AccessIA: the future of UX Accessibility

Have you ever struggled to access a website because the text was too small or the colors made it impossible to read?

Imagine facing these challenges every day, not just occasionally. This is the reality for millions of people with disabilities.

How can we, as UX designers, ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and enjoy digital products equally?

This is the story of how we used Design Thinking to create AccessIA, an innovative tool designed to make digital accessibility a seamless part of the UX design process. Through our experiences, challenges, and breakthroughs, we’ll share how AccessIA came to be and the impact it’s set to have.

Double Diamond Methodology: The Framework

The Double Diamond model, developed by the Design Council, is a powerful framework for tackling complex design problems. It consists of four phases that represents a divergent and convergent process, allowing for thorough exploration and refinement of solutions.

Discover

Brief: undestanding the problem

In a world where digital experiences shape our everyday lives, ensuring accessibility is not just a feature; it’s a necessity. Our mission with AccessIA was to create a tool that empowers designers to make their digital products accessible to everyone, seamlessly integrating accessibility into their design workflow.

Research

Our journey to create AccessIA began with a comprehensive research phase, aimed at understanding the real struggles faced by people with disabilities and the barriers designers encounter in making their products accessible. Through surveys, interviews with experts, and desk research, we gathered crucial insights that guided the development of our solution.

Context: Understanding the Landscape

The first step in our research was to get a broad understanding of the current state of digital accessibility. We discovered some alarming statistics:

These figures set the stage for our research, underscoring the urgency of addressing accessibility in digital products.

Surveys: Gauging Awareness and Practices

We conducted a survey among UX designers to understand their awareness, practices, and challenges related to accessibility. Here are some key findings:

• 67% of Designers Are Very Concerned About Accessibility: While there is a high level of concern, many designers lack the tools and knowledge to implement accessibility effectively.
• 74% Do Not Use AI Tools for Accessibility: There is a significant gap in the adoption of advanced tools that could simplify the accessibility process.
• 92% Are Willing to Receive Additional Training: This indicates a strong desire among designers to improve their skills and knowledge in accessibility.

Experts & Users Interviews: Insights from the Frontlines

We interviewed several experts and accessibility users to gain deeper insights into the challenges and best practices. Their perspectives were invaluable in shaping AccessIA. Here are some key excerpts:

These interviews highlighted several recurring themes:

• Education and Resources: There is a clear demand for structured educational resources and tools that can help designers understand and implement accessibility.
• Early Integration: Accessibility needs to be integrated from the start of the design process, not as an afterthought.
• AI Potential: There is optimism about the role of AI in enhancing accessibility, particularly through real-time feedback and personalized interfaces.

Competitive Analysis:

We analyzed existing tools like Stark, Axe Accessibility Checker, Adee and The A11 Project.

While these tools offer valuable features, there is a gap in providing real-time AI-driven feedback and comprehensive educational resources. While some og these tools are powerful, their interfaces can be overwhelming and not so intuitive enough for all levels of users.

By addressing these gaps, our solution aims to provide a more holistic and user-friendly approach, combining real-time AI feedback, extensive educational resources, and seamless integration to enhance accessibility in the design process.

Define Phase: A Journey to Identify the Core Problem

As we navigated through the Define phase, the vast landscape of our research findings began to crystallize into clear insights. We delved deep into the struggles, frustrations, and aspirations of UX designers, aiming to uncover the core problems and opportunities that could drive meaningful change.

Problem Statement

UX designers are struggling. The lack of proper training, the overwhelming complexity of accessibility standards, and the insufficiency of existing tools to provide real-time, AI-driven support create a significant barrier in their workflows. This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a fundamental obstacle that prevents designers from achieving true accessibility in their projects.

How Might We

So, we asked ourselves a pivotal question:

“How might we create a tool that empowers UX designers to seamlessly integrate accessibility into their design process, using AI-driven insights and comprehensive educational resources?”

This “How Might We” question became our guiding light. It wasn’t just about building another tool; it was about crafting a solution that truly addresses the pain points and empowers designers to elevate their work to new heights of accessibility. With this clarity, we were ready to embark on the next phase of our journey, driven by the desire to make a real difference in the world of UX design.

Key Insights

Develop

In the Develop phase, our creative process truly took off. Picture a room buzzing with energy, whiteboards covered in ideas, sketches, and diagrams. We were in full brainstorming mode, generating innovative solutions that could revolutionize accessibility in UX design.

