When I first started graduate school and wanted to learn more about accessibility in design, I quickly realized there weren’t many resources available. It felt like a challenge to find books or literature that could deepen my understanding and guide me on this journey.
Since then, the field of accessibility has grown, and several incredible books have been published that have profoundly influenced how I approach design.
In this post, I’ll share my favorite accessibility books that every designer should read. I’ve also included a few titles on my to-read list that I’m excited to explore next. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer, these books will help you create more inclusive and user-friendly designs.
Let’s dive into the list of must-read accessibility books!
Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design
The first book that comes highly recommended for all designers is Mismatch. This book was written by Kat Holmes, who worked on the Inclusive Design team at Microsoft a couple of years ago and is now part of the Google Inclusive Design team. Her book emphasizes the importance of inclusive design, explains its principles, and provides guidance on how to apply those principles to the design process.
I even created an entire video about this book If you’d like to dive deeper.
The Senses: Design Beyond Vision
The Senses is a catalog book that originated from an exhibit I had the privilege of attending at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City. The exhibit focused on showcasing products designed to engage all five senses, rather than relying solely on vision.
Although the exhibit is no longer on display, I find this book incredibly thought-provoking and inspiring. Flipping through its pages sparks countless ideas for my own work. It’s also wonderful to see how others are innovating to create inclusive solutions for the disabled community. These products are groundbreaking and demonstrate unique ways to solve common problems.
A Natural History of the Senses
A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman gave me a whole new appreciation for how much our senses shape the way we experience the world. She blends science, history, and personal stories to show just how deeply sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell impact our lives, often without us even realizing it. This book really made me think differently about how we use our senses and how they connect us to the world around us.
Accessible America: A History of Disability and Design
This book is an excellent and fascinating read—I had a hard time putting it down! It covers numerous modern examples of accessible design that people use daily, regardless of their abilities. The book also delves into the history of accessibility in design, exploring pivotal moments like World War II.
If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it. I guarantee you’ll learn something valuable that can benefit you in unexpected ways.
The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness
This book is incredibly thought-provoking. It added so much value to the way I think about users and how every individual is unique. The book emphasizes that when we design for the “average” person, we inevitably exclude entire groups of people. It challenges us to think outside the box and create designs that work for a broader range of individuals.
Reading this book helped me expand my perspective and better understand the full spectrum of people that should be considered in every aspect of design. This is such an important principle to grasp early on!
Building For Everyone: Expand Your Market With Design Practices From Google’s Product Inclusion Team
This is one of the two books on my list to read soon, and I’m really excited about it. I’m looking forward to gaining a better understanding of how a large company like Google approaches inclusive design. Once I’ve finished reading, I’ll be sure to share my thoughts!
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories From the Twenty-First Century
I really enjoyed listening to this book. It contains a collection of short stories that I could listen to one at a time, offering real-life examples from a variety of people that are too often left out of the conversation. It’s so important to hear directly from those who are impacted by these challenges.
This book also highlights some of the joys of having a disability, as well as what it’s like to live with an invisible disability.
Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind (Design Thinking)
This is the other book on my reading list. I think it will be a great refresher on design thinking theory and will help me better understand inclusive design, especially for digital products.
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