Accessibility and Inclusivity Toolkit
Creating a comprehensive digital accessibility resource that achieved widespread adoption across NSW Government and industry recognition.
Overview
The challenge
The agency's flagship product, the Accessibility and Inclusivity website, was failing to serve its users effectively. While the site looked unfinished and contained outdated content, the underlying issues ran deeper than surface-level problems. Stakeholder feedback indicated the site wasn't meeting user needs, but specific pain points weren't initially documented.
The Director recognised the need for a complete overhaul based on comprehensive research and consultation to understand what wasn't working and why.
90+
Government agencies
430,000+
Potential users
WCAG 2.2 AA
Compliance requirement
My role
My role was to come up with a plan to determine what wasn't working and improve the website.
Lead successful end-to-end site redesign process
- Define process, timelines and resources
- Develop product and user experience strategy
- Manage supplier and stakeholder relationships
- Oversee all phases from problem framing through to success measurement
Key activities
- Problem framing and stakeholder alignment
- Research design and analysis
- Collaborative ideation and concept development
- Prototyping and usability testing
- Developer support during build phase
- Post-launch impact measurement
Process
I followed a user-centered design approach, involving stakeholders and end users throughout the process to ensure the toolkit would meet real-world needs.
1
Discovery and research
- Stakeholder interviews and vision alignment
- Subject matter expert consultations
- User problem analysis through enquiry auditing
- Baseline usability testing and SUS measurement
- Competitive analysis of similar tools
2
Analysis and strategy
- Research synthesis and insight development
- Information architecture planning
- Content strategy definition
- Feature prioritisation based on user needs
3
Ideation and design
- Collaborative ideation workshops
- Content creation and user journey mapping
- High-fidelity prototyping in Figma
- Internal stakeholder review and iteration
4
Testing and validation
- Worked with developers to create a live 'sandbox' version for testing, so that accessibility could be tested as well.
- Comprehensive usability testing sessions with target users, NSW Governemnt employees, including those who are Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and people with disabilities
- SUS surveys to measure usability improvements
- Iterative refinements based on feedback
- Developer handoff and support during build phase
5
Launch and impact measurement
- Internal promotion and awareness campaigns
- Analytics setup to track user engagement
- Stakeholder presentations and community of practice sessions
Research and discovery
Understanding the vision
Through stakeholder interviews with the Director and team members, we established project goals and documented known issues from internal perspectives.
Research and expert consultation
Conducted interviews with subject matter experts both within and outside of government to understand broader accessibility challenges and best practices.
Understanding the problem
To address the challenges with the existing accessibility website, I conducted a comprehensive research phase to understand user needs, pain points, and the broader context of digital accessibility within NSW Government.
User problem identification
Analysed incoming enquiry patterns to understand the real problems faced by NSW Government employees trying to create accessible products and services. This revealed that while users didn't know how to make their work accessible, the problem was more fundamental than a lack of technical knowledge. The research uncovered varying levels of understanding and engagement with digital accessibility:
- Some users needed convincing that digital accessibility was worth striving for.
- Many didn't understand why accessibility mattered or the barriers faced by people with accessibility needs.
- Some conflated accessibility with physical access (like wheelchair ramps) and weren't aware that digital accessibility existed.
- Others were pragmatically focused and simply wanted to know their legal obligations.
These insights revealed that the redesigned toolkit needed to address not just the 'how' of accessibility, but also the 'why' and 'what' - providing education, motivation, and practical guidance for users across this spectrum of understanding.
Baseline usability assessment
Conducted comprehensive usability testing sessions on the existing website, using SUS (System Usability Scale) surveys to establish quantitative baselines alongside qualitative feedback on findability, usefulness, and understandability. This baseline testing revealed a SUS score of 75.
Competitive analysis
Evaluated how similar government and industry tools approached accessibility guidance to identify opportunities and best practices.
Understanding Our Users
I conducted extensive research to understand the diverse needs of government staff working on digital accessibility.
Key user problems identified
Digital accessibility knowledge gap
Some conflated accessibility with physical access (like wheelchair ramps) and weren't aware that digital accessibility existed.
Overwhelmed
Many users didn't really know where to start. Managers were also looking for best entrys points to accessibility for their staff.
Whats the problem?
Many didn't understand why accessibility mattered or the barriers faced by people with accessibility needs.
Obligations
Others were pragmatically focused and simply wanted to know their legal obligations.
Can't find the right info
Some users were very engaged. They had questions about how to do specific tasks and didn't know where to look.
Not sure it's worth the effort
Some users needed convincing that digital accessibility was worth striving for.
