A few months ago I was at a UX meet up where the topic was accessibility. As the speaker was explaining how his team accounted for accessibility, I realized “Oh shit. I’ve never put any consideration towards accessibility in any design I’ve ever created.” I think of myself as a very progressive and inclusive person, but I hadn’t considered my users who aren't the “typical” user.
To be inclusive to those with disabilities, I'm committing myself to:
Get my website up to standards—make sure images have descriptions and alt text, properly format content, create unique links, and make sure my CMS continues to support accessibility.
Listening to those with disabilities and understand how they use the tech I design everyday. Molly Burke is a Youtuber who uses her platform to explain how she does everyday tasks as a blind woman. She has a great video on how she uses technology, and another fun one about what emojis "sound like."
Understanding that accessibility expands beyond disability. Many people who use tech have a limited understanding of English. If you're writing copy for the web or an app, run it through the Hemingway Editor (which I used for this post). It will help simplify your language and wording so your writing is more accessible.
Recognizing that those with disabilities shouldn't be excluded from the fun. A Sony employee heard that a gamer with cerebral palsy was having difficulty playing his PS4 games due to the controller's touchpad. The employee created a new controller for the man so he could easily play. It's easy for us to design "necessary" tech with accessibility in mind. But we need to also make sure everyone can enjoy the fun things we create.
This post was also inspired by an Invision Design Talk with Jonathan Shairat, co-author of Tragic Design. I encourage you to watch the talk!