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
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The ADA does not explicitly mandate digital accessibility, but courts have broadly interpreted it to apply to websites as public accommodations.
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WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines are widely used as the de facto legal accessibility standard though they don’t cover native mobile apps.
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Designing for accessibility solely as a checklist or legal compliance misses many real-world usage situations that affect product adoption.
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Situational use cases, which consider the user's environment and context, help designers identify accessibility needs beyond disability.
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Megan’s work at Nickelodeon showed that designing for toddlers—a traditionally non-disabled audience—required rethinking standard UX approaches.
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Common real-life scenarios like one-handed use, noisy environments, or temporary impairments create accessibility challenges for many users.
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Compass found ergonomic issues like poor thumb reach zones on mobile app UIs impacting user experience even for able-bodied users.
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Accessibility integrated into a design system foundation promotes consistent, scalable, and systemic inclusion across teams and products.
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Manual accessibility QA by trained testers plus team education are critical complements to automated accessibility checks.
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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."
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