How to Use Perspective AI for Accessibility & Inclusive Design Research

What You'll Accomplish

• Real user insights about accessibility barriers and inclusive design needs
• User-centered accessibility improvements based on actual user experiences rather than compliance checklists
• Inclusive design strategies that benefit all users while addressing specific accessibility requirements
• Systematic approach to accessibility research that informs ongoing design and development decisions

Step 1: Define Your Research Question

1. Go to getperspective.ai/signup and create your account
2. Click "Create New Conversation"
3. Define your primary research question, such as:
   • "How can we better understand and design for users with diverse abilities and accessibility needs?"
   • "What accessibility barriers prevent users with disabilities from successfully using our product?"
   • "How can we create more inclusive design that serves users across different abilities, contexts, and technologies?"

• Research type (Exploratory, Discovery, etc.)
• Detailed research description
• Interview goals and objectives
• Target participant profile
• Initial research plan

Step 2: Refine Your Research Plan

• Goals: 3 specific objectives (e.g., "Understand accessibility barriers and inclusive design requirements from users with diverse abilities") - you can define additional goals in the refinement step
• Target participants: Users with disabilities and diverse accessibility needs
• Core questions: Foundation questions that ensure consistent accessibility research data collection

• "Tell me about your experience using digital products—what works well for you and what creates barriers or frustration?"
• "When you encounter accessibility barriers, what workarounds or alternative approaches do you typically use?"
• "What would need to change about our product to make it more accessible and usable for someone with your needs?"

• "How do you typically navigate and interact with interfaces like ours, and what design elements help or hinder your experience?"
• "What assistive technologies do you use, and how do different design choices affect their effectiveness?"
• "Can you walk me through trying to complete [specific task] and describe any challenges or accessibility issues you encounter?"

• "How does your experience with our product compare to other similar tools in terms of accessibility and ease of use?"
• "What inclusive design elements would make the biggest difference for users like you?"
• "If you were advising our design team on accessibility improvements, what would be your top priorities?"

Step 3: Customize the Participant Experience

• Conversation Title: "Accessibility Research: Help Us Create More Inclusive Design"
• Welcome Message: "We're committed to creating products that work well for users with diverse abilities and needs. Your experience and insights about accessibility, barriers, and what makes digital products usable would be incredibly valuable for improving our design for everyone."
• Researcher Info: Add your name, title (Accessibility Researcher, Inclusive Design Lead, etc.), and brief bio

• End-of-interview CTA: "Thank you for sharing your insights! If you'd like to participate in future accessibility research or see how we've improved based on your feedback, please let us know" + research panel sign-up
• Auto-send thank you email: Enable to maintain accessibility research relationships
• Require sign-in: Optional—consider accessibility of sign-in process vs. follow-up capabilities
• Access level: Keep as "Account" (visible to your design and accessibility team only)

Step 4: Invite Your Target Participants

• Users with visual disabilities: Including blindness, low vision, and color vision differences
• Users with hearing disabilities: Including deafness and hearing loss
• Users with motor disabilities: Including limited dexterity, mobility, and motor control differences
• Users with cognitive disabilities: Including learning differences, attention challenges, and processing differences
• Users with multiple disabilities: Those who experience intersecting accessibility needs
• Assistive technology users: People who use screen readers, voice control, switch navigation, etc.

• Copy the unique conversation link
• Share through disability advocacy organizations and accessibility communities
• Use accessible communication channels and formats

• Use built-in email invitations
• Send directly from Perspective AI platform with accessible email formatting

"Hi [Name], We're conducting research to improve accessibility and inclusive design in our products. Your experience as someone who [uses assistive technology/has accessibility needs] would provide valuable insights for creating better digital experiences. This AI-guided conversation takes 15-20 minutes and directly influences our accessibility improvements. [insert link]"

• Partner with disability advocacy organizations and accessibility communities
• Provide compensation for research participation time and expertise
• Ensure invitation and research process are fully accessible
• Use multiple accessible communication methods (email, phone, community forums)

Step 5: Let Perspective AI Conduct the Interviews

• Participants access the conversation through their preferred methods and assistive technologies
• Perspective AI conducts natural, conversational interviews that adapt to different communication styles
• Each conversation explores accessibility experiences and inclusive design needs
• All accessibility insights are automatically recorded and organized by disability type and barrier category

1. Accessibility context and technology usage exploration
2. Current product experience and barrier identification
3. Assistive technology interaction and compatibility assessment
4. Workaround strategies and alternative approach discussion
5. Inclusive design recommendations and improvement priorities
6. Thank you and ongoing research participation opt-in

Step 6: Analyze Your Accessibility Research Data

• Get instant overview of accessibility barriers, user experiences, and inclusive design needs
• Identify common patterns in accessibility challenges across different disability types
• See assistive technology compatibility issues and user adaptation strategies

• "What are the most common accessibility barriers users experience with our product?"
• "How do different assistive technologies interact with our current design, and what compatibility issues exist?"
• "Which accessibility improvements would have the biggest impact on user experience and task completion?"
• "How do accessibility needs vary across different types of disabilities and user contexts?"
• "What inclusive design principles and practices would benefit the broadest range of users?"

