{"id":12070,"date":"2025-05-21T15:28:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T15:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=12070"},"modified":"2025-10-24T13:03:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T12:03:44","slug":"accessible-design-heather-hepburn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/accessible-design-heather-hepburn\/","title":{"rendered":"Making accessibility real: practical insights from Skyscanner\u2019s Head of Accessibility, Heather Hepburn"},"content":{"rendered":"

Accessibility is a huge topic right now. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) compliance deadline fast approaching in June 2025, the importance of accessible design can no longer be ignored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But, beyond checklists and regulations, what does accessibility actually mean in practical, real-world terms?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a complex question, so we spoke to an expert with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field: Skyscanner\u2019s Head of Accessibility<\/strong> and all-round inclusive design champion, Heather Hepburn<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Heather is one of the leading experts the UX Design Institute worked with to create their <\/span>new course on designing for accessibility<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, you\u2019ll find all the highlights from the live masterclass with Heather, hosted by the UX Design Institute\u2019s Head of Product & Research, Rachael Joyce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Join us for an exclusive deep dive into the fascinating topic of accessibility \u2014 and be prepared for some surprising stats, perspective-altering insights, and practical steps you can embed into your own work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n

But before we dive in, let\u2019s introduce Heather properly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meet Heather Hepburn, Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Heather<\/span><\/a> first joined Skyscanner as a UX writer in 2018. But, at the time of her interview, she\u2019d been working at Royal Bank of Scotland on building more accessible account opening systems as a Content Strategist (UX writer) for over 4 years. So, when she was asked to critique the Skyscanner app as part of the interview process, she couldn\u2019t help but notice \u201ca ton of accessibility issues.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the company\u2019s unofficial champion for accessible design, Heather eventually established a formal role for herself. For the last five years, she\u2019s been focusing wholly on accessibility at Skyscanner. Heather is also the co-founder of the Champions of Accessibility Network (CAN), a global community with over 2,000 members, and she works closely with universities to address what she calls the \u201caccessibility knowledge gap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In her own words, Heather is on a mission to make the world a more accessible place.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what does that mean exactly, and what does it look like in practice at one of the world\u2019s most successful travel discovery and booking platforms?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Want to play the masterclass webinar in full? You can find it here: <\/span><\/i>What accessibility is and why it matters \u2014 a UX Career Masterclass with Heather Hepburn<\/span><\/i><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Reframing how we define and understand accessibility<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you were asked, right now, to define the terms \u2018accessibility\u2019 and \u2018disability\u2019, what would you say?<\/b><\/p>\n

As you contemplate your answer, let\u2019s borrow a quick exercise that Heather ran during the masterclass.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider the following images. The first shows a person in a wheelchair, entering a building via a ramp. The second shows another person entering the same building \u2014 this time, walking up a set of stairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, who is disabled here?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"image<\/p>\n

The answer?<\/b> In that very moment, neither of these people is disabled. They can both enter the building as there are no barriers preventing them from doing so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This raises an incredibly important question about how we understand disability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Heather points out, many of us tend to view disability and accessibility through the medical model. Through this lens, disability is something that\u2019s caused by a health condition, disease, or trauma.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, according to Heather, disability is best understood through the <\/span>social model<\/span><\/i>, where disability is caused by society and the environment rather than an individual\u2019s health condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This shift in perspective is a game-changer. When we understand that the design of the environment determines who is disabled in the moment, it becomes clear just how much power designers have in creating accessible, barrier-free experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Heather had to say during the masterclass \u2013 a few excerpts:<\/span><\/p>\n

Q. How should we think about disability?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The social model of disability focuses on the environment being the disabler, not the person\u2019s disability \u2014 and this is a fantastic way of looking at it, because it means that everyone can do something about it. We can all help make the environment an accessible place that\u2019s free from barriers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The same is very true in the digital space. We don\u2019t want to create barriers for users who are using our websites and apps. We want to create products that are barrier-free so that everyone can use them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The social model of disability focuses on the environment being the disabler, not the person\u2019s disability \u2014 and this is a fantastic way of looking at it, because it means that everyone can do something about it. We can all help make the environment an accessible place that\u2019s free from barriers.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Q. What is the core definition of accessibility in the digital space?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The actual definition of accessibility is the qualities that make an experience open to all. It’s also the word for the professional discipline aimed at doing that. It’s sometimes shortened to A11Y. Accessible products are websites, apps, tools, and technologies that are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Q. What global standards have been established for digital accessibility?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There is a global set of standards called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG for short. They\u2019re used across the world in many, many laws and legislations. The most up-to-date version is WCAG 2.2, and most companies aim for Level AA compliance. There are 87 different success criteria, and they are very long and complex \u2014 at Skyscanner, we use a condensed version internally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To learn more about the <\/span>WCAG guidelines and<\/span> for practical guidance on how to implement them, check out the UX Design Institute\u2019s newly launched <\/span>Professional Certificate in Designing for Accessibility<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who needs accessible design? (Spoiler: everybody!)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

