DanielAbout Me
I have 7+ years of experience working at large organizations like Pinterest, CVS Health, and the UK Government.
I'm currently Head of Systems & Technology at Mantis & Co; a disability-owned inclusive design and accessibility agency, creating tools and providing coaching to design, engineering, and product teams so they can:
- understand and meet the needs of people with disablities
- reduce the amount of rework from accessibility issues
- expand their products to unexplored markets
Previously, I've represented CVS Health at the W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AGWG), contributing to the foundations of the next major version of accessibility guidelines, WCAG 3.0.
Why I'm here
I began my career as a full-stack engineer, but as time passed I found myself physically shifting-left to user experience design; earning my Nielsen Norman Group UX certification, with a specialization in interaction design. I am now in my happy place, where I can apply all I have learned from each major discipline to create truly accessible digital products.
Creating those accessible experiences is my passion, I don't know why. All I know is that the inclusive design process, the folks I work with, and the positive impact I'm able have on people's lives gives me this feeling of wonder and excitement that I haven't been able to consistently find elsewhere.
Perhaps I should get out more?
The fact that I get to do this every day whilst providing for my wife (Emma), dog (Ashwa) and guinea pigs (Nutmeg, Truffle, Bournville, and Junior) is a privilege I'm grateful for every day.
My core principles
If you feel I am ever not following my own principles, please reach out to me so I can make changes.Accessibility is not binary
It's all too common to see people misunderstand accessibility as thinking they just need to pass the WCAG success criteria.
But instead I aim above and beyond, focusing on the principles of accessible content (perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust).
The only way to know if that goal has been achieved is through iterative and inclusive user research studies.
Continuously learning
Mistakes are inevitable, and if everything goes to plan I'll continue to make more so that I can improve myself and the digital experiences I create.
The needs of the disability community are complex and evolving. I know that I don't fully understand it all, but I commit to always strive to design with disabled people in order to facilitate a true inclusive design process.
Gatekeepers suck
I cannot comprehend how I've benefited from the great people who came before me, or the time and knowledge people have graciously given me.
My aim is to never silo what I've learned. That way other people may benefit the same way I have, so that we can continue to improve our society and create an inclusive future.
What people say about me
Daniel consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of accessibility principles, playing a pivotal role in various initiatives. From research and training with Fable to component audits, accessibility annotations, documentation, and SME consultancy, Daniel’s expertise was invaluable. Besides, his advocacy for accessibility helped shape our training program, ensuring that our team is well-equipped to create inclusive designs.
Cintia Romero Accessibility Design Lead, Pinterest
Daniel is one of very few people I've worked with where collaboration feels effortless, effective, and fun. You're lucky to get one or maybe even two of those things, but he's the real deal. The depth and breadth of Daniel's knowledge is not to be underestimated. If you left him on an island with nothing but a sketch of a button, he'd probably have a fully accessible design system built for you in two weeks, as well as a plan for change management and training your entire organization.
Jan Maarten Senior Accessibility Designer, GitHub
Working with Daniel and getting an inside look at what makes a good design system was a highlight of my time at CVS. Every time we connected, he taught me something new or gave me something different to think about. I appreciated that Daniel would go above and beyond to solicit feedback about the design system components he was working on. He took a challenging role -- defining accessibility behavior for an enterprise design system -- and made it seem easy.
Julian Kittelson-Aldred Lead Mobile Accessibility Consultant, Southwest Airlines
Daniel is a star player and one of the most knowledgable and skilled accessibility and system designers I have had the pleasure of working with. He brings a unique perspective to the team through his knowledge of not just accessible design but also his technical understanding of how the Web functions. His skills are extremely valuable and rare.
I appreciate all that I have learned from Daniel over the past few years. I can truly say that I am a better and more inclusive experience (and systems) designer because of him. Without a doubt, Daniel is one of the best people I've ever worked with.
Amanda Crisp Design System Lead Designer, CVS Health