Two weeks ago, I got lost in the hospital trying to find the neonatal ward.
Imagine going up to the hospital reception and them giving you a detailed verbal map of lefts and rights in quick succession. No way I'd remember all that, I thought. I wanted to say something, but they were already confusing the next person. So on I went.
Of course I got lost and of course I then got blamed for being where I'm not supposed to be. Even though no one stopped me and there were no signs anywhere along the way.
The hospital management made some choices for what to prioritse. And signposting and capable staff didn't make the cut. That strategy backfires every time a visitor comes in. The problem isn't the visitors.
I thought, this is essentially what happens when we create products and services without considering accessibility.
Your accessibility strategy is the problem, not users with disabilities.
When you choose to skip alt text for images, you're not saving time. You're choosing to exclude users with visual impairments from understanding your content.
When you use colour alone to convey important information, you're deliberately shutting out people who are colour blind.
And when you build forms without proper labels, you're telling screen reader users they're not welcome.
These aren't oversights. They're choices. And choices have consequences.
Poor customer service drives away your best customers. Inaccessible design pushes away users who could become your most loyal advocates. The disability community has significant spending power as well, so that's money you're turning away.
More importantly, accessible design benefits everyone.
Captions help people in noisy environments. Clear navigation helps users under stress. Simple language helps everyone understand your message.
Product owners often treat accessibility as an afterthought. Like something to bolt on later. But you can't retrofit accessibility.
Developers might say accessibility is too complex or time-consuming. But the question isn't whether you can afford to make your product accessible. It's whether you can afford not to.
Getting the strategy right is the foundation for everything that follows.