7 ININsights: Putting Innovation Into Action For Better Accessibility

The panel discussion from the European edition of Inclusive Innovations (ININ), which took place in Utrecht on November 23rd, featured prominent spokespeople from across the blind and low-vision community.

Through candid conversations and questions, the panelists including Dr Amit Patel , Jonathan Ward (Thomas Pocklington Trust), Robin Spinks (RNIB), Parham Doustdar (Booking.com), Jos Verbrugge (University of Amsterdam), and Alice Barrow (Unilever), shared their opinions and experiences of crucial aspects of accessibility, inclusive design, and shared challenges in daily life and the workplace.

1. Prioritizing Accessibility

Parham Doustdar , leading the accessibility team at Booking.com , highlighted the challenges of prioritising accessibility amidst various tasks at work. He stressed the importance of governance, incorporating both automated and manual checks, to ensure continuous improvement and prevent regression. Parham also found that showing the market value of people with accessibility needs is a successful way to advocate for better accessibility. These customers have a spending power significant enough to steer a company’s prioritisation of their website and/or apps accessibility.

Alice Barrow , the accessibility lead at 联合利华 , underscored the necessity of making products accessible. She discussed the integration of accessibility into corporate commitments, citing the example of Unilever, where accessibility is a key pillar for all products with financial implications for non-compliance. Unilever has also included AQR’s to some of their product range such as Persil in the UK, which enables people who are blind or have low vision to easily locate products and access info about them.

2. Tipping Point for Organisational Culture

What is the tipping point for changing organisational culture and understanding of accessibility? Parham emphasised making accessibility issues visible and relatable to people's everyday experiences to engage them in the cause. Alice Barrow shared her experiences with companies and their moments of understanding and commitment to moving accessibility forward.

3. Peer Support and Connecting with Others

Jonathan, with four decades of experience helping the blind and partially sighted, highlighted the difficulty of individuals knowing their own needs. He suggested that peer support and a balance between lived experiences and professional understanding are crucial in addressing these challenges.

Amit shared a project called The Sea Monster, which focused on accessibility and inclusion from the start. By involving various communities and making inclusivity a part of the foundation, the project gained recognition as the most accessible attraction globally.

4. Advocacy Challenges and Mental Health

When advocating for accessibility, challenges affecting mental health and resilience can arise. Strategies for building resilience were shared, including engaging in physical activities, celebrating small wins, and emphasising the importance of self-care and relaxation.

5. Tools and Personal Freedom

The conversation shifted to tools that have made a difference in the lives of people with visual impairment, including voice typing, organisational tools, cooperative video games, and smart speakers for voice commands.?

6. Self-Advocacy and Myth-Busting

The panelists shared their own experiences with myth-busting in the community, emphasising the importance of open communication, asking for help in a considerate manner, and using humour to address uncomfortable topics.

7. Continuous Learning and Empathy in Innovation

Alice relayed the benefit of learning from people with lived experiences and including their feedback in the evaluation process. Joss highlighted the challenge of expressing needs and the evolving nature of those needs over time. Panelists underlined the significance of continuous learning, empathy, and adaptability in fostering inclusive innovations in the workplace.

The insights shared by the panelists offer valuable lessons for individuals, organisations, and communities striving to create a more inclusive and accessible world. In short, a multifaceted approach involving awareness, governance, corporate commitments, and proactive measures is needed to advocate for accessibility.

Inclusive Innovations is a growing community: join our Slack channel and connect with assistive tech experts, accessibility & diversity advocates, researchers and more.

Would you like to know more about ININ, read more takeaways on our blog.