnesses."
"AI-generated personas often mix incompatible tech like JAWS on MacBook, which just doesn't happen in real life."
"Personas tend to lack the depth you get from user research and testing, especially for people with disabilities."
"AI tools can be great productivity hacks but you still need expert review and real user feedback for accessibility."
"Scheduling tools powered by AI are helpful for people with neurodivergence to stay organized and on task."
"The button labels on AI-generated mocks were all the same, which would be confusing for screen reader users."
"If the visible button label and the code don’t match exactly, people using voice commands might not be able to activate it."
"The pattern for AI interfaces is still very open-ended and can exclude people who don’t know how to prompt well."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The discovery aspect within SAFe’s portfolio is the hardest part to get right; many product owners lack the skills to determine what to build."
Jack MoffettSAFe or Sorry? (Videoconference)
May 29, 2019
"We have a thing at Athena about positive mutual regard — sitting down with people to understand root causes for strange behaviors builds powerful bonds."
Tricia WangSCALE: Discussion
June 15, 2018
"Enterprise experience is often about broken technology and users having to keep their cool under pressure."
Fredrik MathesonFirst-time users, longtime strategies: Why Parkinson’s Law is making you less effective at work – and how to design a fix.
June 8, 2016
"Relationship Design is about how you do your work, not just what you do."
Laine Riley ProkayHow DesignOps can Drive Inclusive Career Ladders for All
September 30, 2021
"Ownership of VOC is a hot potato—we decided on a coalition with a facilitator to avoid competition."
Shipra KayanHow we Built a VoC (Voice of the Customer) Practice at Upwork from the Ground Up
September 30, 2021
"Research becomes a partner in knowledge creation and shared discovery rather than an arbiter of truth."
Kristen Guth, Ph.D.Out of the FOG: A Non-traditional Research Approach to Alignment
March 28, 2023
"Diversity sitting only at the bottom levels narrows all the work we do from the top down."
Joi FreemanA New Vantage Point: Building a Pipeline for Multifaceted Research(ers)
March 30, 2020
"Design is not a phase, it’s an ongoing conversation with the users."
Victor UdoewaTheme One Intro
March 27, 2023
"The short order cook designer executes basic recipes without room for innovation or creativity."
Peter MerholzCustomer-Centered Design Organizations
June 8, 2017