As a designer, you're free to:
- choose colour palettes and typography
- design interaction patterns
- create unique layouts and visual hierarchies
- design custom icons and illustrations
- develop a distinct visual style for your product
As a developer, you're free to:
- create the structure in the code you think works best
- reject or approve PRs
- choose your preferred programming language or framework
- decide on the architectural patterns for your application
- determine your coding style and conventions
But as soon as you touch the product, you are also responsible.
You're responsible for:
- creating code that conveys clear meaning and structure to allow all users to navigate and understand the content
- designing interfaces that are intuitive for users with diverse abilities and input methods
- implementing designs that are perceivable to users with different sensory abilities, considering factors like colour contrast and text size
- evaluating your work to identify and address potential barriers that might exclude certain user groups
- staying informed about diverse user needs and emerging accessibility standards
- testing your product with a variety of users and assistive technologies
- providing clear documentation and support for users with different levels of technical expertise
We have the freedom to create and innovate. We'd do well to remember that this should include everyone.