Designing For Accessibility

💎 Accessibility For Designers Checklist (PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF), a practical set of cards on WCAG accessibility guidelines, from accessible color, typography, animations, media, layout and development — to kick-off accessibility conversations early on. Kindly put together by Geri Reid. WCAG for Designers Checklist, by Geri Reid Article: https://lnkd.in/ef8-Yy9E PDF: https://lnkd.in/e9Z2G2kF WCAG 2.2 Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/eYmzrNh7 Accessibility isn’t about compliance. It’s not about ticking off checkboxes. And it’s not about plugging in accessibility overlays or AI engines either. It’s about *designing* with a wide range of people in mind — from the very start, independent of their skills and preferences. In my experience, the most impactful way to embed accessibility in your work is to bring a handful of people with different needs early into design process and usability testing. It’s making these test sessions accessible to the entire team, and showing real impact of design and code on real people using a real product. Teams usually don’t get time to work on features which don’t have a clear business case. But no manager really wants to be seen publicly ignoring their prospect customers. Visualize accessibility to everyone on the team and try to make an argument about potential reach and potential income. Don’t ask for big commitments: embed accessibility in your work by default. Account for accessibility needs in your estimates. Create accessibility tickets and flag accessibility issues. Don’t mistake smiling and nodding for support — establish timelines, roles, specifics, objectives. And most importantly: measure the impact of your work by repeatedly conducting accessibility testing with real people. Build a strong before/after case to show the change that the team has enabled and contributed to, and celebrate small and big accessibility wins. It might not sound like much, but it can start changing the culture faster than you think. Useful resources: Giving A Damn About Accessibility, by Sheri Byrne-Haber (disabled) https://lnkd.in/eCeFutuJ Accessibility For Designers: Where Do I Start?, by Stéphanie Walter https://lnkd.in/ecG5qASY Web Accessibility In Plain Language (Free Book), by Charlie Triplett https://lnkd.in/e2AMAwyt Building Accessibility Research Practices, by Maya Alvarado https://lnkd.in/eq_3zSPJ How To Build A Strong Case For Accessibility, ↳ https://lnkd.in/ehGivAdY, by 🦞 Todd Libby ↳ https://lnkd.in/eC4jehMX, by Yichan Wang #ux #accessibility

Inaccessibility is all around us - but sometimes we’re doing it without even realising. I’ve made every one of these mistakes in the past. It wasn’t until someone took the time to point them out that I learned how inaccessible I was being - despite having good intentions. Here are 5 ways you might be being inaccessible, without even knowing: 1. Long LinkedIn headlines or overuse of emojis. Screen reader users hear your full headline every single time you post or comment. Every. Single. Time. Even when it’s truncated visually. That can mean hearing your full job title, emojis, and taglines multiple times before even reaching your post content. Try to keep your headline under 100 characters or two lines max - it makes a huge difference. 2. Long email signatures, HTTP links, and unlabelled images. Screen readers will read out every line - including things like “H-T-T-P-colon-slash-slash…” for full URLs. Images without alt text are completely invisible to screen reader users. Keep it short and simple, and use alt text wherever you can. Put only essential info in your email signature and put two dashes at the top to signal your signature is starting. And remember, it’s not your marketing tool. When was the last time you actually bought something from an email signature?! 3. Not running documents through the accessibility checker. You run a spell check, so why not an acceeeibility check? It’s a quick step, but it can flag things like heading structures, contrast issues, and missing image descriptions. It takes seconds and makes a big impact. 4. Using colour alone to convey meaning. For example, “I’ve marked the important cells in green” doesn’t help if someone can’t perceive colour easily. Neither does “I’ve shaded the cells for our RAG status”. Always add a label, icon, or another indicator. 5. Using all lowercase hashtags. #thisisnotaccessible - screen readers can’t parse where one word ends and another begins. Use camel case instead - #ThisIsAccessible - so screen readers pronounce the words correctly. Small changes, big impact. If you’ve made some of these mistakes before - welcome to the club. We learn, we improve, we do better. #DisabilityInclusion #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #Adjustments #DiversityAndInclusion #Content #A11y

