A design sprint is a time-constrained, five-phase process that helps teams rapidly solve design problems, validate assumptions, and test new concepts - such as accessibility for products, services, or websites. Typically conducted over five business days, a design sprint allows organisations to reduce risks, define goals, and make informed decisions before moving into full-scale development. It’s an efficient approach to developing new products, services, or features while addressing critical business challenges.

In the context of accessibility, an inclusive design sprint ensures that accessibility is a core focus from the outset, rather than an afterthought. By considering the needs of all users — especially those with disabilities — throughout the sprint process, organisations can create more inclusive and user-friendly solutions.

In this post, we’ll guide you through a step-by-step approach to running an inclusive design sprint that quickly solves problems, develops new ideas, and prioritises accessibility. This will help your team build inclusive products and improve user experience and your brand's reach.

Team collaborating in front of a large board filled with tasks and notes, representing the concept of design sprints used in project management to rapidly prototype and test ideas.

Why Inclusive Design Sprints Matter

Many organisations view accessibility as an afterthought, often addressing it at the end of the design process — or worse, only when a problem, such as a lawsuit, arises. This approach is not only inefficient, but it can also alienate users and lead to costly redesigns.

Inclusive design sprints, on the other hand, integrate accessibility from the outset, allowing your team to create solutions that work for everyone. By incorporating diverse user needs into the design process, you’ll build products that are more intuitive, usable, and accessible to a wider audience, ultimately improving your brand's reputation and reducing future compliance risks.

As you may notice, we are covering a 7-step process, not 5. This will ease your organisation into it, especially when new to the concept of accessibility and sprint design processes.

The Design Sprint Process

1. Assemble a Diverse Team

Diverse team working together by adding and organising sticky notes on a large board, symbolising collaboration during a design sprint session.

An inclusive design sprint begins by gathering a team with diverse perspectives. This doesn’t just mean involving designers, developers, and product managers. It also means bringing in individuals who have a deep understanding of accessibility and the lived experiences of people with disabilities. For example, here at Konnektis, we work with Imran, who lost their complete sight, yet has the lived experiences and skills to conduct our accessibility audits better than anyone!

Where possible, include people with disabilities as part of your team. Their insights will be invaluable in helping to identify potential barriers and solutions early on. If you can’t involve these users directly, make sure to consult with accessibility experts and resources to understand the needs of a diverse range of users.

2. Define the Problem with Accessibility in Mind

Before your sprint begins, it's crucial to define the problem you're solving. This stage is where you consider how different users — especially those with disabilities — will interact with the product or service you're designing. Identify key accessibility challenges from the start, such as ensuring compatibility with screen readers, creating clear navigation paths, or maintaining strong colour contrast for users with visual impairments.

By including accessibility in the problem definition, you're framing the design challenge in a way that accounts for a broader set of users, making the final product more inclusive.

3. Envision with Accessibility as a Priority

A man with crutches and a woman with a sling, representing accessibility for users with mobility or communication challenges.

The ideation phase of a design sprint is where creativity takes centre stage. However, while brainstorming solutions, it’s important to keep accessibility at the forefront of your thinking. Encourage team members to consider how their ideas might work (or fail) for users with disabilities.

For example:

Will a visually impaired user be able to navigate the interface?
Can a user with limited mobility interact with the design elements easily?
Are alternative methods of communication (such as captions or transcripts) available for those with hearing impairments?

Encouraging accessibility-centric thinking during this phase ensures that the ideas generated are inclusive from the start.

4. Prototype with Accessibility in Focus

The prototyping phase is where your ideas take shape. As you create your prototypes, ensure that accessibility best practices are integrated. For instance, use proper HTML structure and semantics to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers. Make sure the design includes sufficient colour contrast and that all interactive elements are keyboard navigable.

At this stage, it's also helpful to incorporate assistive technology tools into your testing. This will allow you to see how users relying on these tools interact with your prototype and identify any issues early on.

5. Test with Diverse Users

A diverse group of individuals, including people with disabilities, testing a prototype design.

Testing is one of the most critical steps in a design sprint, and it’s where you can truly gauge how inclusive your design is. Testing your prototype with users of varying abilities — especially those with disabilities — will reveal any accessibility barriers that need addressing.

If possible, involve people with different disabilities (such as visual, auditory, or motor impairments) in your testing process. Ask for feedback on how easy it is to use the product, where they encountered challenges, and how they think the design could be improved.

Be open to adjustments at this stage. The feedback you gather from real users will help ensure the final product is truly inclusive and accessible to all.

6. Iterate and Refine

After testing, gather your findings and begin refining your design. The goal here is to address any issues uncovered during the testing phase and continue improving the accessibility of your product.

Consider this an ongoing process. As new technologies and accessibility standards evolve, it’s important to continuously refine and update your designs to meet the latest guidelines and best practices.

7. Document and Share Accessibility Learnings

Once your inclusive design sprint is complete, document the accessibility practices and solutions you’ve implemented. This ensures that future teams can refer to these best practices, keeping accessibility a priority in future projects.

Sharing your findings with the wider organisation will also help raise awareness of accessibility issues and embed a culture of inclusivity across teams.

Conclusion

Inclusive design sprints are an efficient and effective way to prioritise accessibility from the very beginning of the design process. By assembling a diverse team, defining problems with accessibility in mind, and prototyping with inclusivity at the forefront, you’ll create products and services that are accessible to all users.

This allows you to build better, more inclusive products that serve a wider audience. By embedding accessibility into your design sprints, you’ll help ensure that your organisation is positioned for long-term success in an increasingly digital and inclusive world.

A Guide to Inclusive and Accessible Design Sprints