Accessible Design Methods

Design research methodologies that have been adapted or created to enable participation by people with disabilities, ensuring they can contribute as active co-creators rather than passive subjects. Traditional design methods like sketching, storyboarding, card sorting, and visual prototyping often assume visual ability and manual dexterity, creating barriers for disabled participants. Accessible alternatives include tactile prototyping toolkits, audio-haptic mockups, scenario-based textual approaches, LEGO-based design, and voice-based ideation methods. The goal is not merely to accommodate disabled participants but to position them as primary contributors whose design expertise from lived experience drives the process.