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Getting started with accessibility research
Summary
Moderator: Elana Chapman
Panelists: Divyen Sanganee, Li Wen Huang, Annabel Weiner
Key Insights
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Accessibility research does not require prior expertise; focus on assistive technologies used rather than disability medical definitions.
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Wizard of Oz testing can simulate screen reader experience on prototypes to gather early feedback before code is developed.
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Engaging with internal employee resource groups and external disability communities builds trust and facilitates participant recruitment.
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Participatory design elevates users with disabilities as co-designers and experts in assistive technology use.
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Leadership sponsorship and educational videos showing real assistive tech use help build organizational buy-in.
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ROI data shows investing time early in accessibility research saves significant engineering fixing time post-launch.
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Decoupling user needs from medical disability labels helps navigate privacy and recruitment challenges.
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Accessibility audits ensure compliance but usability research drives genuine user experience improvements; both are essential.
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Temporary and situational disabilities plus aging populations vastly broaden the accessibility ecosystem beyond permanent disabilities.
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Shifting mindset from empathy to understanding and barrier removal empowers better inclusive design without paternalism.
Notable Quotes
"You don’t need to be an expert in accessibility before doing user research with people with disabilities."
"People with disabilities are very appreciative and willing to help us learn because they understand we may not understand their challenges."
"Wizard of Oz testing involves someone pretending to be a screen reader by reading content and roles out loud."
"Participants are usually very forgiving if you’re not a perfect screen reader as long as you explain what you’re doing."
"Accessibility is really just improving the usability for everyone, not just for people with disabilities."
"For every hour a UX designer invests in accessibility pre-launch, they save up to four hours in engineering post-launch."
"If you’re not doing anything about accessibility, you’re discriminating against your future self."
"It’s less about empathy and more about building an understanding of barriers and user needs."
"Assistive technology is a tool; we need to make sure we enable that tool to do its job."
"Accessibility audits check the box for compliance; usability testing ensures a good user experience."
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