Pictarine

When Accessibility becomes competitive advantage

Business Opportunity in Inclusive Design

When Pictarine’s data revealed that 37% of users had accessibility features activated—with Dynamic Type being the most prevalent—it wasn’t just a technical observation. It was a business opportunity hiding in plain sight. This French-based photo printing service, partnered with retail giants Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS across the United States, had inadvertently discovered an underserved segment of the market.

As the designated Accessibility Lead for this project, I recognized that this wasn’t merely about compliance or incremental improvement—it was about transforming a potential limitation into a competitive advantage in the crowded photo printing market.

The Challenge

Implementing Dynamic Type presented several interconnected challenges:

  • Technical Complexity – Adapting a visually-rich photo application to support variable text sizes without breaking layouts
  • Brand Consistency – Maintaining Pictarine’s visual identity while accommodating significant text size variations
  • Resource Constraints – Delivering a comprehensive accessibility solution within a tight one-month timeframe
  • Cross-Functional Alignment – Working in a small squad with iOS developers to ensure seamless implementation

The core question became: How might we transform accessibility from a technical requirement into a strategic differentiator that creates business value while serving user needs?

The Approach

I implemented a focused strategy that balanced immediate implementation needs with long-term strategic goals:

1. Data-Driven Prioritization

Rather than attempting to address all accessibility concerns simultaneously, I used the 37% data point to focus specifically on Dynamic Type—the feature with the highest potential impact based on actual user behavior.

2. Developer Partnership

Working directly with an iOS developer in a tight squad formation, I:

  • Established shared accessibility objectives and success metrics
  • Created a collaborative workflow for rapid iteration
  • Developed testing protocols to validate our approach
  • Maintained continuous communication to address issues in real-time

3. Design System Integration

Instead of treating Dynamic Type as an isolated feature, I approached it as a catalyst for broader improvements:

  • Audited existing UI components to identify text size adaptation issues
  • Reimagined flexible containers that could accommodate variable content
  • Created adaptive spacing systems responsive to text size changes
  • Documented implementation guidelines for future feature development

4. Business Case Development

Throughout the process, I gathered data and insights to construct a compelling business case for accessibility investment, positioning it as a market advantage rather than merely a technical requirement.

The Solution

The resulting implementation transformed Pictarine’s approach to accessibility:

Dynamic Type Implementation

  • Created adaptable layouts that maintained visual appeal across all text sizes
  • Developed component variants optimized for different accessibility settings
  • Ensured all critical user flows remained functional regardless of text size
  • Maintained brand expression while accommodating accessibility needs

Visual Design Adaptations

  • Redesigned key screens to support fluid typography
  • Implemented intelligent spacing systems that responded to text size changes
  • Created fallback solutions for extreme text size scenarios
  • Optimized image presentation to remain effective alongside enlarged text

Design System Foundation

  • Established accessibility principles as core design system values
  • Created component documentation with accessibility parameters
  • Developed testing protocols for future accessibility implementation
  • Built reusable patterns for addressing similar challenges

Impact & Recognition

The project delivered significant results that extended beyond the technical implementation:

User Impact

  • Improved experience for the 37% of users with accessibility features enabled
  • Streamlined photo ordering process for users with vision impairments
  • Reduced friction in the ordering workflow across all text sizes

Business Outcomes

  • Apple Recognition – Apple highlighted our accessibility implementation, providing valuable visibility and industry validation
  • Competitive Differentiation – Created a distinct advantage in the photo printing market through inclusive design
  • Internal Transformation – Accessibility shifted from a secondary consideration to a core product development principle

Legacy Impact

Most significantly, this short-term project catalyzed lasting organizational change:

  • Initiated development of a new design system with accessibility at its core
  • Established accessibility consideration in all product development processes

Strategic Insights

This project yielded several valuable insights that continue to inform my approach to design entrepreneurship:

  1. Data reveals opportunity – The 37% statistic wasn’t just a technical indicator, but a market signal pointing to an underserved segment with specific needs

  2. Accessibility is strategic – By treating accessibility as a business advantage rather than a compliance requirement, we created both user and business value

  3. Small teams can drive transformation – Working as a focused squad allowed us to move quickly and demonstrate value that inspired organization-wide change

  4. Recognition creates momentum – External validation from Apple helped build internal support for continued accessibility investment

The Pictarine project exemplifies how seemingly technical challenges, when approached with strategic vision, can become catalysts for broader business transformation and market differentiation.