UX Design For Accessibility Compliance

🗺️ AirBnB Customer Journey Blueprint, a wonderful practical example of how to visualize the entire customer experience for 2 personas, across 8 touch points, with user policies, UI screens and all interactions with the customer service — all on one single page. Discovered via Peter Yang. AirBnB Customer Journey (Google Drive): https://lnkd.in/eaAhwaRw Spotify Customer Journey (High-resolution): https://lnkd.in/eX3NBWbJ Now, unlike AirBnB, your product might not need a mapping against user policies. However, it might need other lanes that would be more relevant for your team. E.g. include relevant findings and recommendations from UX research. List key actions needed for next stage. Add relevant UX metrics and unsuccessful touchpoints. That last bit is often missing. Yet customer journeys are often non-linear, with unpredictable entry points, and integrations way beyond the final stage of a customer journey map. It’s in those moments when things leave a perfect path that a product’s UX is actually stress tested. So consider mapping unsuccessful touchpoints as well — failures, error messages, conflicts, incompatibilities, warnings, connectivity issues, eventual lock-outs and frequent log-outs, authentication issues, outages and urgent support inquiries. Even further than that: each team could be able to zoom into specific touch points and attach links to quotes, photos, videos, prototypes, design system docs and Figma files. Perhaps even highlight the desired future state. Technical challenges and pain points. Those unsuccessful states. Now, that would be a remarkable reference to use in the beginning of every design sprint. Such mappings are often overlooked, but they can be very impactful. Not only is it a very tangible way to visualize UX, but it’s also easy to understand, remember and relate to daily — potentially for all teams in the entire organization. And that's something only few artefacts can do. Useful resources: Free Template: Customer Journey Mapping, by Taras Bakusevych https://lnkd.in/e-emkh5A Free Template: End-To-End User Experience Map (Figma), by Justin Tan https://lnkd.in/eir9jg7J Customer Journey Map Template (Figma), by Ed Biden https://lnkd.in/enkBCkJj Free Figma/Miro User Journey Maps Templates https://lnkd.in/etSB7VqB User Journey Maps vs. Service Blueprints (+ Templates) https://lnkd.in/e-JSYtwW UX Mapping Methods (+ Miro/Figma Templates) https://lnkd.in/en3Vje4t #ux #design

A 73-year old man gave me the best UX feedback of my career. He clicked around. Looked confused. Then said: "I just want to read this. Why is it so hard?" My biggest UX mistake? Assuming everyone browses like me. The first time I tested my design with seniors, I saw: Missed buttons Struggled navigation Squinting at tiny text The fix? Empathy-driven design. Larger font sizes (because readability isn’t a luxury) Simpler layouts (because cognitive overload is real) Voice and touch support (because not everyone types) Great design isn’t just beautiful. It’s usable. Test your work with different age groups. It might change everything. P.S. Ever had a usability test that changed your approach?

Someone reached out to me recently about an upcoming event, and their approach stunned me—not because of what was being asked, but HOW it was being asked. Instead of: Do you need special accommodations? Or: Can you handle stairs? The question was framed as: Would you be comfortable using the stairs to go down one flight or would the main level work better for you? Notice the difference: ✅ It assumes capability, not limitation ✅ It offers options without othering ✅ It puts comfort and preference first ✅ It treats accessibility as normal planning, not special treatment When we frame accessibility questions thoughtfully, we: ❤️ Remove stigma and awkwardness ❤️Make everyone feel valued and considered ❤️Create psychological safety for honest responses ❤️Model inclusive behavior for our entire organization When one person demonstrates inclusive communication, it ripples across everyone that sees it. Remember 1. Your words matter. 2. The way you ask questions shapes culture. 3. Small changes in language create massive shifts in belonging. What’s one way you could reframe a question to be more inclusive in your workplace? #InclusiveLeadership #Accessibility #WorkplaceCulture #DEI #Leadership #Inclusion #Communication #BelongingAtWork ❣️❣️❣️❣️ I made sure to thank this person privately—because when someone embraces inclusive language , recognition matters too.