1 in 4 people globally have a permanent disability<\/b>, and around <\/span>80% of disabilities are hidden<\/b>, which means you won\u2019t necessarily be able to tell that someone has a disability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Heather explains that permanent disabilities can be grouped into four main categories:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Physical disabilities<\/b> affect how people interact with devices. Conditions like motor neuron disease, cerebral palsy, arthritis, or limb loss can make using a mouse difficult or impossible. Many users in this group rely solely on a keyboard or use assistive tech like switch controls.<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Vision impairments <\/b>like blindness, low vision, and tunnel vision. These users might zoom in on content, use screen magnifiers, or rely on screen readers (software that reads out page content aloud).<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Hearing disabilities<\/b> like deafness and hearing loss, requiring captions on videos.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Cognitive and neurodivergent conditions<\/b>, like ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and learning difficulties, benefit from clean layouts, predictable interactions, and minimal distractions. Design choices like le<\/span>ft<\/span>-aligned text, consistent structure, and reduced motion can make all the difference.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    But Heather points out that it\u2019s not only permanent disabilities we need to consider. Accessible design also supports <\/span>temporary disabilities<\/b>, like a broken arm, and <\/span>situational disabilities<\/b>, like trying to use a phone in bright sunlight, or one-handed while multitasking. Here’s an illustration from Microsoft\u2019s Inclusive Design Kit explaining the point:<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n\"\"<\/p>\n

    Ultimately, designing for accessibility benefits everyone, which brings us to the next key topic in our discussion: Why should we care about accessible design?<\/span><\/p>\n

    1 in 4 people globally have a permanent disability,<\/i><\/b> and<\/i><\/b> around<\/strong><\/em> 80% of disabilities are hidden. Accessible design also caters to temporary and situational disabilities.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Why should we care about accessible design? Because it\u2019s the right thing to do \u2014 and inaccessible design costs companies billions\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    There are many compelling reasons why we should care about accessible design, especially from a business perspective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Here, Heather points out that accessible design is simply \u201cthe right thing to do\u201d, but she also highlights what\u2019s at stake when you <\/span>don\u2019t <\/span><\/i>consider accessibility. Let\u2019s take a look at what she had to say during our masterclass.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Q. Why is accessibility important for businesses?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    First, there\u2019s the moral aspect; it\u2019s 100% the right thing to do. That\u2019s all I really had to say to the leadership team at Skyscanner \u2014 \u201cDo you know that we\u2019re excluding people?\u201d And they didn\u2019t, so that was a good enough reason for us to do something; we want to really provide an equitable experience for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    But a lot of organisations also need to understand the commercial benefits. If you design for everyone, you reach a bigger audience, which means greater revenue. The annual spending power of the disabled community in the UK alone is \u00a3274 billion a year \u2014 businesses don\u2019t want to miss out on that!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Then you\u2019ve got brand loyalty. When disabled people find something that actually works, they come back because there\u2019s not a lot out there that does work really well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Another thing to think about is reputational damage. And accessible design is really good for SEO as well. Then, of course, you\u2019ve got the legal side; every country has its own laws \u2014 like the UK Equality Act 2010, and now we have the European Accessibility Act coming up in June this year, which is a massive one.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you design for everyone, you reach a bigger audience, which means greater revenue. The annual spending power of the disabled community in the UK alone is \u00a3274 billion a year \u2014 businesses don\u2019t want to miss out on that.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Q. Can you tell us a bit more about the European Accessibility Act?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    It\u2019s the most significant law I think the accessibility industry has seen, and that\u2019s really exciting! It\u2019s something we\u2019re all welcoming because it actually makes our jobs of advocating for accessible design much easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The European Accessibility Act affects most businesses operating in the EU, even those that aren\u2019t based in the EU but have customers who are. It includes physical and digital products, but I\u2019ll just talk about the digital product requirements here.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ultimately, websites and apps must be designed and built to be accessible. So I need to make sure that everyone \u2014 designers and developers \u2014 knows what they\u2019re doing. We\u2019re doing lots of training, embedding accessibility best practices into our processes, and making sure that everything\u2019s tested. Then we have to make sure that processes are in place for accessibility to be continually met.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Another key requirement is having accessibility statements on your website, so we\u2019re just building ours at the moment. They describe the state of the accessibility of your product and what you\u2019re doing about fixing it. We also have to make sure that customer service is accessible and that people can share feedback with us. There\u2019s a lot more to it, but those are the main things that we\u2019re looking at.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t comply with the Act, the consequences can be serious: fines, legal action, and in Ireland, companies may even face a prison sentence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    As Heather notes, the European Accessibility Act marks a huge turning point in the industry, compelling businesses to level up and take accessibility seriously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The European Accessibility Act is the most significant law the accessibility industry has seen. If you don\u2019t comply with the Act, the consequences can be serious: fines, legal action, and in Ireland, maybe even a prison sentence.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Next, Heather takes us behind the scenes of Skyscanner\u2019s accessibility program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Building an accessibility program: lessons from Skyscanner\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Skyscanner is a multi-billion dollar business with over 110 million users every month, and almost 1500 employees across nine offices around the world. The product itself comprises a desktop website, a mobile website, and apps for both iOS and Android.<\/span><\/p>\n

