Title: What To Do When You Meet A Sighted Person
Context: Bringing the need for accessibility home one smart-ass, sarcastic blog post at a time.
Synopsis: The problem with sighted people is that they have sight but do not always see. It is hard to imagine how people with different sensory perception from ourselves interact with and consume our interaction designs. The truth is that we are all limited by the efficacy of the design of the interface we are currently using. The limits come when a design has not accounted for different modes of input and control, not limits inherent in a user’s physiology. Accessibility isn’t easy. Universal design requires deep understanding and empathy across a wide range of capabilities, but we do this all the time in design. Constraints force us to optimize the things we make to maximize usability. Instead of thinking about accessibility as a box to tick, think about it exactly like every other part of your design: a design issue to be analyzed, defined and solved.
Best Bit: “People who are sighted do not want your charity. They want to live, work and play along with you.”
Leave a Reply