Accessible Numbers

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

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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

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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

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Why should we care about making numbers accessible?

I seek to answer this question in series 1.