Viewing the World Through UX Design: Designing for My Mom
When people think of accessibility in design, their minds often jump to ramps and elevators — physical infrastructure that helps people navigate the world. But accessibility in the digital world is just as critical, and it’s often overlooked.
Not everyone using an app is a tech-savvy teenager or a young professional who’s grown up glued to a screen. Many are older adults, people with visual impairments, or those who simply didn’t grow up immersed in technology. They’re trying to navigate a digital world that doesn’t always feel like it was built for them. And for me, that realization was deeply personal.
One of the main reasons I became a UX designer is my mom.
My mom is considered legally blind. She doesn’t have perfect vision, and she doesn’t fully understand how apps or websites are “supposed” to work. But she still uses her phone every day — to stay connected, to feel independent, to navigate life. Watching her interact with technology, I began to see just how frustrating and confusing the digital world can be when it's not designed with her in mind.
Tiny buttons. Inconsistent navigation. Poor color contrast. Apps overloaded with icons and gestures that assume you just know what to do. And when something doesn't work the way she expects, she doesn’t just get confused — she feels excluded.
Every time I work on a design now, I think: Would this make sense to my mom? Would she be able to use this without needing to ask for help? Would it frustrate her or make her feel empowered?
That’s what good UX is about — not creating flashy interfaces or chasing the latest trends, but crafting experiences that work for everyone, especially those who often get left out of the conversation.
Accessibility isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a mindset. It’s choosing larger text options, voice controls, clear labels, readable contrast, intuitive layouts. It’s designing apps that don’t assume everyone using them has perfect vision, fast reflexes, or years of experience with tech.
We often talk about “users” like they’re all the same. But every user has a different story, a different ability, a different relationship with technology. And as designers, we have the power — and the responsibility — to make that experience better for all of them.
Designing with empathy isn’t optional. For me, it’s personal. It’s my mom. And she deserves just as much access to the digital world as anyone else.
