I was shopping for the New Year dinner earlier today. So were lots of other people, but I had an advantage not many did. I had a list in my hand. While the others were running around like headless chicken, I breezed through my list in under 20 minutes. Seriously, how people shop without lists is beyond me!
Anyway, I filled up my bags and headed for the door. I crossed the crowded parking lot, packed everything in my car and drove home. I parked my car and unpacked everything. With both my hands full, I made it to my front door. Opening the door with my hands full of groceries wasn't the easiest thing in the world. So I had to set everything down on the wet pavement, dig up my keys and open the door.
Think about opening a door with your hands full of groceries. Or trying to read your phone in bright sunlight. Or struggling to hear a video in a noisy coffee shop. These are everyday accessibility challenges we all face. We have workarounds. We set down groceries, we move out of the sun or we put on headphones.
Some people deal with these barriers constantly, and sometimes, there's no workaround. A person who is blind needs a screen reader to navigate websites. Someone with arthritis needs lever handles instead of doorknobs. An elderly parent requires larger text to read messages from family.
But here's the thing.
When we design for accessibility, everyone wins. Automatic doors help parents with strollers. Captions help people learning languages. Voice controls help drivers stay focused on the road. It's not just about disability. It's about making life easier for everyone.
There are very few projects that have an impact on every human on the planet.
Accessibility is one of them.
The stakes are high.