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Accessibility: An Opportunity to Innovate
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Wednesday, November 16, 2022 • Civic Design 2022
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Accessibility: An Opportunity to Innovate
Speakers: Sam Proulx
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Summary

Many organizations struggle with justifying and prioritizing accessibility. One of the primary reasons is because they’re thinking about accessibility all wrong. Instead of a checklist, a list of legal requirements, or a set of shackles holding designers and developers back, it’s time to start thinking of accessibility as what it is: an opportunity to innovate! In this presentation, Fable will draw from our expertise helping organizations like yours start the accessibility journey, to change the way you think about disability, assistive technology, and accessibility. We will demonstrate that accessible products are more flexible, customizable, and useful for all users. We’ll also show you how accessibility is directly tied to the creation of many of the most exciting and innovative technologies of the last 50 years, and how it’s changed the entire world for everyone. This presentation will inspire you with the information and ideas you need to accelerate your accessibility journey.

Key Insights

  • Accessibility is crucial for innovation in design.

  • Inclusive design benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities.

  • The misconception that accessibility features serve a tiny group is false; one in five people has a disability.

  • Designing for diverse user needs leads to better products.

  • Features like dark mode and voice assistance originated to aid users with disabilities before becoming mainstream.

  • A diverse team creates better solutions by incorporating various perspectives.

  • Accessibility should be integrated into standard workflows and development processes.

  • Compliance with accessibility standards should not be the goal; creating excellent user experiences should be paramount.

  • Temporary and situational disabilities affect everyone at some point in their lives.

  • Innovative technologies often stem from accessibility needs, benefitting the wider populace.

Notable Quotes

"Nothing about us without us"

"Disability is a normal part of the human experience"

"When you design for the edges you get the middle for free"

"Accessibility is not a project; it's a process"

"We need to hear the voices of people with disabilities"

"Diverse teams build diverse products"

"The accessible solution is often the better solution for everyone"

"Accessibility requires flexible designs, not limited designs"

"Compliance will take care of itself when great experiences are prioritized"

"As we age, we may all experience challenges that accessibility addresses."

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