Ideation and validation
Collaborative strategy development
Presented research findings to the team and facilitated collaborative sessions to develop new information architecture based on user needs and expert insights.
Feature definition
Led ideation workshops to define content strategy and product design features specifically aimed at increasing user engagement and task completion.
Product positioning
Renamed the site from 'Accessibility and Inclusivity' to the 'Accessibility and Inclusivity Toolkit' to better communicate its practical, resource-focused purpose.
Prototype and testing
Created high-fidelity prototypes in Figma, which developers used to build a live preview version for comprehensive usability testing and SUS validation.
Internal promotion
Promoted awareness of the new Toolkit through presentations to other teams, communities of practice at Town Hall meetings, and the Accessibility NSW Newsletter.
The solution
The final toolkit provides a comprehensive, user-friendly resource that guides government staff through accessibility implementation with practical tools, clear guidance, and real-world examples.
Based on our discovery findings, we designed key features to address the full spectrum of user needs and understanding levels.
Clear purpose and positioning
The rename from 'Accessibility and Inclusivity' to 'Accessibility and Inclusivity Toolkit' immediately clarified what the site was for and who it was designed to serve, removing previous confusion about the site's purpose.
Human-centred storytelling
Replaced animated explainer videos with authentic videos featuring people with lived experience of disability and accessibility challenges. This approach built empathy and helped users understand real-world impact rather than abstract concepts.
Here's one of those videos where people with disabilities talk about how digital accessibility positively impacts their lives.
Lowered barriers to entry
Added a 'Basics' section featuring simple accessibility checks that employees could immediately implement, along with output specific checklists for things like digital documents. This gave users quick wins and confidence to engage with more complex accessibility concepts.
Legal clarity and obligations
Introduced a 'Your responsibilities' section that clearly outlined accessibility obligations, relevant legislation, and the standards their work needed to conform to. This addressed the pragmatic needs of users who wanted to understand conformance requirements.
Empathy touchpoints
Integrated quotes from people with accessibility needs throughout the site to continuously reinforce the human impact of accessibility work and maintain user motivation beyond initial engagement.
On brand
The solution was carefully designed to align with the existing NSW Government brand guidelines and design system. By working within established visual patterns, typography, iconography and component libraries, the Toolkit felt cohesive with other government digital services, maintaining the familiarity and trust that users expected. This approach also streamlined development and ensured accessibility compliance from a technical perspective, as the existing design system incorporated WCAG standards.
Custom pictograms
The NSW Design System has a vast library of pictograms, that I used where possible, because consistency is important. I also created some custom pictograms for our purposes, being careful to maintain the same visual design style and specifications.
Results
Quantified usability improvement
Following post-launch usability testing, the Toolkit achieved a SUS score of 87, up from the baseline of 75 - elevating the site from 'Good' to 'Excellent' usability and placing it in the 96-100th percentile. Qualitative feedback confirmed users were quicker to understand the site's purpose and found content significantly easier to locate and comprehend.
Industry recognition
- Access Awards 2023 finalist
- NSW Department of Customer Service Secretary's Awards 2024 finalist
Increased engagement and reach
- Significant increase in mailbox enquiries from government employees seeking accessibility guidance.
- Multiple requests from other government teams to adapt our approach for their projects.
- Invitations to present at industry events and communities of practice.
Stakeholder and community impact
- Gained strong support from leadership, accessibility experts, and disability advocates.
- Strengthened connections across the accessibility ecosystem, including NSW and interstate government staff, international government accessibility teams, Non-Government Organisations, advocacy groups, and industry leaders.
Organisational influence
The project's success has positioned Accessibility NSW as a leader in government accessibility resources, with the Toolkit serving as a model for other jurisdictions and organisations.
The toolkit has been widely adopted across NSW Government and received outstanding usability scores, demonstrating its effectiveness in making accessibility knowledge accessible.
Reflection
What Worked Well
- Extensive user research provided clear direction for design decisions
- Iterative testing and refinement resulted in exceptional usability
- A Jobs To Be Done, or JTBD-based approach made complex information more accessible
- Strong stakeholder engagement ensured organisational adoption
Key Learnings
- Progressive disclosure is essential for complex, technical content
- Real-world examples are more valuable than theoretical guidance
- Change management is as important as good design
- Accessibility of accessibility resources is critically important
Future Opportunities
Based on user feedback and analytics, potential enhancements include:
- Personalised learning paths based on role and experience
- Community features for sharing examples and asking questions
- Advanced training modules for specialised accessibility topics
Next project
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Elevating the accessibility of a government design system
View case study