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Accessibility is not a final checklist. It is a shared responsibility that should shape a product from the beginning.

In this episode of The Design Psychologist, Thomas Watkins talks with David Sloan, Chief Accessibility Officer at TPGi and co-author of What Every Engineer Should Know About Digital Accessibility.

David explains how designers can look beyond visual considerations like color contrast and account for the different ways people perceive, navigate, and operate technology. They discuss assistive technology, screen readers, semantic HTML, linearization, disability language, and the difference between accessibility needs and medical diagnoses.

The conversation also explores why accessibility works best as a team effort. Designers, developers, product managers, writers, and testers all make decisions that can either create or remove barriers.

If you want to build more inclusive products—and make accessibility part of your everyday workflow—this conversation offers a practical place to begin.

If today’s conversation helped you think more deeply about your work, I’d love it if you left a quick rating or review on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast listening app. It helps more thoughtful designers discover the show—and keeps these meaningful insights coming your way. Just a star rating or a sentence or two makes a big difference. Thanks for listening!

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