How Inclusive Design Helps Build Tech Confidence Among People with Low-Vision

Accessibility isn’t a feature, it’s future-ready thinking. Here’s how we helped SpudnikLab extend their product lifespan and reach. 

SpudnikLab is a digital media consultancy on a mission to help bridge the digital divide (the gap between those who have digital access and those who don’t) through low-cost innovation and small-scale, energy-efficient and environmentally sound technology.

Designing for confidence, not just access

Technology can be empowering but only if people feel confident using it. That’s why SpudnikLab created their D.Lit card deck. Originally developed to help older adults learn to use digital tools like smartphones through facilitator-led group learning, SpudnikLab soon realised that it wouldn’t work well if it didn’t cater to low vision that is part of growing older. They approached us to co-design a low-vision-friendly add-on to the D.Lit deck that would retain its interactive features while ensuring accessibility from the start.

This opened up a future-forward design opportunity: Could we use inclusive design to boost tech confidence among low vision users and extend the toolkit’s impact?

Focus on seeing the barriers others miss

For many older adults with low vision, using a smartphone or navigating digital platforms can feel overwhelming not because they’re unwilling to learn, but because the tools often aren’t built with them in mind. The challenge was about understanding how low vision users interact with technology, what barriers they face, and what would help them build confidence, not just access.

It also meant rethinking how facilitators, many of whom had little prior experience with accessibility, could be equipped to guide these sessions effectively, ensuring no learner felt left behind. 

To do this, we had to:

• Understand how low vision users experience digital devices

• Design with high accessibility standards while maintaining D.Lit’s familiar learning format

• Enable facilitators to support inclusive sessions, even without prior accessibility experience

• Build confidence, not just usability

  
  

Remember to listen first, then design

We began by sitting down with seniors who had low vision. Through guided testing with the previous D.Lit deck, they showed us how they navigate their devices and where things break down.

From these tests, key themes emerged:

• The need for larger fonts and higher contrast

• Clearer language and simplified steps

• Guidance on activating built-in accessibility features like dark mode

This wasn’t just research. It was a reality check and a blueprint for what inclusive design should be.

Learn to build with your users, not for them

We didn’t wait until the end to get feedback. Early prototypes were shared and tested with them too and their input shaped everything from tone of voice to card layout. We revised content to remove jargon, created more visuals for clarity, and made sure each learning step felt intuitive. 

Each round gave us sharper feedback:

• Which icons confused users?

• Which steps felt intuitive and which didn’t?

• Was the contrast good enough under different lighting conditions?

• Could users complete a task without asking for help?

This testing wasn’t about perfection it was more about progress and participation. Our goal was to create a toolkit that could be picked up by someone with low vision and used with confidence and independence, even if they were learning on their own.

We worked closely with SpudnikLab to ensure that they were involved in these tests too. We kept the design consistent with the original D.Lit experience, so it felt like an extension, not a separate product. 

Create a toolkit that empowers, not overwhelms

The result was an accessible, add-on deck that opens up digital learning to more seniors including those with low vision. Facilitators now have a tool that’s easy to use, even without prior training in accessibility. And learners have a resource that doesn’t just teach them tech, but also helps them feel confident using it.

“What stood out was the remarkable sensitivity to accessibility of the 55 Minutes team. They made absolutely sure that the final product was inclusive, intuitive and compatible for our audience. We highly recommend them for complex design projects.” — Wenshan Leong, Marketing Lead, SpudnikLab

Why this matters more than ever

Inclusive design isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about planning for the future. As the population ages and digital tools become more essential, we can’t afford to design without them in mind.

When we embed accessibility from the start, we extend the reach, value, and lifespan of the products we create and we build real confidence in the people who use them. If you are keen to make your product or platform inclusive to all, email us at hello@55mins.com