Creating for Everyone: Inclusive Design in Tech Event

How can we build digital experiences that work for everyone? That was the question at the heart of Creating for Everyone: Inclusive Design in Tech event on 1 Mar 2025, where 58 designers, developers, and product managers gathered to explore how accessibility goes beyond permanent disabilities—it’s about making technology more usable for all.

Understanding Accessibility Beyond Disability

Accessibility is often framed as a concern for people with disabilities, but situational disabilities affect everyone. Josh Tseng, an accessibility consultant and advocate, illustrated this with a simple example: One-handed mode on a smartphone isn’t just for users with mobility impairments; it also benefits parents carrying their children or commuters holding onto handrails on public transport.

One of the most impactful exercises asked participants to describe Hello Kitty to someone who is blind and has never seen her before. This exercise reinforced the importance of alt text and screen readers, showing that accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about ensuring that everyone can engage meaningfully with digital content.

Key Takeaways from the Session:

✅ POUR Principles: Designs should be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust. They form the foundation of the Web Content Accessibility Guide, an international standard for accessible web content.
✅ Consistent Design Matters: Users shouldn’t have to struggle with simple tasks.
✅ Tech in Action: Check out VoiceOver, Apple’s screen reader, and Brok the InvestiGator, an indie game designed with full screen reader support for visually impaired players.
✅ Progress Over Perfection: "You don’t need to aspire for perfection, just progress," Josh emphasised. Small efforts make a significant impact on accessibility.

Accessibility as a Mindset

One of the most encouraging outcomes of the event was the enthusiasm it generated. 12 participants signed up as Better.sg volunteers - a testament to the growing commitment to building inclusive, user-friendly technology.

As Better.sg continues to develop #TechForGood solutions, accessibility will remain a key focus. By designing for the edges, we create digital products that work better for everyone. Inspired? download the free e-accessibility playbook for digital inclusion here.

Special thanks to Josh, and our friends from SG Enable, and Open Government Products for working with us to make this event happen!