15 activities to test mobile accessibility In the last 15 years, the internet has gone mobile. Every major platform — from news to shopping to social media — has invested in sleek mobile versions because that’s where people spend their time. 📊 In fact, more than 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices (the source: https://lnkd.in/eeSrdHx4) We optimized for speed, performance, and design. But there’s one area where many mobile experiences still fall short: accessibility. And yet, mobile accessibility isn’t a niche concern. It affects everyone — whether you’re navigating with one hand while holding a coffee, trying to read in bright sunlight, or relying on a screen reader every single day. The good news is that you don’t need special tools to understand these challenges: your phone is already the perfect testing lab. That’s why I put together 15 quick activities to test mobile accessibility. Each one reveals how real people experience barriers and how small design choices can make a huge difference. Try these activities: 1. Turn on VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android) → Navigate your favorite app. Every unlabeled button or image will suddenly become invisible. Study: Screen Reader User Survey 9 – WebAIM shows that over 70% of users rely on mobile screen readers daily (the study: https://lnkd.in/e9JeHsMx). 2. Increase text size to maximum in settings → Does your layout adjust gracefully? Do words overlap and buttons disappear? WCAG criterion: 1.4.4 Resize text (the link: https://lnkd.in/eDaYZ8wS) 3. Test color contrast outdoors → Step into bright sunlight. Can you still read the buttons? Fact: poor contrast is one of the most common accessibility issues 4. Switch your phone to grayscale → Do instructions still make sense without color cues (“Click the green button” won’t work). Study by WHO: around 300 million people worldwide have some form of color vision deficiency (the study: https://lnkd.in/eD9PkQk7) 5. Try captions on videos → Turn sound off. Are captions accurate, synced, and complete? Fact: 80% of caption users are not deaf or hard of hearing 6. Enable Dark Mode → Is content still clear, or do logos/icons disappear into the background? 7. Try high-contrast mode (Android) or Smart Invert (iOS) → Does the app break visually? 8. Test with one hand only → Can you still reach all main actions (especially on large phones)? 9. Rotate the phone (portrait ↔ landscape) → Does the app adapt, or do important features vanish? 10. Check hit targets → Can you tap small buttons without misclicking? WCAG requires minimum 44×44px target size (the link: https://lnkd.in/eNuZidir) Accessibility on mobile isn’t about edge cases, it’s about real-world design for real-world humans. #WebAccessibility #Inclusion #a11y #MobileAccessibility #WCAG

Companies are becoming wary of diversity and culture discussions, which impacts how accessibility is perceived. In accessibility conversations, “culture change” often describes efforts to build inclusion. However, accessibility must avoid being sidelined alongside the push away from culture-focused initiatives. Reframing accessibility as "procedural realignment" shifts the focus to actionable, practical changes in operations rather than abstract cultural transformation. Culture change suggests an extensive overhaul of values, which can feel overwhelming and unattainable. It risks presenting accessibility as an aspirational ideal rather than a necessary and achievable part of everyday processes. Procedural realignment instead integrates accessibility into workflows, making it an operational improvement rather than a special initiative prone to de-prioritization. This approach highlights efficiency, practicality, and scalability, embedding accessibility into the organization's fabric. Focusing on procedural realignment delivers measurable, immediate results rather than waiting years for cultural shifts to take hold. Organizations can deliver more accessible experiences today by emphasizing actionable process changes. Embedding accessibility into decisions and workflows creates a foundation for proactive accessibility. The more inclusive culture that results from this procedural realignment becomes a natural byproduct, not the intent. Words matter. Alt: Austin Powers air quotes with the text Don't call it cultural change, call it 'procedural realignment' #AccessibilityMatters #InclusiveDesign #OperationalExcellence #AccessibilityInAction https://lnkd.in/eEj_8Nxw

