Invisible barriers: Why accessible service design can’t be an afterthought
Summary
Accessibility is an essential aspect of inclusive design that considers the diverse needs of all people, including those with disabilities. Yet, accessibility is often treated as an afterthought, a task to check off, rather than as a process that’s integral to the experience. This session will guide you in moving beyond "fixing problems" to developing thoughtful, sustainable design practices that address and reduce barriers. Discover how building accessible processes that capture dynamic user needs make service design more inclusive and valuable for everyone.
Key Insights
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Disability is better understood through the social model, focusing on changing environments and systems rather than 'fixing' people.
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Designs that require photographic ID exclude people without cameras, passports, or sufficient data, creating invisible barriers.
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Account lockout processes relying solely on phone calls exclude deaf, hard-of-hearing, non-verbal, socially anxious, or non-US users.
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Complex password rules disproportionately disable people with cognitive challenges and those managing multiple passwords.
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Early accessibility inclusion in service design drastically reduces development costs and complexity.
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Providing multiple accessible alternatives (e.g., third-party login, in-person verification, chat support) broadens inclusion.
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Designing for the edge cases of accessibility benefits a much larger population, solving diverse user challenges.
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Holistic service design must treat digital and physical services as integrated rather than separate products.
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Contrary to misconceptions, complex and technical products can be fully accessible with modern assistive technologies.
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The rise of AI makes service design more critical than code testing, requiring inclusive data and process design.
Notable Quotes
"Disability isn’t a problem with a person; it’s something that happens when systems fail to enable them."
"When you design for the edges, you get the middle for free."
"Are you really gonna say that somebody who speaks three other languages is disabled? No, but your design disables them."
"Early inclusion is less costly and more effective than retrofitting accessibility later."
"Accessible experiences are for everyone—they make things better for everyone, not just people with disabilities."
"Complexity is not a barrier to accessibility; even complicated games like The Last of Us are accessible."
"We cannot change people, but we can change systems, processes, and environments."
"Digital and physical services must be designed as the same thing, not separate products."
"Password complexity and frequent resets disable people with cognitive challenges and create frustration for all users."
"AI is not naturally testable in the same way as code; service design will become even more important."
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