Building responsible teams through Deaf-inclusive design

Themes: Responsible sustainable working | Accessibility, ethics and inclusion

Inclusion isn’t just good ethics, it’s sustainable practice. In this talk, Emily, a Deaf software engineer and accessibility advocate, shares how Deaf perspectives can reshape how agile teams communicate, collaborate and deliver impact responsibly. 

Drawing from lived experience and tech industry examples, this session reveals how small shifts, from visual communication to inclusive retrospectives, can create stronger, more empathetic teams. 

Participants will learn practical steps for building accessibility into their workflows - not as a checklist, but as a mindset that fuels innovation, reduces burnout and ensures every voice is truly heard.

Participant takeaways:

• Understand how Deaf communication strategies can improve clarity, empathy and collaboration in agile environments
• Identify sound-dependent communication barriers that may exclude team members or users - and learn practical ways to address them
• Apply inclusive design principles to agile ceremonies, documentation and tools to strengthen team cohesion
• Reframe accessibility as a shared team responsibility, supporting more sustainable, human-centered products and processes
• See accessibility as an innovation mindset, not a compliance checkbox - one that leads to better outcomes for everyone