    At Skyscanner, accessibility isn\u2019t a box-ticking exercise or an add-on. It\u2019s a long-term commitment built right into the foundations of how the company designs, develops, and delivers their digital experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Accessibility is not a quick fix. It takes so long to embed it properly into a business. It’s a fascinating process, but there’s so much to it.<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    So, how do they do it? Here, Heather talks us through Skyscanner\u2019s approach to accessible design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Q. Can you talk us through Skyscanner\u2019s approach to accessible design?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Our accessibility program has been going for five years, and we’ve been tracking the maturity of our program since 2020 using AbilityNet\u2019s digital accessibility maturity model, which measures progress across five key areas: <\/span>vision<\/b>, <\/span>leadership<\/b>, <\/span>processes<\/b>, <\/span>capability<\/b>, and <\/span>procurement<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We’re still not there yet, but we have made such good progress over the past five years. I want to get the point across that accessibility is not a quick fix. So, companies that are just starting to look at accessibility now, hoping to be all compliant and ready by June, it’s not going to happen overnight. It takes so long to embed it properly into a business. It’s a fascinating process, but there’s so much to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Q. How do you integrate accessibility into your processes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    From a design process perspective, we have a briefing template that includes a section about accessibility. So we’re asking our designers to exercise inclusive design thinking from the very beginning, so thinking about how their designs will work for someone who can’t see the screen and someone who can’t use a mouse, and a number of other different disabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We have checklists in place, which are part of the broader quality checks that designers have to go through before they hand over designs to engineering. And then part of that handover is a huge design specification that now has an accessibility section in it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We also use a number of different tools to mark up our designs in Figma to show engineers what we want from them in terms of accessibility. One such tool is a free plugin from eBay, called Include. It takes you through all of the checks or all of the annotations that you want to make to a design.<\/span><\/p>\n

    From an engineering perspective, we have a design system called Backpack where we’re working hard to make all the components as accessible as possible. There’s also some guidance in there, which is open source. Our engineers are also using best practices during the build process, and we push for product testing both during and after the build, combining automated and manual checks, and we encourage testing with real users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Beyond that, we track our accessibility score (from automated checks) once a week to make sure we\u2019re going in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Q. And how do you build the necessary skills and capabilities in-house?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    We\u2019ve got a wonderful champions network. Over a hundred of our 1500 staff are signed up as accessibility champs, and they\u2019re all in different teams around the business. Their role is to be the voice of our disabled travellers and advocate for accessibility in whatever they\u2019re doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

    We also provide extensive resources and training, including screen reader training, which really helps.<\/span><\/p>\n

    All new starters are introduced to accessibility from the get-go. We put them through an empathy lab where we simulate different disabilities, which is part of a two-day global induction event. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Empathy is the ultimate foundation for more inclusive design, and labs are an excellent way for designers to experience their products in ways they might not ordinarily do so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In the next section, Heather tells us more about how empathy labs work at Skyscanner, and allows us a behind-the-scenes look at an empathy lab in practice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The power of empathy and user testing: behind the scenes of Skyscanner\u2019s empathy labs\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Heather explains that empathy labs are used to simulate different disabilities. With the help of technology, employees can literally experience their products from a different perspective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This video captures Skyscanner\u2019s empathy labs in action, showing just how insightful and thought-provoking it can be to encounter different barriers while trying to interact with technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n