Accessible design

Accessibility isn't about compliance. It's about reducing unnecessary barriers.

Accessibility starts earlier than the checklist.

When people hear accessibility, they often think about screen readers, colour contrast or WCAG checklists. Those things matter, but accessibility starts much earlier than that.

Who might struggle here, and why?

Sometimes that's because someone has low vision. Sometimes it's because they're using one hand. Sometimes they're in bright sunlight. Sometimes they're tired, distracted or overwhelmed.

Good accessibility isn't designing for edge cases. It's recognising that we're all temporarily disabled by our environment from time to time.

Designing for capability, not disability

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that accessibility isn't a specialist discipline. It's simply good product design.

Every unnecessary decision, confusing label, tiny touch target, hidden interaction or piece of jargon creates a cost. Someone pays that cost. Accessibility is about reducing it.

Accessibility is a design constraint, not a compromise

I don't see accessibility as something you add at the end. It's part of the design process from the beginning.

  • Can this be understood without colour?
  • Can this be completed with a keyboard?
  • Is the interaction obvious without instructions?
  • Does the language reduce cognitive load?
  • What happens when something goes wrong?

Beyond WCAG

WCAG gives us an important baseline, but accessible products don't happen because someone passes a checklist. They happen because teams build empathy into the way they work.

Accessibility is as much about confidence as it is capability.

  • testing with diverse users
  • considering cognitive load
  • writing clear language
  • designing predictable interactions
  • making error recovery easy
  • building flexible systems rather than perfect interfaces

Accessibility beyond guidelines

Working on products for learners with ADHD and dyslexia has shaped how I think about accessibility beyond technical compliance. Cognitive accessibility matters: clarity, structure, predictability and the amount of effort a product asks from someone.

That perspective has made me care deeply about reducing cognitive load, writing clear language and designing interactions that help people feel capable rather than exposed.

Accessibility in practice

Throughout my work I've helped:

  • improve colour contrast across multiple themes
  • evolve design systems with accessible components
  • reduce cognitive load through clearer interaction patterns
  • work alongside engineers to ensure accessibility isn't lost during implementation
  • advocate for inclusive design during product discussions, not just design reviews

What I believe

Accessibility isn't about designing for a minority. It's about recognising that ability changes.

  • People are tired.
  • People are stressed.
  • People are new.
  • People are interrupted.
  • People break their arm.
  • People get older.
  • People use products in ways we never expected.

Principles I try to follow

  • Design for people, not personas.
  • Reduce cognitive load before adding functionality.
  • Don't rely on colour alone.
  • Make interactions predictable.
  • Build accessibility into systems, not individual screens.
  • Test assumptions with real people.
  • Inclusive design almost always results in a better product for everyone.