I've Got a Guide Dog – Give Me a Helmet, the Walls Are Waiting

The talk explores the gap between theoretical and practical accessibility through the humorous yet enlightening perspective of a new guide dog owner. The speaker delves into the early, often bumpy stages of adjusting to a guide dog, where a lack of familiarity can lead to unexpected encounters with walls and obstacles, highlighting the learning curve and patience required. Drawing parallels to the tech world, the talk emphasizes that simply implementing accessibility features doesn’t guarantee seamless usability. Like a guide dog partnership, accessible technology requires adaptation, testing, and iteration to truly support users in real-world contexts. The speaker urges a rethink of accessibility in design and development, advocating for continuous feedback and flexibility so that, just as in the case of a guide dog and handler, technology can evolve to meet users’ real needs.