Accessible Numbers

Understand the complex world of debt, poverty, and mental health with money advisor, Colin Trend. With over 30 years of experience, Colin shares his insights on designing services for people struggling with money, the impact of harmful design patterns, and the importance of understanding the user's perspective. This episode includes real-life stories of the people Colin has helped over the years.Whether you're a designer, a financial advisor, or someone interested in social justice, this episode offers valuable lessons on making financial services more accessible. 01:34: Colin's relationship with numbers05:02: Working in money and debt advice07:21: Social injustices and financial vulnerability 11:16: Mental health and financial struggles 14:09: Designing accessible financial services19:04: Real life stories and challenges 24:10: Innovations in financial services 30:28: Final thoughts and more stories Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Bio and transcripts available at accessiblenumbers.com/debt-financial-vulnerability

A chat with Sheena Campbell from the Patient Information Forum (PIF).This episode covers the importance of health literacy and how numbers and data can be confusing or challenging for many people when accessing healthcare services.We discuss how numbers appear in healthcare, such as medication dosages, appointment times, and risk and benefit communication. Sheena provides insights and tips on how to present health information and data in more accessible and understandable ways.01:44: Sheena's relationship with numbers 02:16: Overview of the Patient Information Forum (PIF)04:03: Membership and benefits of PIF 05:11: Health literacy 08:41: Numbers in healthcare 13:25: Communicating medical risks and benefits23:03: Health information in medical settings 32:02: Writing medical questions 35:53: User-centered design in health information 40:49: Misinformation in health information Follow Sheena Campbell on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Visit and pifonline.org.uk and piftick.org.uk.Transcript and bio available at accessiblenumbers.com/accessible-health-information

Explore Geri Reid's personal experience with dyscalculia and her professional work in accessibility and design systems.We discuss the challenges people with dyscalculia face when using digital services, deceptive design patterns (like hidden fees, sneaky upsells, and countdown timers) that can exploit those challenges, and design patterns that can help make numbers more accessible.  We also talk about how internal tools and documentation are often overlooked for accessibility but are vital for employees who struggle with numbers.01:10 Lived experience with dyscalculia 03:34 Challenges with design components08:29 Financial transactions and vulnerabilities13:18 Designing for accessibility in financial services20:41 Internal documentation and accessibility 29:00 Deceptive design patterns 38:53 Helpful design patterns and tools 44:37 Improving accessibility in design systems Follow Geri on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Transcript, bio and links available on accessiblenumbers.com/inclusive-design-systems

How does growing up in poverty impact our relationship with money and financial services? Lead content designer Ray Newman shares his lived experience.We cover how poorer people pay more for essential services and goods (poverty premium), deceptive patterns, financial vulnerability, and access to digital services.We discuss how assumptions and a lack of understanding of the realities of poverty can lead to non-inclusive and inaccessible services.01:17: Ray's experience with numbersRay shares his experience with numbers and how he copes with numbers as a content designer.02:34: Content designers and number anxiety The prevalence of number anxiety among content designers and the strategies they use to manage it.03:59:Financial inclusion and poverty Ray talks about his recent discussions on designing for people in poverty, sharing his own experiences growing up in poverty.05:44:The psychological impact of povertyRay delves into the psychological effects of growing up in poverty, including the anxiety and habits formed around money.08:04:Deceptive patterns and financial vulnerabilityLaura and Ray discuss how people in poverty are vulnerable to deceptive patterns in services and the importance of transparency in pricing. 13:20: Access to services and digital inclusion The challenges of accessing services, the role of public spaces like libraries, and the impact of digital-only services on vulnerable populations. 19:11: Financial habits and inclusionFinancial habits formed due to poverty, such as the reliance on cash and the challenges of digital payments. 25:26: The role of organisations in financial inclusionWays organisations can practise financial inclusion, such as changing their mindset and being transparent about costs. 44:02: Practical steps for inclusive designPractical advice for designers on how to consider people living in poverty from the start of a project. Follow Ray onLinkedIn andBluesky.Show notes, bio and transcript available at accessiblenumbers.com/poverty-and-financial-inclusion

Lessons on designing with care from content designers Jane McFadyen and Rachel Edwards. We discuss the principles of trauma-informed design, how stress, anxiety and trauma impact the use of services, and practical strategies for creating clear, simple and empathetic content. We share our personal experiences with numbers and the importance of trauma-informed design when designing services for people with dyscalculia and maths anxiety.  Content warning: This episode includes themes such as death and bereavement, cancer treatment and trauma. 01:56 Personal experiences with numbers 08:52 Trauma-informed design principles 24:02 Impact of trauma on service use 08:52 Practical applications of trauma informed design 48:54 Numbers in services 57:42 Support for designers 01:08:36 New book: Designed with care Follow Jane McFadyen on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Follow Rachel Edwards on LinkedIn and Bluesky. Buy Designed with care. Transcript, bios and links available on accessiblenumbers.com/trauma-informed-design

An engaging and informative chat with Priyanca D'Souza, a senior user researcher with multiple access needs.  We discuss dyscalculia, number anxiety, mental health and the impact of assistive technology on understanding numbers.   We also talk about intersectionality and the complexities of managing multiple access needs and common service barriers. "We can't just ignore information about people because it's inconvenient or makes them too messy or complex. People are complex." Priyanca This episode is dedicated to Vicky Teinaki. 00:41: Personal experience with numbers  07:53: Intersectionality and inclusive design 10:11: Assistive technology and its challenges 14:34: Mental health and number anxiety 29:07: Designing for neurodivergent users 32:04: Real life Implications and advocacy 36:45: Financial literacy  41:53: Barriers in services 51:54: More design tips Follow Priyanca on LinkedIn and Bluesky. More on accessible numbers.

A deeply personal chat with Peter Cherry, the chair of the adults with dyscalculia advisory board, about dyscalculia in adulthood. We discuss what dyscalculia is, the stigma around not having a maths GCSE, gender stereotypes in maths education and the need for greater awareness and acceptance of dyscalculia. 01:35 Personal experiences with dyscalculia 04:20 Understanding dyscalculia  07:38 The impact of dyscalculia on daily life  14:27 Co-occurrence with other neurodivergent conditions  21:56 Diagnosis versus self identification 27:15 Dyscalculia in the workplace  35:26 Masking dyscalculia  43:07 Creative coping strategies 54:43 Advocating for support 01:02:00 Resources and the Dyscalculia Network Episode notes, transcription and links The Dyscalculia Network Follow Peter on Bluesky

Why should we care about making numbers accessible? I seek to answer this question in series 1.