designing ally: accessibility first, always

it starts with a promise

‍at envision, we begin every design with one core belief: accessibility isn’t a feature—it’s the foundation. that means every choice, every screen, every update starts by asking, “is this truly usable by everyone?”

costanza, one of our product designers, recently shared in our June webinar how this approach is guiding the creation of ally, our accessible ai assistant. the process isn’t just about building a smart tool—it’s about making sure it shows up in people’s lives in a way that feels natural, respectful, and deeply useful.

built around you

‍ally is designed to be three things:

• always accessible
• simply smart
• uniquely yours

that last one—uniquely yours—is especially important. from day one, ally’s design has been shaped by feedback from people who are blind or have low vision. we’ve simplified navigation, strengthened voiceover support, added haptic feedback, and made sure screen reader labels are clear and consistent.

one change that came straight from the community: we moved from a single ally voice to four distinct, customizable personalities. that update didn’t just add variety—it made ally easier and more personal to use.

simple by design

‍ally is easy to use because it’s designed that way. when you open the app, you’re greeted with two large buttons—your direct line to ally. no clutter. no confusing menus. just what you need, right where you expect it.

that design philosophy carries through every part of the experience: remove what gets in the way, and center what matters. whether someone is asking ally to describe a scene, read a label, or offer guidance through a daily task, the experience should feel clear, calm, and empowering.

real people, real impact

‍costanza shared stories from ally users that remind us why this work matters. marco uses ally as a study partner. selly relies on it to tell if a document is upside down. jesse talks to ally like a friend—and ally gets it.

that’s the goal. not just a tool that works, but one that fits naturally into daily life. as ally continues to grow, we’ll keep listening and adapting—because true accessibility starts by listening to the people who rely on it every day.