The approach matters!

As promised, my follow up on “It’s about learning” published on February 14th, when I shared my new project with the design students of Hogeschool Rotterdam. The students work on a design assignment including accessibility, the ING Brand and actual tooling for people with a disability.

Presenting discoveries

Last Friday the students presented their outcomes of the discovery phase for the assignment set. I can honestly say, I’m happy and positively surprised by the quality of the outcomes in such short period of only 3 weeks. The students surely used their capabilities to generate ideas and learn more about people with disabilities, and the requirements people with disabilities need in the workplace.

During the presentation the students took us on the journey of their discovery story, which brought a great insight on the impact of approaches taken when we think about inclusive design.

The accessibility versus the disability approach, brought a difference in both approach as well as outcomes. Teams focusing on accessibility look at the tooling, how can you serve your employees best. Which is easily connected to belonging, and the students with this approach brought that message clearly across to the public.

The disability approach was more about what people need to perform at their abilities, with a higher focus on assistance, making sure it is easy to understand for people with disabilities. This approach is more medicalized, the persons disability and limitations are centralized. This leads to an approach which is often connected to charity or doing good.

Discovery stories and assumptions

What stood out for me during the presentation was that the accessibility versus the disability approach brings highly impacting differences with it. The accessibility approach is about servicing people and belonging to the organization. The disability approach is more about how can the organization create a fit for a person with the disability and what does the organization need to do to provide a workplace for people with disabilities. With this disability approach assumptions about what people with a disability can and can’t do, become a huge part of the presentation.

As many people working in the accessibility and disability space know, with these assumptions it’s a quick step to unintended stigmatizing language like “those people” or “they need” and it becomes hard to identify yourself with the person with a disability. Which is hard to undo and will remain visible within the organizations approach towards disability inclusion.

Unintendedly the students reintroduced me with an important lesson why accessibility is my preferred approach, you put the customer/employee first, making sure they belong to your brand/organization for the full 100%!

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Without judgement if one approach is better than the other, the students work on this assignment to learn more about accessibility and people with disabilities. These discovery sessions are part of this lesson, and that is why I share this valuable lesson.?

Bianca Prins is Global Head of Accessibility at ING Bank, and trailblazer in the business disability community. A pioneer in the development of a global strategic Accessibility approach in the fast evolving business roles to include people?with a disability in business. With LinkedIn articles Bianca is sharing insights on accessibility business opportunities, challenges and struggles towards an disability inclusive world for all!

#accessibility #a11y #disability #DisabilitySmart #DisabilityInclusion #Diversity #Inclusion #business #chage #trailbazer #strategy #HR #DiversityAndInclusion #D&I #sustainability