Compliance Is the Floor; Inclusion Is the Strategy with Hilary Stephenson

"Accessibility isn’t a niche feature set; it’s the operating system of a fair and profitable digital world."

On this week’s episode of The FODcast, James sits down with Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director at Nexer Digital, to unpack how inclusive design drives growth, reduces risk, and builds trust across every customer journey.

In our chat, we cover a whole host of things, including:

• The European Accessibility Act - what’s in scope, what deadlines matter, and why compliance is only the floor, not the ceiling
• The biggest friction points in retail journeys - and how to turn them into wins through clear content, contrast, and keyboard-friendly design
• What government digital services get right: co-design, testing with assistive tech, and radical transparency
• How inclusive design and immersive commerce can coexist, and why heavy scripts, pop-ups, and “dark patterns” are just bad UX
• The practical sequence to start today: set a baseline, “fix the six,” publish an honest accessibility statement, and keep testing

With more than 25 years in content, UX and inclusive service design, Hilary brings the experience of someone who’s helped make accessibility business-critical for leading brands and public sector organisations alike.

Tune in, enjoy, and let us know your thoughts!

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