Case study: digital accessibility of LEGO When we think of LEGO, we usually imagine playful bricks, creative builds, and global design. But there’s another journey happening behind the scenes — a digital accessibility journey that many organisations still haven’t begun. 🕰️ A quick chronology: · 2010s: LEGO begins to commit publicly to digital accessibility, with statements that invite feedback and continuous improvement.  · 2020s: The LEGO Foundation and LEGO Education collaborate with accessibility organisations (e.g., Royal National Institute of Blind People) to build inclusive digital learning tools.  · 2023-2025: Innovative initiatives such as a voice-enabled retail experience for older adults showing how digital inclusion goes beyond visuals.  · Ongoing: public statements where LEGO openly lists known issues and commits to continual improvement—showing transparency and maturity in digital accessibility. ✨ What sets LEGO apart from other companies? · They talk openly about “partially compliant” status instead of pretending everything is perfect. · They embed accessibility into both digital retail and educational products, and collaborate with specialists and users with disabilities. · They innovate inclusively: voice assistants, educational inclusivity, accessible digital learning platforms, in addition to basic compliance. · They use feedback loops and user-testing, not just audits. 🎯 Some interesting facts: 1. LEGO introduced braille-coded bricks (numbers & letters) to help vision-impaired children learn via play.  2. They partnered with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme: LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, is certified “sensory inclusive” and provides tools for visitors with hidden or sensory disabilities.  3. LEGO added characters wearing sunflower lanyards in their sets to represent hidden disabilities (autism, ADHD, etc.) — promoting representation beyond visible physical disabilities.  4. Their digital accessibility statement publicly acknowledges “partial compliance” with WCAG 2.1 Level AA — showing transparency about ongoing work instead of claiming full conformity.  5. LEGO Education’s accessibility commitment includes collaborating with a specialist organisation (Perkins School for the Blind) to align its apps and web experiences with WCAG 2.2 AA. ⚠️ But important gaps remain: · While digital efforts are strong, there are still reports of usability issues for colourblind or vision-impaired users in some instruction apps.  · Some digital retail experiences mention scaling or text-size issues in their own statements.  · Accessibility statements often apply to a subset of apps/sites and note that full compliance is “work in progress”. #LEGO #WebAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #A11y #DigitalInclusion #AccessibilityInnovation #HiddenDisabilities #SensoryInclusive #EqualAccess #InclusiveTech

7 Everyday Hacks You Wouldn’t Have Without Disabled People You know the little ramp at the end of a pavement? That’s called a curb cut; made for wheelchair users. But now used by parents with buggies, cyclists, travellers and more. That’s the curb cut effect: when access for disabled people ends up helping everyone. 1. Electric Toothbrush Originally designed for people with limited grip or coordination. Now everyone uses them! 2. Ramps Built for wheelchair access, but now essential for cyclists, people with prams, delivery workers & more. 3. Text-to-Speech & Voice Assistants Created for blind & mobility-impaired users. Now used daily to set timers, send texts, and manage smart homes. 4. Velcro Invented in the 1940s, Velcro became widely used in disability care settings before it went mainstream, even before NASA made it famous. 5. Audiobooks Developed to provide access for blind readers. Now a key tool for multitaskers, commuters and resting listeners. 6. Touchless & Automatic Doors Designed for accessibility. Now a standard feature in supermarkets, hospitals, airports and office buildings. 7. Subtitles & Captions Created for Deaf & hard of hearing people. Now used by millions to focus, learn, or watch content in quiet settings. Disability drives innovation. Accessibility helps everyone. Let’s give credit where it’s due and invest in access not just as a compliance measure, but as a catalyst for better design and outcomes for all. Which of these do you use regularly? Let me know what other everyday hacks we wouldn't have without Disabled People this Disability Pride Month! Video Description: Jenni, a white disabled woman with auburn hair and using a manual wheelchair, shows 7 everyday hacks we wouldn’t have without disabled people, including the electric toothbrush, curb ramps, voice assistants, Velcro, audiobooks, automatic doors & captions. These are all examples of the curb cut effect: access tools designed by or for disabled people that now benefit everyone. #DisabilityInclusion #AccessibilityMatters #CurbCutEffect #DisabilityPrideMonth #InclusiveDesign #DisabledInnovation #UniversalDesign #AccessForAll #EverydayAccessibility #DisabledAndProud

