How I Use ANDI to Ensure Accessibility in My Day-to-Day Work at Appian
By Javier Bermúdez, Senior UX Designer
As a Senior UX Designer at Appian, one of my key responsibilities is ensuring that the products we build are not only visually appealing and functional but also accessible to everyone. Accessibility isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a core part of creating inclusive experiences. That’s where ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector) comes in. It’s a tool I rely on daily to review production and make sure everything is properly implemented.
What is ANDI?
ANDI is a free, open-source tool developed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help test web accessibility. It’s designed to identify accessibility issues and ensure compliance with standards like WCAG and Section 508. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and integrates seamlessly into my workflow.
How I Use ANDI at Appian
- Quick Accessibility Audits
Whenever we push updates to production, I run ANDI to perform a quick accessibility audit. It scans the page and highlights elements that might have issues—like missing alt text, improper ARIA labels, or keyboard navigation problems. This helps me catch potential barriers before they impact users. - Reviewing Dynamic Content
Appian’s low-code platform often involves dynamic content and interactive components. ANDI is great for testing these elements in real-time. For example, I use it to verify that custom widgets or dynamically loaded content have proper accessible names and descriptions. - Collaborating with Developers
When I spot an issue, ANDI makes it easy to explain the problem to developers. I can point to specific elements, share screenshots, or even walk them through the tool. It’s a great way to foster collaboration and ensure everyone is on the same page about accessibility. - Training and Advocacy
I also use ANDI as a teaching tool. During team meetings or design reviews, I’ll demo how it works to raise awareness about accessibility best practices. It’s a simple yet powerful way to advocate for inclusive design.
Why ANDI Works for Me
ANDI is intuitive and doesn’t require a steep learning curve. It’s browser-based, so I can use it on any project without installing heavy software. Plus, it’s backed by the SSA, so I know it’s reliable and aligned with federal accessibility standards.
Final Thoughts
Accessibility isn’t just a responsibility—it’s an opportunity to create better experiences for everyone. Tools like ANDI make it easier to integrate accessibility into my daily workflow, ensuring that the products we build at Appian are truly inclusive. If you’re not already using ANDI, I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s a small step that can make a big difference.
Javier Bermúdez
Senior UX Designer, Appian
What to know about me
I attended the Hatch Conference and participated in an 8-hour masterclass on accessibility led by Karen Hawkins, CPACC. This immersive experience strengthened my understanding of inclusive design principles and reinforced my commitment to creating user-friendly solutions for everyone.
These insights directly influence how I document development tickets. By incorporating accessibility best practices into my guidelines, I help ensure that teams are building products that are thoughtful, inclusive, and compliant from the very beginning.
Continuous learning and applying inclusive practices aren’t just professional goals for me — they’re essential to the way I approach my work.
Learn more about me
Redesigning an AI face redaction tool
One of my key projects demonstrates how I applied Lean UX principles to redesign the main interface of the startup Brighter AI, an innovative startup focused on AI-based anonymization technology.
Learn how I help the development team implemented the design system that I built from scratch.
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