The Four Most Dangerous Words to People with Disabilities
We've all heard it before: "At least they tried." I’ve heard this phrase so often, usually in response to my publicly calling a company out over inaccessibility, that I’ve decided to rant here about why it is unacceptable.
This well-meaning phrase is often used when discussing the lack of accessibility or an event where disability discrimination has taken place. On the surface, it sounds like a supportive acknowledgment. In reality, it subtly undermines the very concept of accessibility. This phrase is more than just a casual remark in the design context, especially regarding digital spaces. It represents in a capsule an ongoing problem that undermines progress in creating inclusive experiences for all users.
When your team kicks a field goal as time expires and the kicker misses, do you say, “At least they tried?” Or does the team only get points when the kick is successful?
At the heart of the matter is this — Most companies want to do the least they can get away with, especially when they think they are being forced to do something that doesn’t matter. They don’t want to spend more money on necessary on something they think is unnecessary. These are the groups looking for a pass when they express flowery language regarding disability inclusion without equivalent action. Like an attention-seeking elementary school kid, their words shout, “Look at me. At least I tried,” smacks of an effort for the responsible party to shift blame for incomplete results. “I tried” is in the past tense, implying that efforts are completed. “We are trying,” on the other hand, emphasizes that whatever improvements have been made are small milestones on the way to a more comprehensive solution.
A third party, “At least they tried," may be meant to offer some comfort or praise. However, it's critical to recognize that in disability inclusion, trying alone is not enough and frequently can cause real harm rather than progress. Accessibility should never be treated as optional or secondary. Accessibility is a civil right for people with disabilities, without which they are excluded from everything that others have total access to. Accessibility is a vital element that should be embedded from the start of any project. When we settle for just trying, society lowers the bar and creates the opportunity for the creation of locations, products, and services that exclude disabled participation.
Accessibility Isn't Optional; It's Essential
The phrase "at least they tried" implies that intent combined with a small amount of effort is sufficient and that people with disabilities should be satisfied with getting even that. But accessibility isn't about putting in some effort and calling it a day. To create usable and inclusive digital experiences, accessibility must be prioritized from the beginning. This means integrating accessibility into every decision, from the design phase to the final product.
Don’t leave accessibility to the end
Accessibility is never best accomplished as an afterthought. That results in rework and expense and slows down the release process, creating resentment towards the people with disabilities that accessibility is supposed to help. When accessibility is fully integrated throughout a program, it leads to better products, experiences, and outcomes not just for people with disabilities but for everyone. Accessibility isn’t about accommodating people with specific needs; it's about creating a better, more usable experience for all users, regardless of their abilities.
Inclusive Design is About Equity, Not Charity
When we say, “At least they tried,” concerning accessibility, we effectively say that any effort, no matter how incomplete, should be good enough. This mindset is part of the charitable model of disability, where people with disabilities should believe that "good enough" is acceptable because accessibility is a favor being done for them, not something they are entitled to under the law.
Creating an accessible product is complicated, and it never happens by accident. Accessibility success requires knowledge, commitment, and a willingness to invest time, money, and resources. It requires ongoing testing, iteration, and the ability to recognize where improvements are needed. It requires updating outdated corporate processes to improve recruiting, growth, and retention of employees with disabilities. Accessibility involves much more than a checkbox to tick off at the end of the design process. It’s a journey that requires deep empathy, education, and a willingness to learn about the diverse ways people interact with digital spaces.
The phrase "At least they tried" diminishes the significance of accessible design. It implies that those with disabilities should be grateful for any effort, even if it's half-hearted. However, accessibility is not a favor or charity—it’s a civil right. Regardless of their abilities, everyone deserves a fair and equitable experience when using digital tools.
By treating accessibility as optional or secondary, we reinforce the idea that it is something extra or optional that can be overlooked if time or resources are tight. This isn’t just wrong; it’s harmful. It perpetuates the idea that the needs of people with disabilities aren’t as important as those of others and that accessibility is an optional afterthought that can be ignored when budgets or schedules can’t be met.
This way of thinking is not just about poor design choices; it also reinforces the social stigma that people with disabilities are asking for special treatment when, in fact, they are simply requesting equal access to the world around them, equivalent to everyone else. Accessibility isn’t about giving people something extra—it’s about ensuring they have access to the same opportunities and experiences as everyone else.
Reframing the problem
It’s time for a shift in how we approach accessibility and how we celebrate our progress. Instead of congratulating ourselves for "trying," let’s strive to do better. Let’s celebrate those who actively plan, test, and iterate to make their products genuinely accessible. Let’s recognize that accessibility isn’t about doing just enough to check the box but about striving for excellence and continuous improvement. Let’s acknowledge that being good at accessibility means accepting every milestone is a step towards the next.
In the same way that we don’t settle for "good enough" in other areas of product development regulatory compliance like security and privacy, we shouldn’t settle for “good enough” in accessibility. "Good enough" in accessibility can still leave many people behind—whether they are blind, deaf, neurodivergent, or face any number of other challenges. Accessibility should be about ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use and benefit from digital platforms in the same way. Every line of code, design choice and interaction should be considered with accessibility in mind.
Aim for Excellence, Not Discriminatory Mediocrity
We must set a higher standard if we truly want an inclusive digital world. The goal should be excellence, not mediocrity. Every digital product, website, application, service, and physical space should be designed to be as usable and inclusive as possible for all users, without exceptions.
This means going beyond the basics and doing deep research into the needs of users with disabilities. It means testing for accessibility regularly and proactively addressing barriers as they are found, not when they are publicly complained about. It means perceiving accessibility as a continuous improvement program with ongoing processes, not an occasional project with one-time fixes.
Accessibility isn’t about just making things possible for some people—it’s about making things equally possible for everyone.