1 in 12 men can’t see your design. And you’re still using red for errors. There’s a real chance your user can’t distinguish between your success green and error red. Yet most design teams still treat colour blindness like an edge case. It’s not. Here’s the simplified breakdown every designer should know: 1. Red-Green (Deuteranopia & Protanopia) - 1st Priority Affects ~8% of men, ~0.5% women. Users struggle to distinguish: • Red vs green. • Brown vs green. • Orange vs red. What to do: • Never rely on red/green alone for success and error states. • Pair every status with text and an icon (✓ ✗ ⚠). • Ensure colours differ in brightness and contrast, not just hue. • Meet contrast requirements: 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for UI components. If you only fix one thing, fix this. 2. Blue-Yellow (Tritanopia) - 2nd Priority Very rare (~0.01%), but still worth checking. Users struggle with: • Blue vs yellow. • Blue vs green. • Purple vs red. What to do: • Avoid pairing blue/yellow for critical states. • Don’t rely on blue vs green to indicate meaning. • Add icons and text to “info,” “warning,” and “alert” states. • Maintain strong brightness contrast. Red/green works fine here. 3. Monochromacy - 3rd Priority Extremely rare. Users see only in grayscale (no colour perception). What to do: • Rely on contrast, not hue. • Use text labels, icons, patterns or structural differences. • Never use colour as the only indicator for meaning. If your design works in grayscale, you’ve already covered this. Here's a guide your team can use: ✅ DO • Add icons or labels to all colour-coded states. • Use contrast differences ; at least 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for UI components. • Test with simulators (Stark, Colorblind, Who Can Use). • Ask yourself: “Does this work in grayscale?” ❌ DON’T • Use colour as the only indicator. • Rely on red/green for critical actions. • Skip accessibility testing. 👇🏽 What’s your experience with colour blindness? Drop your thoughts in the comments. ♻️ Share and save this for your team. --- ✉️ Subscribe to my newsletter for accessibility and design insights here: https://lnkd.in/gZpAzWSu --- Accessibility note: Contents in the image attached contain normal and large text ratios for WCAG 2.2 AA only.

It will be official on Monday that the Title II deadline for digital accessibility is being extended by a year. Now 2027 for cities over 50,000 and 2028 for cities under 50,000. I am of two minds on this. The first reaction is blunt. Once again, the government signals that people with disabilities don't matter. Extensions rarely land as neutral. There are delays, and delays have a personal cost. I expect the same pattern we saw when Title III timelines slipped. Confusion, uneven adoption, and a spike in litigation when expectations and reality collide. Let me make it perfectly clear: The requirement to be accessible is NOW. The only thing that is delayed is the implementation of a standard by which that accessibility is being measured. The second reaction is more practical. Most organizations were not ready. Not close. This gives them time to get organized. After sitting with it, here is where I land. Deadlines do not create accessibility. Decisions do. An extra year can help, if it is used to improve the situation. Use it to put governance in place. Define who owns accessibility and how progress gets measured. Train designers, developers, QA, and product owners so they can make the right calls upstream. Fix procurement language so you stop buying inaccessible products and increasing your tech debt. Build an inventory of websites, applications, and documents so you know what actually exists. Most municipalities do not have a complete list. If that work happens, the extension has real value. If the year turns into waiting for legal guidance or hoping some magic solution like AI or an overlay will solve it, nothing changes except the date on the calendar. The organizations that invested early are not the ones asking for more time. They built programs. They funded the work. They integrated accessibility into design systems and development workflows. They will use this year to refine and scale. Everyone else now has a clear signal. You have time, and you have no cover. For cities with over 50,000 residents, that means showing measurable progress within a year. Not a plan. Not a statement. Evidence. Accessible templates in production. Staff who know how to build and test. Procurement language with enforcement behind it. A testing program that runs continuously. For cities under 50,000, the timeline is longer, and resources are tighter. That makes prioritization non-negotiable. Start with the services people rely on every day, especially if you rely on third parties. Payments. Permits. Public safety information. Then expand. The litigation risk does not go away with an extension. It compresses. When the new deadline hits, expectations will be sharper, not softer. Take the year and treat it like the last one you will get. Because eventually, it will be. https://lnkd.in/gvSvuT5r #Accessibility #TitleII #WCAG #Disability

Imagine being asked to bake a cake, but you’re not given all the ingredients. Or being handed a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing. Frustrating, right? You’re set up to fail before you’ve even started. That’s exactly what it feels like for disabled people when the right accommodations are denied. Accommodations aren’t about giving someone an "advantage" or "special treatment." They’re about leveling the playing field so that everyone gets the chance to succeed. When a person with dyslexia gets extra time to read, or when someone with sensory processing issues has access to quiet spaces, it’s not a bonus—it’s the missing piece they need to thrive. Accommodations like extra time, clear instructions, or a quiet space aren’t “special treatment.” They’re the difference between drowning and swimming. They’re the tools needed to realize their potential, not their struggles. I’ve seen the power of a single adjustment. They’re what happens when we meet students where they are. Accommodations don’t just help the person who needs them—they ripple outward. A more inclusive classroom lifts every student. A more accessible workplace inspires better productivity for all. It’s not about doing "extra"; it’s about doing what’s right. So why is it so hard to hand over the missing pieces? Why do we keep expecting people to complete impossible puzzles and then blame them when they fall short? What’s one piece of the puzzle you think society keeps forgetting to provide? Let’s figure it out together. ID: Allowing a disabled person to struggle unnecessarily when all they need are reasonable accommodations and understanding is no different than asking someone to solve a puzzle without giving them all the pieces. #AXSChat #WeAreBillionStrong #a11y #Accessibility

