Black & white image of Ben Watson. He is smiling slightly and looking off-camera. This week we speak to UCL’s Head of Digital Accessibility, Ben Watson. Ben tells us about his ’progress not perfection’ philosophy, an exciting AI-powered
What is your role and what does it involve’
My team are responsible for putting in the digital equivalent of ramps and lifts to information. Very much the opposite side of the same coin as the brilliant Pip Jackson with Inclusive Environments, we try to ensure that our digital estate is accessible by design to everyone.
We’ve recently created an Accessibility Champions Network and would love for you to join us if you have an interest in digital accessibility and want to ask questions and share best practice. You can sign up, or request more information, using the Champions sign-up form (MS Forms) .
How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role’
Approaching 3 years at the end of January. Previously I worked in a similar capacity at the University of Kent.
What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of’
The launch of the UCL Digital Accessibility Policy and all the moments when accessible design has been absorbed by a team or a process at UCL and we have effectively taught people how to fish. Everyone at UCL has been amazing and is very keen to make things more accessible, so I really do feel we are pushing an open door. The challenge is finding the most impactful things for people to start making progress on such as the. We live by the mantra "progress not perfection".
Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list
Working to improve our capacity to deliver increasing accuracy in captioning for all’our multimedia but particularly lecture recordings. We have just embarked upon an exciting partnership with a major captioning and audio description supplier that will lead to some amazing developments at UCL using the power of AI to turbo charge our progress.
What is your favourite album, film and novel’
by Pearl Jam, Stand by Me and Great Expectations.
What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)’
I went to the local video shop and asked if I could borrow Batman Forever. They said no, you’ll have to bring it back tomorrow.
Who would be your dream dinner guests’
Barry Sheene, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Hardy, and my grandparents.
What advice would you give your younger self’
Stick with it. One day it will all start to make sense, and you will find your own user manual.
What would it surprise people to know about you’
My grandparents were Danish, Greek, English, and Japanese.
What is your favourite place’
Sitting on a log above a beautiful valley near where I grew up in Kent (I love it so much my parents had a painting of the scene done for me as a 21st birthday present). It’s the place I always gravitate to whenever I need time and space.
University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (0) 20 7679 2000
