When we reach out to Tarryn Tomlinson, we aren’t surprised to hear that she’s on her way to speak at an event. Her work has taken her around the world, and her passion for inclusive and accessible design keeps her very busy. As a leader in her field, Tomlinson is often found on stage, educating the hospitality and tourism industries on the needs of travelers with diverse abilities. Tomlinson kindly agrees to make time to chat to us once she’s off stage. 

As the Liveable Group website states, the company’s founder “has a background and passion for social development, design, marketing, and travel which she now uses to contribute positively towards creating more inclusive tourism.” Tomlinson wears many hats. She's a member of the International Association of Access Professionals, a spokesperson for the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa, and the winner of the WTM- Africa, Responsible Tourism Awards for Diversity and Inclusion, a television presenter, author, and businesswoman.

"I'm firstly a human rights activist who is passionate about uplifting the marginalized," says Tomlinson when we finally get to chat. "My company Liveable Universal Access Consultants advocates for accessible environments for all, especially persons with disabilities, in the hospitality and tourism industries."

The 42-year-old became a wheelchair user at the age of 18, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. But she refused to let anything stand in her way. Since then, she's summited Mount Kilimanjaro, holidayed solo in Europe, sky-dived off Table Mountain, gone shark-cage diving with great whites, been a guest speaker at global events, hosted television talk shows, and made a name for herself as an international consultant in the accessible design arena.

We ask Tomlinson what led her down the path of design. "It started with my love of art, and the fact that my father was a draughtsman and I grew up looking at his technical drawings," she replied. "Then, as I became a wheelchair user, inaccessible environments impacted me, and I started to notice the barriers to access due to bad design. I also have a friend in the tourism industry who asked me to check accessible hotels for their clients and so it was a mixture of nature and nurture."

The expert says there's a difference between accessible and inclusive design. "Accessible design focuses on ensuring that environments, products, and services are usable by individuals with disabilities," she explained. "The primary goal is to remove barriers for people with specific needs."

"Inclusive design is a broader approach that aims to create products, services, and spaces that work for the widest possible range of people, regardless of their abilities, age, or background," added Tomlinson. Bored Panda followed up by asking why both are important...

"Imagine trying to go to work and not being able to exit your front door, getting help from a neighbor and then not being able to access your vehicle or public transport. Then imagine needing to ask a stranger for a lift, arriving at your office only to discover that you can't enter the building," Tomlinson said during our interview.

"Then imagine asking your colleagues to help you into the building and finally, when you clock in, your superiors judge you as being inadequate because you are late. Now, imagine all that could have been avoided through conscious design." And that's why this woman dedicates most of her time to making a positive impact in the design space.

We were curious to know whether Tomlinson has seen any epic fails since she started becoming interested in accessible design. "There are so many," she revealed. "But the weirdest must be seeing a wheelchair-friendly bathroom at the top of a staircase." The mind boggles...

So what advice does this expert have for designers when it comes to ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all? "Consult with those with disabilities who are knowledgeable on various aspects of disability inclusion and universal design," said Tomlinson. "The biggest cause of inaccessibility is designers thinking that they are knowledgeable to design for the masses without consulting the masses."

When advising clients, Tomlinson and her team of consultants "use the '7 Principles of Universal Design' to create spaces that are accessible and welcoming to all. Regardless of age, ability, size or need." According to the Centre For Excellence in Universal Design, the "7 Principles of Universal Design" were developed in 1997 by a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers.

The principles state that the design must be useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities, and should accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. The use of the design needs to be easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.

The design should also communicate necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities. It should minimize hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. Every effort should be made so that the design can be used efficiently, comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue. And finally, appropriate size and space must be provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility.

Before we let Tomlinson rush off to her next engagement, we wanted to know the biggest lesson that she's learned on her personal journey. "Build it, and they will come," she replied confidently. And we would be lying if we said we didn't feel inspired.