Accessibility

Amber Sawaya, Human Experience Designer and Accessibility Advocate

I’ve been interested in accessibility in human experience design (HXD) for many years. It began when I opened my first design agency with my partner, Steve—who happens to be color blind. I saw firsthand how even the smallest choices in the design phase—like contrast or color selection—can either include or exclude people.

That early awareness deepened over time. Alan, a friend whom I supported on the Row4ALS team, also helped me see more clearly how our work in HXD impacts real people in their daily lives. My understanding became personal when I became disabled myself.

There are only two kinds of disabled people: those who are disabled now, and those who will be. Age, accidents, and illness eventually catch up with all of us. For me, it was a tumor that took my inner ear. I now wear a cochlear implant and rely on captions, subtitles, and volume adjustments. I have full hearing on the other side, so most people don’t realize I’m partially deaf.

This lived experience, layered over years of accessibility work, fuels my commitment. Accessibility is not just about compliance—it’s about crafting inclusive, intuitive, and delightful experiences for every kind of human. It’s about seeing beyond the one-dimensional user and into the real, complex lives people lead.

I’m excited about AI and HXD because we finally have the power to design for everyone. The tech is catching up with the human needs we’ve always known were there. Whether it’s closed captioning in real time, adaptive interfaces, or inclusive navigation in self-driving cars, we are beginning to see what’s possible.