Accessibility in Design: Persona Spectrums
Good design solves people’s problems by addressing their unique needs. We can achieve this by being empathetic. You’re a beautifully complex being, with a wealth of experience, and your own back-story, thus it’s deeply hurtful when others make assumptions about our lives. It happens in our increasingly impersonal and digital world, so we must remember that people are not one-dimensional.
Illustration above by: Harry Mabbs during his placement at Buttercrumble.
The trouble with accessibility in design is that it can become an uninspiring formality. Guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guide present a simple scoring system and it can be difficult to adhere to their highest AAA standards. The advice must be considered alongside real human research, personas, and user experience planning.
Microsoft is passionate about inclusive design, and its Inclusive Microsoft Design (2016) guide provides insights into how we can ensure experiences are open to all. The tech company recognises more than just the barriers that people encounter (unlike WCAG alone); it also recognises the motivations that all people have in common.
One does not need a disability to benefit from accessible design. Innovations including remote controls, closed captions, audiobooks and automatic open door openers make the world a better place for everyone. If we start the design process with constraints in mind, we can push ourselves to come up with the best user experiences.
We all need extra help from time to time as disabilities can be temporary or situational. A person with a broken arm (and temporary disability) may struggle to board public transport as a standing passenger. The same applies to a busy parent carrying a baby in their arms, however, this disability is situational.
Once we recognise exclusions such as colour blindness and dyslexia, we can consider how such permanent, temporary, and situational disabilities impair the senses (touch, sight, hearing, and speech). These insights will lead us to make our content more accessible, thoughtful, and a better experience for all.
If you’re interested in accessible design, we’d love to hear from you!
References
Microsoft. 2016. Inclusive Microsoft Design. [Online]. [November 2024]. Available from here.