I've seen so many posts being shared recognising and celebrating International Day of Persons/ Disabled People. Which is amazing! But sadly the vast majority of the content being shared is inaccessible. A day reflecting on equality and equity, but yet we're creating barriers that Disabled people. It's ironic, on a day of inclusion so many of us are excluded So please, if you are posting make your content accessible! Here are some tips to get you started: Image Description: Content Checklist. Six sections with tips read: 1. Message Body. Write in plain English. Use short paragraphs. Avoid using acronyms and jargon. Left align text where possible. Do not use a font generator, they are inaccessible for screen readers. 2. Images. Add Alt Text. Remember to keep Alt Text short and factual. Add an Image Description. Image Description is more descriptive and includes things like colour, texture, backgrounds etc. Any Text on a graphic or image should have sufficient Colour Contrast. 3. Video. Always use Closed Captions. These should appear at the bottom of a video. Use accessible Sans Serif fonts like Arial, Calibri or Helvetica. Include an audio description to describe what's happening in the video. Always manually check captions. Automated captions aren't always reliable. 4. Emojis & Hashtags. Don't replace words with Emojis. Don't overuse Emojis. Do use Emojis at the end of a sentence. Do use a capital letter for each new word in a hashtag. #camelCase or #PascalCase. 5. Check Colour Contrast here: https://lnkd.in/ecQAWnR4 checker. www.contrastchecker.com. www. userway.org/contrast. https://lnkd.in/exj-tFeV. 6. Add Captions Using:Youtube Online. CapCut Online. Adobe Premier Pro App. MixCaptions App. AutoCap App. Automated Social Media Apps. #DisabilityInclusion #IDPWD #DiversityAndInclusion #Accessibility

Here's something you might not know about ChatGPT's Atlas browser: it navigates websites the exact same way screen readers do. This fundamentally changes the conversation around website accessibility. It's not just about compliance anymore (though that's still critical with the European Accessibility Act deadline hitting in June 2025). Now it's also about whether AI agents can actually navigate your website. Many websites have some ARIA tags implemented, but they aren't implemented correctly in many cases. For example a drop down might have aria-expanded="false" but it's missing the JavaScript to update it to "true" when the dropdown opens. Visually it looks perfect. For Atlas and screen readers, that dropdown is permanently stuck in the collapsed state. And those accessibility widgets that promise instant compliance? Not true. Over 1,000 companies with widgets installed got sued in 2024. Courts are increasingly rejecting widget-only implementations because they mask problems instead of fixing them. The reality is that proper ARIA implementation takes real work. We're talking 20-40 hours minimum just for critical elements like main navigation and primary forms. It's expensive, it's time consuming, and there's no shortcut. But here's why it matters: you're not just implementing for Atlas or for compliance. You're positioning your website for however AI tools evolve next, while also making your site genuinely accessible. I break down how Atlas actually uses ARIA to navigate, what to prioritize first, and how to audit your current implementation in the full article. #WebAccessibility #ARIA #DigitalMarketing

My top inclusion tip? Offer flexibility. It sounds simple, but it's a very powerful best practice. Here's why. I'm blind with 5% of my vision remaining, and I've advocated for high color contrast for years as an accessibility best practice. An example of high color contrast is a black background with white text on top or a white background with black text on top. I learned about high color contrast in the field, and it's an accessibility standard. Then I found out about Irlen Syndrome from comments on my social media. I learned that high color contrast (especially a white background with black text on top) doesn't work for those with Irlen Syndrome. This blew my mind. I also heard from my community that some people preferred a color combination that I advised against: a pale pink background with white text. This all served as a reminder that no one best practice works for everyone. Implementing flexible options is the best way to improve inclusion and accessibility. This applies to anything we do as individuals or organizations. Communicating information? Try to share it in multiple ways, such as written, verbal, and visually in a diagram. Designing a social event? Create different zones with lower lighting and brighter lighting, areas without speakers, different types of seating, and a range of activities. Leading a virtual training? Allow participants to participate in multiple ways such as using the raise hand button, typing in the chat, unmuting (at specified facilitator-led moments), and more. What are your thoughts on this? Does this resonate? #Inclusion #Accessibility #Disability