Summary
One of the strongest ways of making sure your customer experiences are accessible is to broaden the definition of accessibility for everyone at your organisation. Here are practical steps to make it happen, from visual and interaction design to content and code. Expose how some interpretations of a11y should be exceeded and practical steps to learn about accessibility as a topic. Real product stories relating to accessibility. Understand how design, content, and code work together to make accessible experiences that are better for all customers.
Key Insights
-
•
The ADA does not explicitly mandate digital accessibility, but courts have broadly interpreted it to apply to websites as public accommodations.
-
•
WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines are widely used as the de facto legal accessibility standard though they don’t cover native mobile apps.
-
•
Designing for accessibility solely as a checklist or legal compliance misses many real-world usage situations that affect product adoption.
-
•
Situational use cases, which consider the user's environment and context, help designers identify accessibility needs beyond disability.
-
•
Megan’s work at Nickelodeon showed that designing for toddlers—a traditionally non-disabled audience—required rethinking standard UX approaches.
-
•
Common real-life scenarios like one-handed use, noisy environments, or temporary impairments create accessibility challenges for many users.
-
•
Compass found ergonomic issues like poor thumb reach zones on mobile app UIs impacting user experience even for able-bodied users.
-
•
Accessibility integrated into a design system foundation promotes consistent, scalable, and systemic inclusion across teams and products.
-
•
Manual accessibility QA by trained testers plus team education are critical complements to automated accessibility checks.
-
•
Embedding accessibility education into onboarding and ongoing training is essential for enterprise-wide adoption and continuous improvement.
Notable Quotes
"The ADA is not a proactive law; it mostly applies when someone sues for violation of their rights."
"WCAG doesn’t technically apply to native mobile apps, which is a big gap in accessibility standards."
"Designing for three-year-olds meant considering they can’t read, hold devices well, or understand logins."
"Situational use cases help us clarify moments that influence whether our design will be successful and adopted."
"Olivia’s experience showed that not designing for one-handed use leads to misclicks and dropped phones."
"John struggles with screen glare and small text while working from home, showing that situational factors affect usability."
"Designing for flexibility in situations benefits not only disabled users but a broader range of people in diverse contexts."
"Accessibility isn’t just a checklist — it requires smart systems and people who care enough to make changes."
"Embedding accessibility guidelines throughout design components means it’s not an add-on but integral to the product."
"Educating everyone who touches the product about accessibility is the most impactful action beyond having a dedicated team."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Using skittles to map skills made it less personal but more fun and engaging for designers."
Shaping design, designers and teams
November 8, 2018
"Bringing design on an equal eye level with technology and business is the starting point."
Sabrina Mach Nina WainwrightHow to Design Your Design Operating Model
September 29, 2021
"When you design for the edges, you get the middle for free."
Samuel ProulxInvisible barriers: Why accessible service design can’t be an afterthought
December 3, 2024
"By designing products through the lens of edge cases like disabilities first, they can often become better products for everyone."
Saara Kamppari-MillerDesignOps for Inclusive Design and Accessibility (Videoconference)
May 26, 2022
"As the delivery driver, my role was connecting the dots, getting briefs, and sometimes saying no to lofty requests."
Briana ThomasThe Quiet Force: Uncovering Hidden Leadership in High-Impact Design Teams
September 24, 2024
"A good story that people can retell is key for global communication, even if it distorts a bit."
Adam Cutler Karen Pascoe Ian Swinson Susan WorthmanDiscussion
June 8, 2016
"I’m hoping that once we figure this out, I can kind of go back to my old goal and break those rules."
Operationalizing DesignOps
November 7, 2018
"This is not brain cancer. Nobody dies if we get it wrong — the worst is taking a different approach."
Leah Buley Joe NatoliAsk Me Anything with Leah Buley and Joe Natoli, co-authors of The User Experience Team of One (2nd edition)
October 8, 2024
"Strategy should be continuous, circular, and evolve with every action the organization takes."
Nathan ShedroffDouble Your Mileage: Use Your Research Strategically
March 31, 2020