{"id":4493,"date":"2026-03-19T13:27:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/?p=4493"},"modified":"2026-03-19T13:46:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:46:53","slug":"designing-beyond-the-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/2026\/03\/designing-beyond-the-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing beyond the checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<figure class=\"graf graf--figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"graf-image\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-images-1.medium.com\/max\/1600\/1*n_kzea9qbkW4VV9PxrdoSQ.png\" alt=\"Kit the Firefox mascot holding a phone showing a grid with numbers used by voice access users\" data-image-id=\"1*n_kzea9qbkW4VV9PxrdoSQ.png\" data-width=\"6250\" data-height=\"3125\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"graf graf--h3\"><\/h3>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Accessibility has always been close to my heart. I was introduced to it early in my career, when a client required our product to be AAA-compliant. As a team of two, we audited our entire app.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\"><strong class=\"markup--strong markup--p-strong\">We were barely AA.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">If those letters don\u2019t mean much, they refer to the <a class=\"markup--anchor markup--p-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/WAI\/standards-guidelines\/wcag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/WAI\/standards-guidelines\/wcag\/\">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines<\/a> (WCAG), the international standard for making digital products usable for people with disabilities. AAA is the highest level of conformance. AA is typically considered the acceptable baseline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">We weren\u2019t even confidently there. That experience changed how I see design.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Most products today aren\u2019t perfect. Many aren\u2019t even close. But accessibility isn\u2019t just about passing audits or checking contrast ratios.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Yes, color contrast matters. Alt text matters. Focus states matter. But those should be the floor, not the ceiling. Accessibility goes beyond a checklist. It\u2019s a mindset. And that mindset deepened for me on the Firefox UX team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">At Mozilla, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to collaborate closely with our accessibility specialists and conduct research using <a class=\"markup--anchor markup--p-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/makeitfable.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/makeitfable.com\/\">Fable<\/a>: a platform that connects us directly with people who use assistive technologies like screen readers, magnification software, and voice access.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Instead of designing based on assumptions, we test with real users navigating Firefox in real ways. That difference is everything.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">In two recent moderated sessions I facilitated, I was reminded how much nuance lives in the margins of our designs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">In one session, we worked with a participant who uses screen magnification software. We learned:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"postList\">\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Even the slightest pixelation can create ocular vibration and discomfort<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Swipe gestures, which often feel \u201cmodern\u201d to designers, can be risky or disorienting for magnification users<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Thoughtful line height can meaningfully reduce cognitive load<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">These aren\u2019t things you catch in a checklist review. They\u2019re things you learn by listening.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">In another session, an Android user who relies on Voice Access showed us something equally important:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"postList\">\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Holding and dragging interactions are difficult with voice control<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">App-level voice commands can interfere with system-level voice access tools<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Features designed to feel innovative can unintentionally create barriers. <strong class=\"markup--strong markup--p-strong\">That tension is where real accessibility work happens<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">This experience wasn\u2019t just eye-opening for me. My teammate Nicole reflected:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"graf graf--blockquote graf--startsWithDoubleQuote\"><p><em class=\"markup--em markup--blockquote-em\">\u201cWorking with Fable was a great experience. One takeaway that stood out was how low vision users face similar challenges to anyone using their phone outside in bright sunlight, especially around contrast. It also made us think more about designing for an aging population\u2026 building in accessibility now sets us up to serve more users over time. Overall, it broadened our perspective, helped us build empathy, and made the product better. This kind of research should be a standard part of the design process.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">That last line stays with me: <strong class=\"markup--strong markup--p-strong\">This kind of research should be standard.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">These sessions fundamentally changed how I approach design. Accessibility now shows up much earlier in my process: not as a final pass, but as a lens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">When defining problems, I ask:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"postList\">\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">What happens if this is heard instead of seen?<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">How does this interaction work without touch?<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Could this increase cognitive load?<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Are we designing for someone unlike ourselves?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">It\u2019s no longer a checklist I review at the end. It\u2019s something I carry from the beginning. And it makes our critiques stronger, our conversations sharper, and our decisions more intentional.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Accessibility also deeply aligns with Mozilla\u2019s mission. We will always stand behind our belief that the internet should be open, usable, and available to everyone. Designing accessibly is just one of the ways we can achieve that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">When we remove barriers, we\u2019re not just improving usability; we\u2019re protecting participation, agency, and inclusion on the web.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Of course, no process is perfect. Deadlines are real. Technical constraints are real. Accessibility can feel overwhelming, especially if you\u2019re new to it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">But you don\u2019t have to know everything to start. A lot of it is just learning as you go.<\/p>\n<ol class=\"postList\">\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Start with the basics<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Take advantage of resources you do have<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Advocate for testing with real users<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Most importantly: <strong class=\"markup--strong markup--p-strong\">don\u2019t treat accessibility as an afterthought. <\/strong>The more you practice it, the more it becomes instinctive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">Accessibility extends beyond pixels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">It\u2019s not about compliance. It\u2019s about empathy. And when we design with accessibility in mind, we\u2019re not designing for a small group of users.<\/p>\n<p class=\"graf graf--p\">We\u2019re designing for <strong class=\"markup--strong markup--p-strong\">everyone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section section--body\">\n<div class=\"section-divider\">\n<hr class=\"section-divider\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Helpful resources<\/h3>\n<div class=\"section-content\">\n<div class=\"section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn\">\n<ul class=\"postList\">\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\"><a class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/WAI\/standards-guidelines\/wcag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/WAI\/standards-guidelines\/wcag\/\">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines<\/a> (WCAG)<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\"><a class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/makeitfable.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/makeitfable.com\/\">Fable<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\"><a class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.figma.com\/community\/plugin\/732603254453395948\/stark-contrast-accessibility-checker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.figma.com\/community\/plugin\/732603254453395948\/stark-contrast-accessibility-checker\">Stark for Figma<\/a> (accessibility plugin)<\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\"><a class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/resources\/contrastchecker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/resources\/contrastchecker\/\">WebAIM Contrast Checker<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"graf graf--li\">Book: <a class=\"markup--anchor markup--li-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/abookapart.com\/products\/accessibility-for-everyone.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-href=\"https:\/\/abookapart.com\/products\/accessibility-for-everyone.html\"><em class=\"markup--em markup--li-em\">Accessibility for Everyone<\/em><\/a> by Laura Kalbag<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/firefox-ux\/designing-beyond-the-checklist-8421fca1cec0\">Medium.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Accessibility has always been close to my heart. I was introduced to it early in my career, when a client required our product to be AAA-compliant. As a team of &hellip; <a class=\"go\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/2026\/03\/designing-beyond-the-checklist\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2040,"featured_media":4494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[440717,246,4498,9577],"tags":[440721,440722,440718,625,440719,440720],"coauthors":[440716],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4493"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2040"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4493"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/ux\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=4493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}