What If We Measured Success Differently?

Nicole Brennan
Jul 31
2 min read

A smiling low vision youth engaging with a digital kiosk in a library, with large text and simple interface on screen.

What if we measured success not just by outputs—but by the people we include, the trust we build, and the barriers we help remove?

In my work as a cognitive accessibility consultant and board-certified cognitive specialist, I’ve learned that inclusive design isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. It's about clarity, calm, and making fewer assumptions about how people think, read, or interact with technology. Small shifts—clearer language, more forgiving flows, simplified decision points—can radically change how someone experiences a service. In some cases, it means the difference between full access and no access at all.

That’s not just good design—it’s the work.

Accessibility in Function, Not Just in Form

Too often, accessibility is treated as a checklist or a final phase. But cognitive inclusion requires us to dig deeper: to examine usability in real-world contexts, to notice cognitive load, and to ask tougher questions:

Can a user with executive function challenges complete this task without frustration?
Does the information architecture support working memory limitations?
Are we testing in contexts where stress, trauma, or sensory load might affect behavior?

These are not edge cases. They're everyday realities for millions of users. Designing for cognitive accessibility doesn’t mean designing for “special” cases—it means designing for how people actually interact with the world: under stress, in a hurry, on mobile, distracted, anxious, overwhelmed, or managing multiple needs at once.

We Build Better Systems When We Listen

The truth is, our platforms, products, and policies are only as strong as their most excluded user. And it doesn’t take a major overhaul to start bringing more people in. It takes:

Listening with curiosity
Co-creating with intention
Compassion backed by systems thinking

I’m feeling hopeful—not because this work is easy, but because I keep seeing what’s possible when we root our work in care and curiosity.

There’s something powerful about designing in a way that says: You belong here. You’re not an edge case. You’re not a burden. You’re the reason we made this.

Let’s Build Better, Together

I’m currently available for consulting in:

Cognitive accessibility
Trauma-aware UX
Inclusive service and system design

If your team is working toward more equitable, human-centered systems, I’d love to collaborate. Whether you're scaling a digital service, evaluating an interface, or building something from scratch—let’s make sure it works for the people who need it most.

Let’s build systems that work better—for everyone.