Jessica Oddi: accessible design for every body-mind

As a part of iilo’s “Meet the team” series, please meet Jessica Oddi (she/her)!

Accessibility is at the heart of what we do at iilo. We don’t just stay current with standards and legislation. We actively invest in professional development and empower our clients with accessible design strategies that amplify their mission and uplift those they serve.

Along the way, we connected with Jessica Oddi, a disabled designer and accessible design consultant based in Hamilton, Ontario. She led an insightful lunch and learn for our team, helping us better understand the “how” and “why” behind designing for all minds and bodies.

We enjoyed learning from Jessica so much that we’ve become official collaboration partners! Read on to learn what Jessica brings to iilo’s team and clients.

How has your career journey evolved with the awareness of accessible design?

I’m a self-proclaimed disabled designer, which is just a clever way to say I’m a graphic designer who also has a disability. I’ve always loved art and creativity, so design became a way to continue that journey when my physical ability started to decline around high school. When I wasn’t painting anymore, my sister introduced me to a graphic design program at Mohawk College. I took it on a whim and fell completely in love with it.

At that time, around 2010, accessibility wasn’t a part of traditional education. I actually started learning about accessible design through online disability communities. Tumblr [a microblogging platform] didn’t even have the feature to add alternative text to images yet, so everybody just typed image descriptions with their posts.

I feel like the movement really started growing by 2018. That’s when I dove into WCAG [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines] and learned all about digital accessibility standards. By 2020, accessibility awareness was booming, and legislation started to require all websites to be accessible.

Given the current political climate, especially in the States, a significant push is underway to maintain the rights people have worked so hard to gain. Some accessibility teams are transferring work to AI without human oversight, which risks backtracking on hard-won accessibility gains.

The main goal right now is to ensure accessibility remains vital and important, and we don’t just jump to fancy, new tech. We need to make sure our legislation stays intact to protect our rights to access the world digitally.

Why does accessible design matter?

It always comes down to basic human rights. I’ve seen so many marketing teams talk about how accessibility is good for SEO, rankings, and this and that. That’s all wonderful and great, but for me, it’s deeply personal.

It’s important because I have friends, colleagues, and community members who’ve always had to fight for rights in a world that wasn’t built for them. We have to advocate for our access needs, our care, our physical environment — and the digital environment is no exception. And if people who are disabled can’t access your publicly posted information, then you’re excluding them.

What are some examples of accessible design?

It’s things like having proper colour contrast. You can be mindful of how you pair a background colour with the colour of your text and graphics, especially to support people with colour blindness.

It’s about having large, readable print and using short, simple sentences to not overwhelm people with what’s called cognitive load.

It’s also about the design of apps and services that we use. A lot of people, including myself, use alternative navigation where I’m talking to my computer to make it do a command or to navigate a website. Other people with visual impairments may use screen readers that read websites out loud to them.

So, when we’re talking about accessibility, we’re talking about making sure everyone can access the information that we’re putting out there.

What’s it like to collaborate with iilo?

It’s been so fun to work with a fellow Canadian design group. I’ve done a lot of work in the States and missed working closer to home.

So far, I’ve consulted on a few iilo projects for clients like BC Policy Solutions and Accessible Employers, which is operated by Open Door Group. Our collaboration feels like a creative brainstorm session, where we explore design options and accessibility considerations. It’s like being back in school, with collaborative feedback sessions that spark new ideas.

What do you enjoy about iilo’s collaboration approach?

Honestly, the organicness of the collaboration is so beautiful. I never feel stressed. I always feel supported. iilo isn’t a hustle culture design group where you have to stress yourself out and burn out. It’s therapeutic in a way and just like a creative joy. Every time I jump on a call, I leave energized, not drained. It’s just a truly collaborative, fun environment.

What unique contributions do you bring to projects?

I’d like to say my sense of humour. We can always joke about design theory or the general work process. I tend to bring a cheerleader optimism to each project, like, “You got this. You’re doing great. Keep going.”

I also have lived experience as a disabled person and can share that unique perspective. I bring all the things I’ve learned over the years, through my personal journey and through my community connections, to support the organizations I work with.

Want to benefit from the perspective of an accessibility expert?

Contact us to request Jessica for your next project. Together, we’ll ensure your branding and communications align with your accessibility and inclusion goals.