Understanding Accessibility in Design
It used to be that āaccessibleā meant a few ramps and those public toilets with the mysterious horizontal grab bars. But thatās not good enough anymore, not with the world trying its best to give everyone an even chance at being as comfortable as possible. Accessibility is about making things easy, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone - regardless of age, gender, or ability.
So it isnāt so much about just helping disabled folk navigate the world. Thatās a very myopic view. Itās about making it easy for everyone to do whatever they want, go wherever they want, and enjoy as much as possible of the world we live in. As far as design is concerned, accessibility means thinking beyond what looks pretty or what fits into a theme.
Itās about recognising how disabilities may present themselves differently from one person to the next. Some may struggle with their hearing while others may find it impossible to step onto a staircase without help - but each one deserves empathy and thoughtful design that takes into account how different their needs are. Accessibility also encompasses inclusion - so when you think about refining accessibility in design and fashion, itās about making sure that every community, every skin colour, every body shape has something for them. While putting these into action is easier said than done, an easy way to start would be to listen more often to people who are trying to make life easier for themselves and those they love - there is nothing quite like an advocate fighting for the greater good of a community.
These advocates help shine a light on what matters most in communities that need more accessible features - including highlighting instances where basic amenities like ramps arenāt made wide enough for wheelchairs or when there arenāt enough clear signages and braille maps. So I think it would be safe to say that while basic accessibility features have been somewhat normalised across Australia (though there are still cities with next to no accessible services), more refined accessibility features can take some time to catch on - especially in spaces where community feedback isnāt given much attention.
The Importance of Inclusive Design
It's a bit strange that in 2024 we're still talking about being accessible. Like it's a new thing. Sometimes I think how did so much slip by, get made, go to market, get used by millions of people, and yet accessibility was not considered as critical a part of the process.
I say critical - because it is. Not everyone sees things the way you do. Not everyone does things the way you do.
It seems like inclusive design is rarely about ensuring that everyone is considered - and that your product can be used by anyone, not just a subset of people. But how do we make sure things are accessible. We try our best to include principles in every stage of development or creation. That's the goal right.
The word inclusive gets thrown around a fair amount but what it means is that everyone is included and thought of at every touchpoint. It seems like that's quite hard to do sometimes, but it doesn't have to be. After some thinking (and several coffee breaks) seven inclusive design principles were brought to life.
Sort of. They are: Equitable Use, Flexibility in Use, Simple & Intuitive Use, Perceptible Information, Tolerance for Error, Low Physical Effort and Size and Space for Approach and Use. While that's probably enough 'new-age' terminology for one article - there's some value in knowing them since they probably will make a difference.
But that's not all it takes. You have to look at whether you're considering even those who might be left out because they're different from you or don't do things the same way as you do. Sometimes it's easy to forget that because we're trying so hard to do something else within the business we're working in at that time. And that's OK too - but if that's what your job is about then maybe we shouldn't be having this conversation at all - since you've got it covered already.
More or less.
Key Principles of Accessible Design
I think people tend to forget that design was always meant to solve problems first. Sometimes it feels like the design industry forgot what a chair was for and decided it was simply a means to demonstrate excellence and skill. But design, in fact, isn't about awards and accolades - it's about ease.
Or rather, the assurance of ease. Accessible design doesn't have to sacrifice comfort for functionality - although some might say otherwise - but that's just not true in my opinion. In fact, accessible design makes comfort functional because it assures everyone can access all its benefits through structure, shape, and features.
It's one of those things that makes you think "Oh but why didn't they do that sooner. " which is occasionally precisely the point. You see, accessible design is typically about more than creating solutions for people with disabilities - it's about making sure everyone feels included. It's about making sure nothing's left out and no one's left behind.
Anyone can participate without having to ask for permission or help. The key principles of accessible design are robust enough to accommodate any difference or diversity and are intuitive in a way that guides someone into using a product or space with dignity.
It's what I like best about inclusive accessibility - it doesn't make anyone feel less than or lacking if they need some support with doing something others might find easier - it's so subtle you almost don't even notice it there.
Practical Applications of Inclusive Design
A friend and I were discussing adaptive clothing for people with disabilities the other day. It started off as a bit of a moan about how most of whatās available looks like hospital garb - and not in a cool, āstreetā way. We werenāt trying to make light of the situation, but it did get us thinking about how great it would be if those with disabilities could be as excited about new trends as everyone else.
