A month ago, I began my Outreachy Internship at Wikimedia Foundation, a journey that has transformed my understanding of user empathy. My project focuses on designing tailored reading experiences for different accessibility requirements, and it has opened my eyes to the true breadth and depth of web accessibility needs.
When I first dived into the project description, I discovered that accessibility extends far beyond the commonly discussed visual impairments. It encompasses cognitive differences like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism—conditions I hadn't previously considered in my accessibility work. Despite my background in product design, where I'd learned about accessibility's importance, this project revealed how much more there was to understand.
Web accessibility isn't just a technical requirement for designers and developers—it's a fundamental consideration that should concern everyone involved in creating digital experiences. When we fail to make web experiences accessible to people with disabilities or impairments, we're not just creating inconvenience; we're actively excluding them from participating in the digital world.
This reality becomes particularly significant in the context of Wikipedia, which receives billions of pageviews monthly. Among these visitors are countless individuals experiencing various forms of impairment, each deserving an equally engaging and accessible reading experience. My internship work has immersed me in extensive user research around accessibility, including two comprehensive literature reviews. Through these, I've studied interventions for people with visual, motor, non-motor, cognitive, and hearing impairments, diving deep into academic literature and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
My current focus involves conducting a competitive analysis to evaluate accessibility settings and reading tools across both direct and indirect competitors. This experience has fundamentally shifted my perspective as a User Experience Designer. I've learned that UX design transcends creating visually appealing interfaces in Figma—it requires a deep understanding of our users' diverse needs, achieved through thorough research and empathy. Some users face impairments that could limit their web experience, and it's our responsibility to ensure our designs accommodate everyone.
Through this internship, I've come to understand that true accessibility isn't an afterthought or checkbox—it's a fundamental aspect of creating inclusive digital spaces that welcome and serve all users, regardless of their abilities or circumstances.