06/11/2026
It is National Accessibility Week!
Accessibility asks:
“Is the feature there?”
Usability asks:
“Is the feature installed in a way that actually works for the people who need it?”
Why accessibility is not always usability.
Have you ever noticed the rows of raised bumps at intersections, bus or train stations?
Those are called truncated domes.
For those of us who are blind or have low vision, they provide an important tactile warning that we are approaching a street crossing, curb edge, platform edge, or other potential hazard.
The bumps can be detected with a white cane and underfoot, helping us recognize that we are leaving the sidewalk and entering a roadway.
That is accessibility.
Usability is making sure they are installed correctly.
At some intersections, especially wider corners, the truncated domes are positioned at an angle that points people toward the middle of the intersection rather than directly across the street.
The warning surface is present, so technically the accessibility feature exists.
The challenge is that it may not provide clear directional information for the person using it.
When placement, size, colour contrast, spacing, and consistency vary from one intersection to another, it can create confusion instead of confidence.
Accessibility means the feature is there.
Usability means the feature works the way people expect it to work.
The goal should never be to simply check a box.
The goal should be creating environments that people can navigate safely, independently, and with confidence.
This is why lived experience matters.
People who use accessibility features every day can often identify the difference between something that is technically accessible and something that is truly usable.
Accessible is a word.
Usable is an experience.
“Having a disability does not change who we are, it changes our interactions with the world.,”- Gina Martin
If you were wanting to increase the useability of the space in your business , I can help.
Our aDAPT Accessibility and Usability workshop or our aDAPT Workplace Inclusion workshop can help shift your space to be more welcoming.
DiverseAbilities.ca
Image description
Text reads placement in colour matter.
Access accessible isn’t always usable. Truncated domes provide an important tactile warning for people who are blind or have low vision. They help identify the edge of a curb, stairs, platform, and other potential hazards. Placement makes all the difference.
Three images of a crosswalk, stairs, and a railway platform show the yellow trunk domes. These are incorrect placement. The second image is an example of. unsafe placement. 