Lyft knew they had a problem. Only 5.6% of its users are over 65, and those users are 57% more likely to miss the ride they ordered. So, Lyft created Silver – a special app version for seniors. But why create a separate app when these improvements would benefit all users? The curb-cut effect is real. Features designed for wheelchair users ended up helping parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery workers with carts. The features in Lyft's senior-friendly app wouldn't only benefit older riders: 💡The 1.4x larger font option? Great for bright sunlight, rough rides. 💡Simplified interface? Less cognitive load for all of us. 💡Live help operators? Great for anyone when there's a problem. 💡Select preference for easy entry/exit vehicles? Not everyone likes pickup trucks. What started as an accommodation should became a universal improvement. The most powerful insight? Designing for seniors forced Lyft to prioritize what truly matters: simplicity and ease of use. Will they leverage this for all their users? The next time someone suggests adding another button to your interface or feature to your product, consider this approach instead: sometimes the most innovative design is the one that works for everyone. Rather than creating separate "accessible" versions, what if we just built our core products to be usable by all? This is the paradox of inclusive design - what works better for some almost always works better for all. What "accessibility" feature have you encountered that actually made life better for all users? #UniversalDesign #ProductThinking #CustomerExperience

Why inclusion and universal design need to come together We often hear organisations talk about diversity and inclusion. Yet inclusion alone isn’t enough if the systems we work within were never designed with difference in mind. A review by Shore and colleagues (2018) (https://lnkd.in/e6vjNAXM) looked at what makes workplaces truly inclusive. They emphasised fairness, authenticity, and equal access to opportunities. Their model shows that inclusion is not just about who is in the workforce, but whether everyone feels respected, valued, and able to participate fully. But here’s the challenge: many workplace practices are retrofits. Adjustments are made once someone discloses a need or points out a barrier. That can work but it’s often costly, time-consuming, and can unintentionally stigmatise the individual. This is where Universal Design (UD) comes in. Instead of waiting to respond, UD builds accessibility, flexibility, and usability into everyday business-as-usual. It reduces the number of case-by-case “fixes” by planning for variation from the outset. For example: Providing captions and transcripts in training as standard helps Deaf staff, those learning English, and anyone re-watching on mute. Clear communication, step-by-step checklists, and structured task tools reduce overload not only for neurodivergent employees but for everyone. Designing sensory-friendly workspaces supports those with sensory sensitivities—and also improves focus and wellbeing for the whole team. So how do the two approaches differ and align? Inclusion models focus on culture: creating fairness, authenticity, and psychological safety. Universal Design focuses on structures: embedding accessibility and flexibility into systems, tools, and environments. Bringing them together means leaders shape workplaces that are both fair and functional, inclusive and accessible. For employers, this isn’t just the right thing to do it’s efficient. Many UD approaches are low or no cost, but they reduce duplication, improve resilience, and make personalised support less stigmatising. 👉 Take away.... Inclusive practices creates the right mindset; Universal Design creates the mechanisms. Together, they help us move from patching barriers to preventing them.

Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day everyone! It's a great day to remind people, that, accessibility is the responsibility of the whole team, including designers! A couple of things designers can do: - Use sufficient color contrast (text + UI elements) and don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning. - Ensure readable typography: support text resizing, avoid hard-to-read styles, maintain hierarchy. - Make links and buttons clear and distinguishable (label, size, states). - Design accessible forms: clear labels, error help, no duplicate input, document states. - Support keyboard navigation: tab order, skip links, focus indicators, keyboard interaction. - Structure content with headings and landmarks: use proper H1–Hn, semantic order, regions. - Provide text alternatives for images, icons, audio, and video. - Avoid motion triggers: respect reduced motion settings, allow pause on auto-play. - Design with flexibility: support orientation change, allow text selection, avoid fixed-height elements. - Document accessibly and communicate: annotate designs, collaborate with devs, QA, and content teams. Need to learn more? I got a couple of resources on my blog: - A Designer’s Guide to Documenting Accessibility & User Interactions: https://lnkd.in/eUh8Jvvn - How to check and document design accessibility in your mockups: a conference on how to use Figma plugins and annotation kits to shift accessibility left https://lnkd.in/eu8YuWyF - Accessibility for designer: where do I start? Articles, resources, checklists, tools, plugins, and books to design accessible products https://lnkd.in/ejeC_QpH - Neurodiversity and UX: Essential Resources for Cognitive Accessibility, Guidelines to understand and design for Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD https://lnkd.in/efXaRwgF - Color accessibility: tools and resources to help you design inclusive products https://lnkd.in/dRrwFJ5 #Accessibility #ShiftLeft #GAAD

