This week, our lecture was held online and took the form of a collaborative class talk on accessibility in design, led by David Fairbrother, a designer from Big Motive. We explored what accessibility truly means, why it should never be seen as optional, and how it plays a crucial role in creating inclusive and effective user experiences. David shared several insightful examples that demonstrated how accessibility can be integrated into design from the very beginning of a project. It was an engaging and valuable session that helped me better understand how to ensure my designs are inclusive and cater to the needs of all users.
Our first area of focus in this week’s session was understanding what digital accessibility means and how it applies to design. We discussed that digital accessibility is about creating digital content, products, and experiences that everyone can use, regardless of ability, circumstance, or environment. This includes designing for users with visual, auditory, cognitive, or physical impairments, but also considering factors like device limitations or temporary barriers. Learning about this helped me recognise that accessibility isn’t just a feature, it’s a fundamental part of good design. By ensuring that all users can interact with and understand my work, I can create experiences that are not only inclusive but also more engaging and effective overall.
We then discussed why accessibility is no longer optional in modern design. In today’s digital world, accessibility is a core requirement, not just ethically, but also legally and professionally. Designing with accessibility in mind ensures that products and services can be used by everyone, regardless of ability or circumstance. Failing to do so can exclude large groups of users, harm brand credibility, and even lead to compliance issues. From a design perspective, accessibility also leads to a better overall user experience, as it encourages clarity, consistency, and usability for all. This discussion really helped me understand that accessibility isn’t an extra step or an afterthought; it’s something that should be embedded into every stage of the design process to make truly effective and inclusive work.
As we continued through David’s presentation, he introduced us to an interactive website called How Many?. This tool allowed us to input some users, for example, 3,000, and then see a detailed breakdown of how many of those people might have different types of disabilities or accessibility needs. It visually demonstrated the real-world impact of inclusive design, showing just how many users could be affected if accessibility isn’t considered. I found this exercise really engaging and eye-opening, as it helped put accessibility into perspective with actual data. It’s a useful tool I can see myself referring back to in the future when designing digital experiences, as it highlights the importance of designing for everyone, not just the majority.
During the talk, we were also shown a series of interactive examples that compared two design options, A or B, and asked to decide which one was more accessible. This activity encouraged us to apply our design thinking and justify our choices, followed by feedback from David on why one option worked better than the other. While some examples were quite straightforward, I found myself caught out by a few, which was surprising but also insightful. It showed me that not all visually appealing designs are necessarily accessible, and vice versa, accessibility often requires a balance between aesthetics and usability. This exercise really helped me see how small design choices can make a big difference in how inclusive a digital product truly is.
<aside>
Overall, while I would have preferred to be in class and have some face-to-face interaction, our online presentation and talk with David Fairbrother proved to be a valuable and insightful experience. It allowed me to think more independently about the importance of accessibility and how it can be integrated across all areas of design. I found it especially relevant to my own practice, as it highlighted how inclusive design benefits everyone, not just those with visible disabilities. This session gave me a deeper appreciation of the responsibility designers have to make their work usable for all, and I can now confidently apply these learnings to my current and future projects to ensure they are as accessible and user-friendly as possible.
</aside>