Proactive, Not Reactive – The Key to Inclusive and Accessible Design

For too long, accessibility has been treated as a fix rather than a foundation, an afterthought rather than a guiding principle. This reactive approach often results in patchwork solutions that address accessibility only after barriers have been identified.

But what if we flipped that mindset? Proactive design ensures accessibility is built in from the start, eliminating the need for costly modifications and making inclusivity seamless rather than separate.

What Does Proactive Accessibility Mean?

A reactive approach waits until a problem is identified, then adds accommodations to make a product or space more accessible.

A proactive approach, on the other hand, integrates accessibility and inclusive principles from the beginning, so barriers never exist in the first place.

Consider these examples: