Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about accessibility. Not just in the context of the work I do, but for life. This is inspired by
’s most recent newsletter, “I'm seeing red”, but also a result of the current project I’m doing.Cognitive ability depends on many factors
I’m currently working as a Senior Content Designer for a big UK organisation (surprise! I do content design too). I’m on a team developing, writing and testing the content for a new savings product that’s going to launch. And using different personas, we’re mapping the content to the situations people might be in.
And, as someone who only recently started putting savings into savings accounts (I know), I will admit my first thought was that someone who opens a savings account is doing so because they have a surplus (however small) in their current account. But this is not always the case, in fact, I’d argue more often than not, someone is opening a savings account because something massive has changed in their life and they’re now looking ahead.
And that probably means that they’re stressed. And, when you’re stressed, your cognitive ability is lessened. This is something I learned at Accessibility Scotland last year, and you can read Rachel Edwards’ blog about it.
That’s why you can never assume knowledge
There’s a lot of things we assume about people in our society (and by ‘our’ I mean in the UK and Ireland). We assume most people have access to the internet. We assume most people have access to a debit or credit card. We assume most people have photo ID. They don’t.
I was chatting to a friend of mine over the weekend about photo ID, in light of people now needing photo ID to vote (which is, no matter what way you spin it - purposefully exclusionary). This friend is in their 20s and I asked what official photo ID is available to young people, if they don’t have a passport. They said there was none.
I’ve since found Citizen Card exists, and while I have (not to brag) a relatively high cognitive ability, I am struggling immensely to work out how on earth you get a Citizen Card if you don’t already have a passport. The Post Office has a much simpler version of the information you need to get this card. Either way, if you don’t have photo ID, it’s really hard to get one.
What happens if you’re estranged from your family and they have your original birth or adoption certificate? How much time and money will you need to spend to access these documents? A birth cert is £11, then you pay for your ID on top of that. You also have to ask a professional to validate your identity, which is another barrier and a very vulnerable thing to have to do.
Society caters to those who can fit in the box
And a large minority can’t everyday. And the majority who can, will, at some point not be able to. Because, as much as we would wish not to, trauma will impact us all. We’ll suffer a loss and grieve. We’ll have brain fog from illness or stress. These things happen, and we need to create a society and service that enables us to still function independently.
I’m lucky. I'm capable of ‘fitting in the box’, I’m educated to post-graduate level and I’m self-employed. I’m even more lucky because I’m in a position where, even to a tiny degree, I can help to create digital experiences that are accessible. I’m not an expert, there are people out there whose lived experiences make them experts. But I’m trying my best.
If copywriters are capable of using their work to make readable, accessible content, please do. If you’re in a role where you create digital experiences, please educate yourself about accessible practices. For content designers and copywriters, take a look at this blog: Making the case for clear language and this one: Neurodiversity and designing for difference.
There’s absolutely heaps of stuff out there, freely available. We can create a better society for all if we design and create better websites. And - if we highlight things we think might have been overlooked.
Stuff I’ve enjoyed
📚 Poor - Katriona O’Sullivan
🎥 Bottoms
📺 Unlocked: A Jail Experiment
New section - Bran Land
You best believe I’m dedicating a section to my bebe from now on. Anyway, big day for Bran (surname TBC due to Daire using the Irish version of his surname and me using the Anglicised version of mine) because at the ripe old age of 12.5 weeks, he went out for his very first walk in Edinburgh.
We’ve obviously been brining him out in his carrier/papoose but he’s too big now and too wriggly. Now that he’s all vaxxed up, he got to put his four paws down on the ground and sniff everything.
Catch youse soon.