The importance of empathy in creating accessible products

In today’s digital world, accessibility is a crucial factor in ensuring that all users, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy digital products and services.  

Often, when illustrating accessibility issues, we use blind people and their special needs as an example. However, this is deceptively simplistic, since excellent accessibility is something that most of us can benefit from: when we are tired, when using mobile devices in bright sunlight, when we have a video transcript available and forget our headphones – the use cases are virtually limitless. 

Empathy plays a fundamental role in creating inclusive experiences, allowing UX professionals to understand and respond to the diverse needs of users. 

When we disagree with someone’s opinion, how do we react? Are we able to set aside our convictions and put ourselves in that person’s place for a moment? Being empathetic does not mean nullifying our own feelings and opinions but understanding that they are not the only ones at play. The main difficulty in practicing empathy is fully accepting that each person is different from us, and therefore, their behaviours and mental models are not comparable to ours. 

Empathy is the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, understanding their perspective, emotions, needs and challenges. Applied to UX, empathy is a crucial soft skill because it allows the creation of products that truly place users at the center of the process. Without it, it is easy to ignore or underestimate the difficulties different people may face when interacting with a digital product. By empathizing with users with limitations, we are challenged to confront our assumptions and biases and avoid stereotypes. 

However, we must be careful to avoid empathy overload, which can lead to stress and burnout. Empathy should translate into specific, tangible actions to improve users’ lives rather than becoming an unsustainable emotional burden. 

Empathy associated with meeting accessibility criteria begins with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people with different types of disabilities: visual, auditory, motor and cognitive. By empathizing with these users, project teams identify barriers and create solutions that promote inclusion.  

Creating empathy maps to illustrate and describe what users with chronic disabilities or temporary limitations think, feel and do is one of the methods we use to gain valuable insights into the perspectives of these users with specific needs. 

1. Visual impairments
   Users with visual impairments may have difficulty navigating a website that is not compatible with screen readers. Without alternative text for images or a clear navigation structure, the experience becomes frustrating and inaccessible. 
2. Hearing impairments  
   A user with hearing impairments may not be able to understand the content of a video without subtitles. This limits access to information and can exclude the user from important multimedia content. 
3. Motor impairments 
   A user with motor impairments may encounter difficulties interacting with small or poorly positioned elements in an interface. The lack of support for keyboard navigation can make the product impossible to use.
4. Cognitive impairments 
   Empathy also extends to content creation. Clear and simple language is important for users with cognitive impairments. Avoiding jargon and complex technical terms makes it easier to understand and navigate the content. Additionally, the logical organization of information and the use of headers help guide users through the content.

Testing digital products with real users with disabilities is a valuable practice. These tests help identify issues that may not be obvious. Moreover, direct feedback from users allows for continuous adjustments and improvements. At Xpand IT, we routinely involve users with physical or cognitive limitations in our process as feedback providers.  

Empathy in the creation of digital products is not just good practice but an ongoing commitment to making the digital world accessible to everyone. By adopting an empathetic approach, we design experiences that not only meet the expectations of all users but also promote inclusion and equality. 

Meeting accessibility criteria benefits everyone, making digital products easier and more enjoyable to use for all. Ultimately, empathy in accessibility is an essential step towards a more inclusive and equitable digital world. Contact us to know more about this topic, or to help you start creating your own inclusive digital experiences.