Using User Profiles to increase accessibility in Tech

Accessibility is often an afterthought for website and app designers. We need to change this by building in accessibility from the beginning of the UX process. One way to start doing that is by including users with disabilities in our user interviews to find out what makes an app work for them.

I work in the intellectual disability community and many of the folks I work with and am friends with have physical disabilities as well. My friend and self-advocacy advisor on Self-Advocacy Wins, Kamisha Heriveaux, for example has Cerebral Palsy. Designing for maximum accessibility is paramount for me, but it shouldn’t just be for apps that are specific to disability. From the beginning, I am designing with these friends in mind. I’m thinking about how big my buttons need to be, how high the color contrast is, how images can be paired with text, how I can require the fewest taps possible, how I can use AI to generate alt-text, etc…

Now, I’ve been working in the IDD field for many years and learning especially from the self-advocates at MASS, but the good news is that you don’t need to know anyone with a disability to start learning about digital accessibility. Gov.uk has created seven user profiles based on users with disabilities, with links to additional resources for the specific disabilities. This page is a great entryway into building accessibility into the design process and creating a freer, more inclusive tech landscape. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-disabilities-and-impairments-user-profiles