Accessible Me

I realised something yesterday about that applies to my own business, Accessible Me Ltd, too.

Sometimes the problem people think they have isn't the real problem.

An L&D team might say:

“We need to make this course accessible.”

But the course may not be the real problem.

The decisions that created the barriers happened months earlier.

When the platform was chosen.

When the templates were designed.

When assumptions were made about how people read, process information, navigate or learn.

By the time someone asks for an accessibility check, they're often trying to fix the consequence.

Not the cause.

That's something I've seen repeatedly through years of working in learning and accessibility.

And it has made me rethink how I describe what I actually do.

I don't just want to help organisations find accessibility problems.

I want to help teams see the decisions that create them before they happen.

That's one of the reasons I keep investing in my own learning too.

Because getting better at helping clients isn't about collecting more information.

It's about getting better at seeing the real problem underneath the obvious one.

Have you ever discovered that the problem you were trying to solve wasn't actually the real problem?



Image description:

A clean, vertical Accessible Me Ltd graphic on a soft off-white background, using the brand’s deep blue, purple, pale blue-grey and yellow colours.

At the top left, a smaller heading reads “Accessibility starts with decisions”. Below it, the main statement appears in large, bold type: “Designed in. Not bolted on.”

On the right is a friendly illustrated portrait of Michael Osborne, with dark wavy hair, glasses and a beard.

Below the main statement, four connected hexagonal icons represent early organisational decisions: Platform, Learning experience, Process and Technology.

These lead visually into a large double-helix or DNA-style strand that changes through the Accessible Me Ltd colour palette, representing accessibility becoming part of how an organisation is built rather than something added afterwards.

Beneath the strand is the message “Fewer barriers. Better for everyone.” Subtle honeycomb shapes appear throughout the background, reinforcing Accessible Me Ltd’s visual identity.

What if AI could help learning adapt to people, rather than expecting people to adapt to learning?

Our Founder & CEO, Michael Osborne, has contributed to Access Learning’s Future of L&D Report 2026, exploring the changing role of artificial intelligence, critical thinking and accessibility in Learning and Development.

Michael shared:

“The real value lies in systems that can respond to individual nuance. Not understanding it this way? Try another way. Need a simpler explanation? Offer one.”

This is where we believe AI has enormous potential.

Learning could become more responsive to different needs, abilities and circumstances.

But that opportunity comes with a responsibility.

If accessibility and inclusion aren’t considered from the beginning, AI can scale existing barriers just as quickly as it can help remove them.

The future shouldn’t simply be more AI-generated learning.

It should be better learning that works for more people.

Read Access Learning’s full Future of L&D Report 2026:
https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/digital-learning/resources/the-future-of-ld-report-2026/

The Future of L&D Report 2026 | Access Learning Access Learning’s Future of L&D Report 2026 brings together perspectives from leading industry voices, alongside our own insights, to explore how the role of L&D is changing in response to these shifts.

In a a comment on of A11yShip's post, Dr. Danielle Bowes, Founder & COO Accessibility Shield, said:
"Seeing my words quoted in this article was truly humbling: "This experience made invisible accessibility barriers tangible." That remains one of the best ways I can describe the impact of A11yShip - The Accessibility-themed Escape Room-style Experience. It transforms accessibility from something we talk about into something we experience, discuss, and carry forward into our work. Congratulations to Michael Osborne, Olivia Gallagher, and the entire Accessible Me Ltd team. It has been an honor for Accessibility Shield to partner with such incredible A11y innovators. Together, we're helping organizations build better systems—not just better awareness."

In a share of A11yShip's post, Lisa Manley, Founder & lead Trainer of Audio Fit by Lisa said:
"A huge thank you to Michael Osborne and the team at Accessible Me Ltd for inviting me to take part in the A11yShip - The Accessibility-themed Escape Room-style Experience this week.

Having never taken part in an escape room before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a virtual one - let alone one centered around accessibility.

What I experienced was far more than a series of puzzles.

The session challenged us to think differently about communication, collaboration and participation. Rather than being told where barriers exist, we experienced how small design decisions can unintentionally exclude people.

One activity particularly stayed with me because it demonstrated a simple but powerful point.

Accessibility isn't about whether most of an experience works.
If one essential step prevents someone from completing a task independently, the whole journey is affected.

That immediately made me think about the customer journey I'm building through Audio Fit by Lisa.

It's not enough for someone to discover a service if they can't book it independently.

It's not enough to book if they can't access the programme.

It's not enough to access the programme if they can't participate confidently.

Accessibility has to be considered throughout the entire journey, not just at one point within it.

Another discussion explored how quickly moving chat conversations can create barriers for screen reader users and for people with dyslexia trying to read, process and contribute at the same time. It was a valuable reminder that accessibility is about much more than visual design - it also includes pace, communication and creating space for different ways of participating.

As someone building an accessibility-first fitness platform for people with sight loss, experiences like this reinforce why listening to people, testing assumptions and designing inclusively from the outset matter so much.

Thank you again, Michael, for the opportunity to take part. It was an engaging, thought-provoking experience, and one I'd recommend to anyone involved in designing products, services or experiences for others.

Accessibility isn't something we add at the end.

It's something we design from the beginning."

Describing the A11yShip experience, after a recent open session, Gavin Neate, Founder of WelcoMe said "Very enjoyable and very well hosted. It’s a super vehicle with which to engage teams and build disability awareness as well.

Nice one."