• "Prioritize accessibility improvements based on user impact and frequency of barriers"
• "Identify universal design opportunities that benefit users with and without disabilities"
• "Map accessibility compliance requirements to real user needs and experiences"
• "Create accessibility testing protocols based on actual user interaction patterns"
• "Develop inclusive design guidelines that address identified user needs and barriers"

• "Compare accessibility experiences across different disability types to identify intersectional needs"
• "Analyze the relationship between accessibility barriers and user task completion, satisfaction, and retention"
• "Identify accessibility innovations and best practices mentioned by users from their experience with other products"
• "Predict accessibility improvement impact on user adoption and engagement across diverse user groups"

Step 7: Implement Inclusive Design Strategy

• Inclusive design principles and guidelines based on real user needs and barriers
• Accessibility design patterns and component specifications that support assistive technologies
• User persona and journey maps that include diverse abilities and accessibility contexts
• Design review processes that evaluate accessibility impact before implementation

• Technical accessibility requirements and implementation standards based on user feedback
• Assistive technology compatibility guidelines and testing protocols
• Code review processes that ensure accessibility features function as intended by users
• Performance optimization that considers assistive technology interaction requirements

• Feature prioritization that includes accessibility impact and inclusive design considerations
• User acceptance criteria that incorporate accessibility requirements and user success metrics
• Product roadmap planning that addresses identified accessibility gaps and improvement opportunities
• Success measurement frameworks that track accessibility improvement impact on user experience

• User-centered accessibility testing protocols and evaluation methods
• Ongoing research programs that maintain connection with disability communities
• Accessibility advocacy and education initiatives based on real user stories and experiences
• Compliance strategies that align legal requirements with actual user needs and benefits

Real-World Example

• Navigation complexity: 89% of screen reader users found product navigation confusing and inconsistent
• Image accessibility: 76% couldn't access product information due to missing or inadequate image descriptions
• Checkout barriers: 67% abandoned purchases due to inaccessible checkout processes
• Search functionality: 54% couldn't effectively search for products using assistive technology
• Video content: 82% of users with hearing disabilities couldn't access product videos without captions
• Mobile accessibility: 71% found mobile app significantly less accessible than desktop website

• Screen readers: Inconsistent heading structure, missing form labels, unclear focus indicators
• Voice control: Navigation commands didn't work reliably, search functionality incompatible
• Keyboard navigation: Tab order confusing, some interactive elements not keyboard accessible
• Screen magnification: Layout broke at high zoom levels, important information disappeared
• Alternative input devices: Switch navigation and head tracking not supported

• Alternative shopping methods: 43% used phone calls or asked others to shop online for them
• Assistive technology combinations: Users combined multiple tools to overcome individual limitations
• External accessibility tools: Used browser extensions and third-party accessibility software
• Simplified approaches: Avoided advanced features and used basic search and navigation only

• Task completion: Users with disabilities had 34% lower checkout completion rates
• Time to complete: Accessible tasks took 2.8x longer due to navigation and interaction barriers
• User satisfaction: Accessibility barriers reduced satisfaction scores by average of 3.2 points (out of 10)
• Customer loyalty: 67% of users with disabilities shopped less frequently due to accessibility frustration

1. Navigation Redesign: Implemented consistent heading structure, clear focus indicators, and logical tab order
2. Image Accessibility Program: Added comprehensive alt text and product image descriptions
3. Checkout Optimization: Simplified checkout flow with clear form labels and error handling
4. Video Accessibility: Added captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions for product videos
5. Mobile Accessibility Overhaul: Rebuilt mobile app with accessibility-first design approach
6. User Testing Integration: Established ongoing accessibility testing with users with disabilities

• Checkout completion rate for users with disabilities improved from 34% to 78%
• Customer satisfaction scores increased 4.1 points on average for accessibility-improved features
• Mobile app accessibility ratings improved from 2.1 to 8.3 stars in app store reviews
• Task completion time decreased 67% with navigation and interaction improvements
• Revenue from customers using assistive technology increased 89% year-over-year
• Legal accessibility compliance improved significantly with user-centered approach

Advanced Accessibility Research Use Cases

• Interview users with multiple disabilities to understand complex accessibility needs
• Research how different accessibility barriers compound and interact
• Design inclusive solutions that address intersecting identity and ability factors

• Research accessibility needs for new platforms, devices, and interaction methods
• Understand how emerging assistive technologies change user needs and expectations
• Design forward-looking accessibility strategies for evolving technology landscape

• Research accessibility needs across different cultural contexts and languages
• Understand how accessibility barriers vary across different regions and communities
• Design inclusive solutions that work across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts

Quick Start Checklist

• Create Perspective AI account and define accessibility research question
• Customize research plan with 2-3 mandatory questions about accessibility barriers and user experiences
• Set up accessible participant experience and ensure conversation platform accessibility
• Partner with disability advocacy organizations to recruit diverse participants
• Provide appropriate compensation for participant time and expertise
• Wait for interview completion and ensure accessible communication throughout
• Generate accessibility insights and barrier analysis
• Create inclusive design improvements with user impact prioritization
• Schedule ongoing accessibility research to validate improvements and identify new needs

Sample Analysis Questions for Accessibility Research

• "What are the most significant accessibility barriers users encounter with our product?"
• "Which assistive technologies have compatibility issues, and what specific problems occur?"
• "How do accessibility barriers affect task completion and user satisfaction?"

• "How do users with different disabilities adapt and work around accessibility barriers?"
• "Which design elements work well for accessibility versus create challenges?"
• "What accessibility improvements would have the most positive impact on user experience?"

• "Which design changes would benefit users with disabilities while improving experience for all users?"
• "How can we better support diverse assistive technologies and user interaction methods?"
• "What accessibility innovations from other products do users find most effective?"

• "Which accessibility improvements are most urgent based on user impact and barrier severity?"
• "How do accessibility needs vary across different user tasks and product areas?"
• "What accessibility features would most improve user retention and satisfaction?"

FAQs

What's Next?