A year in the making… THE REPORT IS LIVE! Building inclusive work cultures for disabled employees to drive innovation… you can download my Churchill Fellowship report at the link below. (I am also working on creating different versions, including a printed report in standard and large print- bear with me while I make this happen!) This report has been a labour or love, and one I am excited to share to support businesses and policy makers to drive change. I travelled to North America and around Europe visiting: ✈️ Washington DC to talk all about inclusive AI at MEnabling conference. 🚌 Ithaca, New York State to talk to Cornell University about inclusive HR and employment research. 🚌 New York City to chat with disabled founders, Heads of Accessibility and People Teams. ✈️Austria to learn about Zero Project and meet global change makers in disability equity. 🚆The Netherlands to shadow the awesome Accessibility team at ING bank. 🚆And Paris to look at the global difference within the same organisation, country to country. The report has culminated in four key themes, presenting the latest thought leadership on 💡Reasonable adjustments 💡Senior leadership and Employee Network Groups 💡Global accessibility policy creation and implementation 💡AI and HR technology As we await the Autumn budget from our new Labour Government, we are expecting to hear more about the governments mission to get more disabled people into employment. It’s important to recognise the social and business culture barriers that prevent many disabled people from being employed, or even setting up their own company. Many of the recommendations talk about wider social changes, and access to information, services and support that would benefit a wider range of people. I’m looking forward to talking more about the findings, and would welcome opportunities to share this research with wider networks and organisations- please do reach out if this is of interest to you! Thank you to everyone who got involved in this research, whether you were interviewed, facilitated conversations, hosted me or suggested the best place to get coffee- the support and love from the wider business and disabled community was hugely appreciated. This is only the start! https://lnkd.in/ehNBPPrD

Did you know that while India leads in tech talent, over 135 million citizens face significant digital barriers every day? 🧠💻 The Accessibility gap by numbers 📊 disability demographics in India - 26.8 million people with disabilities (2.2% of population - Census 2011) - Experts estimate the actual number is closer to 70-100 million (WHO standards) - Only 28% report using any digital accessibility features regularly 📱 Accessibility feature usage Screen readers Used by only 19% of visually impaired Indians who own smartphones Voice commands Adopted by just 23% of people with motor disabilities Caption/transcription tools Utilized by merely 17% of hearing-impaired users 👵🏽 Elderly Population - 138 million Indians over age 60 (10.1% of population - 2021 estimates) - Growing at 3.6% annually (twice the rate of overall population) - Only 31% report comfort with digital technologies The Underutilized Accessibility Landscape - Regional Language Support: Despite 22 official languages, accessibility tools primarily support Hindi and English - Low-Literacy Tools: 25.6% of adults with disabilities are non-literate, yet pictorial/audio interfaces remain scarce - Offline Accessibility: Intermittent connectivity affects 70% of rural users, but offline accessibility modes are rarely implemented - Cultural Context: Western-designed accessibility patterns often miss cultural nuances in Indian interface expectations The AI-Powered UX revolution: As both a UX designer and accessibility advocate, I've seen how AI is transforming this space ✅ Personalized Accessibility Profiles: AI can automatically detect and adjust interfaces based on user behavior patterns. ✅ Multimodal Interactions: Voice + visual + haptic feedback systems creating truly inclusive experiences ✅ Cultural Context Models: AI trained on Indian usage patterns to deliver regionally appropriate accessibility solutions ✅ Predictive Accessibility: Anticipating user needs before they encounter barriers My Question to you Have you considered how accessibility might be affecting your product's reach in the Indian market? What accessibility features have you implemented this year? Ready to make your digital products truly inclusive? Let's connect and explore how AI-powered accessibility can expand your reach while creating meaningful impact for millions. Repost to others . Follow Sivaraman loganathan