At Accessible Me Ltd, we believe that great organisations are built by great people.

Today, we're celebrating one of ours.

Congratulations to our fractional Marketing Consultant, Olivia Gallagher, on winning her first international Grand Prix medal, finishing third in the F32 classification.

Olivia helps organisations tell more inclusive stories and supports our mission of removing barriers through accessibility. Away from work, she's demonstrating the same commitment, resilience and drive on the international athletics stage.

We're incredibly proud to have her as part of our team and can't wait to follow the next chapter of her journey.

Congratulations, Olivia. Everyone at Accessible Me is cheering you on.

In a share of 's post, Dr. Danielle Bowes, Founder & COO , said:

Seeing my words quoted in this article was truly humbling: "This experience made invisible accessibility barriers tangible." That remains one of the best ways I can describe the impact of A11yShip - The Accessibility-themed Escape Room-style Experience. It transforms accessibility from something we talk about into something we experience, discuss, and carry forward into our work. Congratulations to Michael Osborne, Olivia Gallagher, and the entire Accessible Me Ltd team. It has been an honor for Accessibility Shield to partner with such incredible A11y innovators. Together, we're helping organizations build better systems—not just better awareness.

Image Description for Accessibility:
A stylized illustration shows the interior of a futuristic spacecraft cockpit overlooking Earth from orbit. Large panoramic windows reveal the planet's curved horizon, a bright sunrise, stars, asteroids, and distant spacecraft. On the left window, a glowing white wheelchair accessibility symbol is prominently displayed. Inside the cockpit, multiple illuminated control panels surround a central monitor featuring a large gold puzzle-piece icon. The scene uses deep blues with gold highlights, creating a high-tech, mission-control atmosphere. The imagery symbolizes accessibility as a shared journey of exploration, problem-solving, innovation, and inclusion

Today, the in-person version of A11yShip is running twice in London.

That is a proud moment for Accessible Me.

A11yShip was created to help teams move accessibility from theory into experience.

Not through a lecture.

Through a mission.

Teams work through practical stations.
They recover clues.
They spot barriers.
They suggest fixes.
They record actions they can take back into their work.

The aim is not to catch anyone out.

The aim is to help people notice what gets in the way.

Then ask a better question:

What would make this easier for more people?

Today’s sessions are supporting teams in the technology, learning, digital skills, and business transformation space.

That matters.

Because when your work shapes how other people learn, build skills, use systems, or access information, accessibility has to be part of the design conversation from the start.

Two missions.
One day.
One clear message.

Accessibility works best when it is designed in.



Image description:

A photorealistic, cinematic image shows the A11yShip docked on the River Thames in London at dusk. The ship is styled as a dark blue sailboat, closely reflecting the A11yShip logo, with four sails displaying the yellow letters A, 1, 1 and y.

Tower Bridge appears on the left, lit against the evening sky. The Tower of London is visible on the right, with warm lights glowing against the stone walls. The river reflects the gold and blue tones from the sky, bridge, and ship.

The overall style feels atmospheric and mission-led. It connects the A11yShip experience with London, accessibility, and a sense of purposeful adventure.

Tomorrow, A11yShip is back in London for two in-person sessions in one day.

A11yShip is our accessibility-themed escape room-style experience.

Teams take part in hands-on challenges that help them notice barriers, recover clues, suggest fixes, and think about what they can change before work goes live.

It is practical.
It is immersive.
It is designed to make accessibility feel real.

Tomorrow’s sessions support teams working across technology, digital transformation, learning, and business skills.

That is exactly where accessibility needs to be built in.

Not at the end.

From the start.


Image description:

A photorealistic, cinematic image shows the A11yShip moving along the River Thames in London. The ship is a dark blue sailboat with large sails carrying the yellow A11y lettering. It is travelling past Tower Bridge and the Tower of London during a dramatic dusk scene.

The ship creates a visible wake in the water, giving the image a strong sense of movement. Warm lights from the bridge, buildings, and ship reflect across the river. The sky is filled with deep blue and grey clouds, with golden evening light near the horizon.

The image has the same nautical, mission-led feel as the A11yShip slide branding. It suggests the accessibility escape room experience is setting sail for its next London delivery.

A few days ago, Michael had a conversation with Chloe Ith about getting started in accessibility.

The question was a familiar one:

Where do you start when accessibility feels so broad?

His answer was simple:

Start with what you know.

For Mike, that started with colour blindness.

His best friend at school is red-green colour-blind. His father-in-law is blue-green colour-blind. Those early experiences helped him notice how small design choices can either include people or shut them out.

From there, he built out.

Vision.

Hearing.

Mobility.

Cognitive accessibility.

Learning design.

Workplace systems.

Not all at once. Not perfectly. Just step by step.

Chloe later sent this hand-drawn doodle, with that line above it.

“Start with what you know.”

It is a useful reminder for anyone who wants to make their work more accessible but feels unsure where to begin.

You do not need to know everything before you start.

Pick one real barrier.

Learn from people with lived experience.

Make one thing better.

Then keep going.

Illustration by Chloe Ith, shared with permission.



Image description: A hand-drawn, sketch-style portrait of Michael Osborne on a white background. He is shown from the shoulders up, with short dark hair, dark eyebrows, a beard, and a grey jumper. The drawing uses dark blue linework with soft pink shading on the cheeks. Above his head, curved handwritten text reads, “Start with what you know.” At the bottom, large handwritten text reads, “Michael Osborne.”