Edinburgh UX July Meetup

For our July meetup, we’re delighted to be invited back to ClearSky Logic and to be joined by two amazing speakers!

Rashmi Kakde (Lead User Research Consultant, Accenture) will spotlight the importance of designing with disabled users by considering real-world examples of when this doesn't happen.

Dhruv Sharma (Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Education Scotland) will invite us to reflect on the limitations of the Double Diamond framework in getting senior level buy-in and embedding design practice in organisations.

Proceedings

• 6pm: Doors
• 6.30pm: Accessibility Theatre Versus Accessibility Reality (Rashmi Kakde)
• 7.15pm: Break
• 7.30pm: Death of the Double Diamond (Dhruv Sharma)
• 8.30pm: Close

Accessibility Theatre Versus Accessibility Reality (Rashmi Kakde)
Accessibility is often treated as something to validate at the end of delivery rather than embed into the way we design and build digital experiences. In this talk, we’ll explore the gap between products that appear accessible and products that are genuinely usable by people with disabilities.

Through real-world examples of surprisingly inaccessible digital experiences, we’ll uncover the hidden barriers that teams frequently overlook despite good intentions, modern tooling, and compliance standards. The session will also highlight the importance of designing with disabled users rather than for them, and how involving people with lived experience fundamentally changes product thinking, design decisions, and delivery outcomes.

This talk is aimed at anyone involved in creating digital products — from designers and researchers to engineers in product and delivery teams — and will challenge us to rethink accessibility not as a feature or compliance task, but as a core part of building better experiences for everyone.

Death of the Double Diamond (Dhruv Sharma)
You've seen the Double Diamond. Maybe you've even used it.

But lately, has it stopped working?

People nod along. They’ve seen it before, they think they get it. But nothing really changes.

This used to be a great tool for selling design. Now it feels like a tired old slide.

So what comes next?

About Rashmi
Rashmi has over 15 years of experience across UX strategy, user research, ethnography, accessibility, and UX design. As a Lead User Research Consultant at Accenture, she currently leads user research for NHS England’s Data Sourcing team within the ‘Find the Right Service’ programme, which is transforming the technology and ‘Directory of Services’ – the product behind NHS 111 telephony services.

Throughout her career, she has worked with clients across both the public and private sectors, including healthcare, banking, government, local councils, and heritage organisations. Her work focuses on creating inclusive, user-centred digital experiences grounded in research and accessibility best practices.

Outside of work, Rashmi is a mum to a 10-year-old, an artist, and a hybrid athlete who trains and competes regularly. She also enjoys collaborating with creative professionals on photography projects.

About Dhruv
Dhruv is a civil servant, currently working at Education Scotland, and brings a multidisciplinary perspective to improving how organisations design and deliver change, drawing on a background in anthropology and design

Born in India and later moving to the UK, he developed an early interest in how people, systems, and cultures interact—an interest that continues to shape his work today. His doctoral research led to the development of the Social Innovation for Active Ageing (SIFAA) framework, reflecting his focus on people-centred, evidence-based approaches to complex societal challenges.

He has also completed the Civil Service’s prestigious Future Leaders Scheme and played an active role in advancing equality and inclusion, having co-chaired the Race Equality Network within the Scottish Government and co-founded and co-chaired the Race Allies Network. Dhruv is a recognised public speaker, often sharing insights on designing public services around people’s needs. He has delivered a TEDx talk exploring the power of stories and storytelling—an area he is deeply passionate about. He has also delivered service design training to hundreds of individuals both nationally and internationally and continues to mentor a wide range of talented professionals.