Writing
Mostly about the people our defaults leave out, and what it takes to design for them on purpose rather than by accident.
Where it stands
Two years on. The navigation crosses from the prototype into the product, our accessibility standard is answerable without me in the room, and I know exactly what I am building next.
Decisions that took an afternoon
Three decisions that would previously have taken a quarter of debate, settled quickly because we could put the real thing in front of people. I now run the team on decision latency.
A branch per idea
Teaching designers and product managers to work the way engineers already do. I have taught a lot of design curricula. This is the one that changes how a team argues.
Someone forked it
I build the boilerplate in two weeks with an agent. Two days after showing it, somebody takes a copy without being asked. That is the only adoption signal I have ever trusted.
A reader with no manners
Agents start writing a real share of our code, and the design system acquires a consumer that cannot open Figma, cannot reach the VPN, and invents whatever it cannot find. This is the opening I have been waiting for.
Eight presses of the Tab key
A design QA review finds a keyboard trap that cannot be fixed where it was found. After eighteen months of architecture arguments, this is the version that moves people.
Agents that build components, not just use them
Everyone is asking whether an agent can assemble a screen from our components. The better question is whether it can contribute a component back — and what a design system has to look like before that is safe.
Putting our components in front of screen readers
You cannot test a component library with assistive technology when it lives behind a VPN. I pushed to get ours out, moved faster than I should have, and had the answer back within a day.
Four environments
A month in, I put the plan on the table: four repositories, ordered so each one pays for itself before the next begins. I have watched design system programmes die for want of that ordering.
I said yes
Consulting becomes leading UX and accessibility. On day one somebody asks a question about AI and design systems, and I recognise it as the question the next few years turn on.
The constraint that set the brief
First week consulting at ClearCompany. The product needs a Windows web server and the design team is on Macs. I have seen this pattern before, and I know exactly what it costs.
Should your portfolio be accessible? Hell yeah!
As designers, our job is to create experiences that are inclusive and welcoming to everyone. Yet, how often do we think about accessibility when it comes to our own resumes and portfolios? In this article I'll share some accessibility and explain why making your resume and portfolio accessible is not just important, but essential.
The Power of Design: Avoiding Flashing Content to Protect Those with Epilepsy
As designers, we have a profound responsibility to create safe and inclusive digital environments. One critical aspect of this is avoiding flashing content in our designs. While WCAG 2.3.1 allows for content that flashes under strict parameters, it is strongly recommended to refrain from using flashing elements altogether.
UX Tips: Designing with Neurodivergent Users in Mind
Just like how everyone sees and appreciates art in their own way, the way we interact with digital spaces can also be unique. This is especially true for those who are neurodivergent, and as UX designers, we need to keep these differences in mind. This article will guide you through some essential tips for designing with neurodivergent users in mind.
So, you design Data Visualizations. Visualize this: you could go blind tomorrow.
It is unfortunate the way we designers typically present data – through infographics, maps, charts, and other visual formats – inherently favoring sighted and with a higher than average literacy level. This exclusionary approach leaves many people behind, particularly those with visual impairment or cognitive disabilities. As designers and developers, it's time we broaden our perspective and champion inclusivity.
Communicating Accessibility Through Inclusive Design
How involving people with disabilities early in the design process can lead to more accessible products
Migrating to Figma, without the drama.
As design tools release real-time collaboration features, design teams struggle to adapt to this new way of working. These new features invite designers - and managers - to be more thoughtful about scalable interface design architecture.
Interview with your future self
In this time-travel activity, I propose an activity that focuses on creating an inclusive mindset from the standpoint that a lack of disability is, in fact, only temporary.
Learning to recognize exclusion
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