I mean, there are seven whole principles for inclusive design, so why not apply them to something as important as clothing. Iāve always been fascinated by function, maybe even more so than form. I realise that can allegedly sound rather boring coming from someone who works in fashion, but it doesnāt have to be an either-or situation.
The principle of āgive controlā is an interesting one when it comes to inclusive design and fashion - a more obvious application might be making touchscreens accessible to all users, but we donāt often talk about how this could work for something like high-street retail. For those of us who donāt fit the so-called ideal body type or who canāt wear regular clothes for health reasons, shopping can be quite the ordeal. Itād be nice to see brands do more than have āplus-sizeā ranges or a few models with visible disabilities - itād be great to see them take feedback on board and create collections that are easier for people from all walks of life to wear.
Sometimes inclusivity just means making things better and easier for everyone - like using breathable fabrics in your summer collection. As another principle suggests, people have very different preferences and abilities so clothing that allows you to make it your own is always going to win big. Iām talking adjustable sleeves and zips on both sides of trousers; genderless clothing that looks great whether youāre tall or petite; easy-to-use fasteners for shoes; velcro closures that are convenient but look nothing like what you wore in primary school.
Thereās also something to be said about brands working with designers whoāve actually experienced disability before - like Nikeās Go FlyEase range that was designed by a woman born without arms or feet. She knew exactly what would help wheelchair users get their shoes on easily - which is why the brand launched the first ever hands-free shoe last year. Quite clever, donāt you think.
Common Challenges and Solutions
It appears that one of the biggest accessibility challenges for designers still seems to be grasping that accessibility and universal design are not the same thing. Universal design doesnāt automatically cover everyone and, in an effort to try and make a design more accessible, many tend to ignore usability while designing interfaces. This has the effect of making the product even less accessible, which is completely counterintuitive to what one is trying to achieve. A great example would be someone who tries to go above and beyond with some sort of colour indicator for people who are unable to distinguish between different colours.
While this is done with the best intentions, the problem arises when you include additional elements like a square, triangle or star or some other symbol. One tends to overlook the fact that this still excludes people with cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia. The solution here would be to use icons that are inclusive and usable.
Another challenge tends to be limiting inclusive design to only disabled people. The way I see it, now, donāt get me wrong - this isnāt a bad thing - but inclusivity is so much more than just catering to those with disabilities. Itās essential to keep in mind that inclusivity involves aspects such as culture, language, personal interests, age, gender, and other factors. On the whole, it appears as though bridging this gap comes down to communication between both teams and users.
Teams ought to communicate their ideas and thoughts while coming up with an effective plan of action. Reaching out and receiving feedback from users also allows designers and developers alike to understand the needs of the user better and incorporate those changes into their work. But then again, I think this is probably easier said than done as there are so many levels at play within accessibility in inclusive design - a topic for another day perhaps.
Future Trends in Accessibility and Inclusion
It seems the world is not very friendly to people with disabilities. Yet, the move towards inclusion and accessibility has never looked better. And itās nice to see that weāve taken such positive steps even though thereās more work to be done.
Sure, inclusion and accessibility are not new concepts. But theyāre not concepts that have been around for very long either.
Itās easy to assume that both these ideas have been around since the dawn of time, but honestly, the whole notion of including all people in every aspect of daily life was a product of activism in the 1970s. Even then, we were only talking about disability in terms of an impairment or a condition and there wasnāt an attempt to provide access to anything more than education or employment. But people fought hard enough for their rights and legislation followed. Even then, it seemed that it was easier for people to turn a blind eye to the needs of persons with disabilities if they could just make their homes accessible instead of thinking about accessibility as a society-level concept.
The journey towards true inclusivity has been long and arduous but technology has played a significant role in achieving so much and paving the way for so much more. The current model seeks to address all barriers for people with disabilities including but not limited to physical ones.
Weāre seeing greater acknowledgment of social and cultural differences as well as a changing approach when considering cognitive and learning barriers. Inclusion cannot exist without accessibility but thereās still plenty of work to be done before we get there. Weāve come this far because people with disabilities have advocated for their rights - including the right to full access and participation in all aspects of public life.
Inclusivity is not something that can happen in pockets or isolation, but rather something that needs to occur on multiple levels starting from home before branching out into society at large.