Expert Opinion from John Kirkwood: Web Accessibility, Neurodiversity and Cognitive Design

Kick-off 2020 Spring SymposiumX on Web Accessibility and Customer Experience.
John Kirkwood shared his expert opinion on Web Accessibility trends and insights for customer experience, speaking with the World Wide Web Consortium W3C Evangelist, Dr. Rachel Yager.

A digital expert and cognitive design thought leader, John Kirkwood is dedicated to making the Internet universally usable and accessible. His online work dates back to the mid-1990s when he was appointed as NYC’s inaugural New Media Strategist and created its first official web site.

John’s personal experience with a critical brain aneurysm in 2006 brings a unique hands-on perspective to the design and development of cognitive technologies for individuals and institutions alike. In 2009, he re-launched his web marketing and design company, CityMouse,  as one of the nation’s first certified Disability-Owned business enterprises (DOBE). CityMouse now helps corporations, nonprofits and government agencies comply with universal and W3C WCAG online accessibility standards.

Through his work as a passionate advocate for those with cognitive disabilities, John champions the benefits of neurodiversity and cognitive design as an in-demand speaker at many diverse venues, including government agencies, teaching hospitals, technology conferences, and creative festivals. In addition, he is a member of the W3C WAG Cognitive and Silver Task Forces formulating present and future universal design standards for digital accessibility.