Brainstorming Sessions

We began throwing out ideas, each one bolder than the last. Some of us envisioned a world where AI not only identified accessibility issues but also corrected them in real time. Others imagined an integrated educational platform that provided contextual resources as designers worked. The energy was palpable, and ideas flowed like a powerful river.

From these sessions, three standout concepts emerged:

• AI-Driven Accessibility Checks
• Educational Integration
• User-Friendly Dashboard

In this way we create the followed Functions for our Figma plugin in order to improve the competitors and create a more engaged and sattisfaction experience.

Prototype

With these ideas in mind, we moved to the prototyping phase. This was where our visions began to take tangible form. We sketched out interfaces, mapped user flows, and created mockups that brought our concepts to life.

Plugin Prototype

By focusing on AI integration, educational resources, and a user-friendly interface, we developed a tool that could truly empower UX designers to create more accessible designs.

How it works: Flow diagram of AccessIA

Below is the main user flow for AccessIA, illustrating the key tasks and choices within the process:

1. Project Creation: The first screen allows users to create a new project by entering essential details and setting objectives for accessibility.
2. Personal Dashboard: The second screen offers a personal dashboard that provides a strategic overview of all the possibilities Accessia offers. It includes:

• AI Automatic Scan: Real-time scanning and correction of accessibility issues using AI.
• Manual Tools: Options to manually analyze and adjust accessibility features, such as color and contrast, focus order, text size, and touchpoints.
• Educational Resources: Direct access to a library of resources, including tutorials, articles, and best practices to help users stay informed about the latest accessibility standards and techniques.

3. AI Automatic Scan: The AI scans the design in real-time, identifies accessibility issues, and provides instant feedback for corrections.

4. Manual Tools: Users can conduct a detailed analysis of their design, focusing on specific accessibility elements. This includes checking and adjusting color contrast, focus order, text sizes, and interactive touchpoints.

5. Report Generation: Accessia automatically generates detailed reports summarizing the accessibility issues found and the corrections made. These reports can be handed off to developers, ensuring a smooth transition and implementation of accessible designs.

This flow ensures that UX designers have a comprehensive, integrated tool that not only identifies and corrects accessibility issues but also educates and empowers them to create inclusive designs.

Web Prototype

The website serves as the primary platform for introducing Accessia to the world. It highlights the key features of the plugin, offers insights into how it works, and provides resources to help users get started. The website is designed to be clean, modern, and intuitive, reflecting the user-friendly nature of the plugin itself.

AccessIA include three pricing tiers: Starter, Pro, and Enterprise. Each plan is designed to cater to different user needs and organizational sizes.

Starter Plan:

• Basic access to AI-driven accessibility checks and manual tools.
• Limited access to educational resources.
• Ideal for freelancers and small teams just starting with accessibility.

Pro Plan:

• Full access to all features, including advanced AI scans and detailed reports.
• Comprehensive access to the educational library and priority support.
• Suitable for mid-sized teams and agencies looking to enhance their accessibility practices.

Enterprise Plan:

• Customized solutions and integration with existing design systems.
• Dedicated support and training sessions.
• Tailored for large organizations and enterprises with complex accessibility needs.

Conclussions and Features:

As we reach the end of our journey, let’s reflect on the key takeaways that have shaped AccessIA into a pioneering tool for enhancing accessibility in UX design.

• Educating and Empowering Designers:

AccessIA goes beyond mere compliance by offering integrated educational resources. By providing contextual learning materials, designers can understand the importance of accessibility and learn how to implement best practices effectively. This continuous learning approach empowers designers to become champions of accessibility in their organizations.

• User-Centric Design:

Our focus on creating a user-friendly dashboard and intuitive interface ensures that AccessIA is accessible to all designers, regardless of their technical expertise. The simplified navigation and clear icons make it easy for users to understand and utilize the tool’s features, enhancing their overall experience.

A Vision for the Future:

Looking ahead, AccessIA has the potential to expand its capabilities further. From generating detailed reports for developers to integrating with existing design systems in large organizations, the possibilities are vast. Our vision includes becoming a comprehensive platform that supports both designers and developers in their quest to create accessible digital experiences.

Final Thoughts

AccessIA represents the culmination of rigorous research, innovative thinking, and a deep commitment to improving accessibility in UX design. By leveraging the power of AI and providing valuable educational resources, we are paving the way for a more inclusive digital world. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to refining and expanding AccessIA, ensuring that accessibility becomes an integral part of every design process.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we can make a difference and create a more accessible future for all.