Accessibility and inclusion: reflections from The Outlook 2025 conference
The 2025 Accessibility and Inclusion Conference in Melbourne was a chance to pause and think about how design meets real life. Across talks and panels, one idea kept coming up: accessibility isn’t something you add at the end. It is the heart of good design.
From fixing problems to designing for people from the start
Many organisations still treat accessibility as something to fix at the end of a project. A page is built, an app is launched, and then someone checks it against WCAG standards to see if it passes.
Those checks are important, but they only go so far. Real inclusion happens when people with different needs are part of the process from the beginning. Talking to someone who uses a screen reader or lives with low vision changes the way you design.
Accessibility becomes more than a compliance task. It becomes part of creating work that is useful, welcoming and enjoyable for more people.
Seeing beyond our own perspective
Another theme was about stepping out of our own shoes. It is easy to design for ourselves. Screens, services and processes often reflect the team that built them, rather than the people who need to use them.
The conversations at the conference were a reminder that small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference. Clearer headings, simpler forms and flexible navigation aren’t just “accessible features”. They make life easier for everyone.
Checking in with people whose needs are different to ours also shows where the gaps really are. It helps us create experiences that feel fairer and easier to use in the real world.
Making accessibility part of everyday work
The talks explored how accessibility becomes stronger when it is part of daily practice rather than an isolated task.
It doesn’t always happen through large-scale overhauls. Often, it grows through small improvements made regularly. Adjusting how we write, structuring content for clarity, or testing early with different users all contribute to designs that work for more people.
Over time, these habits build services and products that feel seamless to a wider audience. They also save the scramble of last-minute fixes or retrofits.
Designing for everyone, one step at a time
The conference reinforced many of the principles we already bring to our work with clients. Accessibility has never been a box-ticking exercise for us. It is part of the way we think about design from the very first conversation, shaping choices and trade-offs along the way.
What the sessions offered was a deeper appreciation for the subtleties – the moments where small, early decisions can ripple out into truly inclusive experiences. Inviting in different voices, questioning our own assumptions, and continuing to learn as we design remains central to how we work.
When we approach design this way, we not only meet standards – we create experiences that more people can use, trust and enjoy. That is the measure of good design.
The 2025 Accessibility and Inclusion Conference in Melbourne was a chance to pause and think about how design meets real life. Across talks and panels, one idea kept coming up: accessibility isn’t something you add at the end. It is the heart of good design.
From fixing problems to designing for people from the start
Many organisations still treat accessibility as something to fix at the end of a project. A page is built, an app is launched, and then someone checks it against WCAG standards to see if it passes.
Those checks are important, but they only go so far. Real inclusion happens when people with different needs are part of the process from the beginning. Talking to someone who uses a screen reader or lives with low vision changes the way you design.
Accessibility becomes more than a compliance task. It becomes part of creating work that is useful, welcoming and enjoyable for more people.
Seeing beyond our own perspective
Another theme was about stepping out of our own shoes. It is easy to design for ourselves. Screens, services and processes often reflect the team that built them, rather than the people who need to use them.
The conversations at the conference were a reminder that small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference. Clearer headings, simpler forms and flexible navigation aren’t just “accessible features”. They make life easier for everyone.
Checking in with people whose needs are different to ours also shows where the gaps really are. It helps us create experiences that feel fairer and easier to use in the real world.
Making accessibility part of everyday work
The talks explored how accessibility becomes stronger when it is part of daily practice rather than an isolated task.
It doesn’t always happen through large-scale overhauls. Often, it grows through small improvements made regularly. Adjusting how we write, structuring content for clarity, or testing early with different users all contribute to designs that work for more people.
Over time, these habits build services and products that feel seamless to a wider audience. They also save the scramble of last-minute fixes or retrofits.
Designing for everyone, one step at a time
The conference reinforced many of the principles we already bring to our work with clients. Accessibility has never been a box-ticking exercise for us. It is part of the way we think about design from the very first conversation, shaping choices and trade-offs along the way.
What the sessions offered was a deeper appreciation for the subtleties – the moments where small, early decisions can ripple out into truly inclusive experiences. Inviting in different voices, questioning our own assumptions, and continuing to learn as we design remains central to how we work.
When we approach design this way, we not only meet standards – we create experiences that more people can use, trust and enjoy. That is the measure of good design.