Summary
Practicing meaningful inclusion in your research and design work requires learning from a wide range of users, including people with disabilities. Still, applying your existing UX principles and methodologies towards accessibility research can feel daunting for practitioners who rarely get to work with assistive technology users and people with disabilities. Join Kavana Ramesh, a UX Researcher at Fable with hundreds of hours of accessibility research, as she shares a reflective framework for how to build confidence in your team.
Key Insights
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Inclusive design fosters innovation and empathy in UX research
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Assistive technology includes tools like screen readers and speech recognition
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Features like captions originated from accessibility needs and are now widely used by all
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Practitioners often feel overwhelmed when first engaging with assistive technology
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Transparency about knowledge gaps builds trust with assistive technology users
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Facilitating research with diverse technology users requires practice and exposure
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Adapting research protocols in real-time can enhance user experiences
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Incorporating user insights leads to meaningful product improvements
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Everyone benefits from accessible and inclusive research processes
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Engaging with marginalized communities can inspire and motivate designers
Notable Quotes
"I'm very excited to be speaking with you all"
"Diving into accessibility research really does lead to innovation"
"We seldom get the opportunity to work with assistive technology users in our daily work"
"We often fear saying the wrong thing when approaching inclusive research"
"Empowering the user's voice in sessions is crucial"
"The basic technology acts a bit like another person in the room during research sessions"
"Even small adaptations can create an equitable learning space"
"Practicing inclusion in design work leads to benefits for everyone"
"Exposure to accessibility challenges helps researchers understand the user experience"
"Inclusive design is about adapting workflow to support diverse needs"
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