Designing research with disabled users, not for them

Accessibility audits tell you whether a product conforms. They do not tell you whether it works. The gap between those two questions is closed by research with disabled users — designed with them, compensated fairly, and structured around their expertise.

Start with consent and compensation

Honoraria at parity with non-disabled participants. Consent forms in plain language and available in multiple formats. Scheduling that respects energy, time zones, and assistive technology setup. These are not nice-to-haves; they are the floor.

Co-design the protocol

Disabled participants are experts in their own workflows. The interview guide, the task scenarios, and the success criteria should be reviewed by participants from the target community before fieldwork begins.

Triangulate with audit data

Pair lived-experience research with WCAG audit findings and assistive technology testing. The combined evidence base is what turns an accessibility program from a compliance function into a product strategy function.

Where this sits in our practice

This work lives inside Accessibility & Inclusive Design. It pairs naturally with a WCAG audit and a design system remediation engagement.