Why accessibility and good design are inseparable in the arts sector
By
Ruth Hogarth
Summary
This article argues that digital accessibility and good design are fundamentally the same thing, using Microsoft's Inclusive Design framework (permanent, temporary, and situational disability) to illustrate why accessible design benefits everyone. It critiques the pursuit of distinctive digital experiences that sacrifice usability, and advocates for collective industry-wide standards rather than individual organizations trying to solve accessibility alone. The piece uses the relatable example of using a website one-handed to show how situational disabilities affect everyone, and frames accessibility barriers as lost revenue and missed connections for arts venues.
Source
Twitter / XWhy accessibility and good design are inseparable in the arts sectorartsprofessional.co.ukKey quotes
· 3 pulledThink about the last time you used a website one-handed. Perhaps you were holding a coffee, carrying a bag or cradling a child. In that moment, you experienced situational disability – and every fiddly dropdown menu or tiny button became an obstacle.
"I'll do this later" you tell yourself. But later rarely comes. For venues, that's a ticket not sold, a membership not renewed, a connection not made.
Microsoft's Inclusive Design framework identifies three types of disability: permanent (a person with one arm), temporary (someone with a broken arm), and situational (a new
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