Interview with Nikki Kuhn, Accessibility Expert
Q&A with Nikki Kuhn, who is presenting at the CreativePro Week 2024
Nikki Kuhn is a seasoned senior-level accessibility designer with over 15 years of experience in the field. With a strong passion for creating inclusive digital experiences, Nikki has played a pivotal role in enhancing the accessibility of websites, applications, and digital content for numerous organizations. She’s also speaking at CreativePro Week 2024, which takes place July 8-12 in Washington, DC, with a session on designing accessibly.
We thought it would be fun to get to know her better with some Q&A.
What do most designers get wrong when it comes to accessibility?
More often than not, I see designs without proper color contrast both in text and interactive elements. Best practice to follow is a color contrast of 4.5:1 for text and 3:1 for interactive elements.
Favorite tools that you wouldn’t want to be without?
Every designer needs a color contrast checker in their toolbox. I utilize apps and plug-ins so that I always have it available to me.
Biggest tip for anyone new to designing accessibly?
When first learning about digital accessibility it can be overwhelming but it is important to remember that accessibility does not happen overnight. My best advice is to start off small and stay curious. I frequently ask myself, “What can I improve to be more inclusive?”
Where do you find inspiration?
My biggest inspiration is through being connected to accessibility communities. This helps me to stay humble, empathetic, and aware. Accessibility is bigger than one person, but one person can impact so many.
What are you most excited to share in your upcoming session?
I am really excited to share knowledge and my story with designers, awareness is so vital to the cause and if I hope to inspire more designers to keep accessibility in mind.
This article was last modified on March 25, 2024
This article was first published on March 7, 2024
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