ACCESSIBLE CHAT APP
A messaging app designed to WCAG standards from day one.
BACKGROUND & CONTEXT
Mainstream messaging apps treat accessibility as a settings menu, leaving users with visual, motor or hearing impairments working around the interface.
TARGET USERS
People with visual, motor, hearing or cognitive impairments
THE GOAL
Design text, voice, image and video messaging that meets WCAG guidelines by default.
MY PROCESS
- WCAG review
- flows
- wireframes
- accessible UI
- prototype
KEY DECISIONS
- Accessibility as the default state, not a toggle
- Contrast, target size and labelling checked per screen
- Text, voice, image and video treated as equal message types
THE SOLUTION
A chat app supporting text, voice, image and video messaging, designed against WCAG guidelines so contrast, touch targets and labelling hold up without a separate accessible mode.
KEY FEATURES
- Text, voice, image & video messaging
- WCAG-compliant contrast
- Accessible touch targets
- Clear labelling
DESIGN SYSTEM & ACCESSIBILITY
Built against WCAG 2.1 AA. Every message type — text, voice, image, video — has a non-visual equivalent, contrast and touch-target minimums are met on all screens, and no action depends on colour alone.
OUTCOME
A short project that shows accessibility working as a baseline rather than a retrofit.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 message types made accessible across 12 screens
What I learned
Designing to WCAG first removed most of the redesign work later.