Accessible design in Brighton
Hello! My name is Katie Merrien and I’m a visual communicator based in Brighton.
My work is designed to remove barriers for people who are often excluded. Helping my clients to do this reduces stress for their customers and sets them apart from their competitors, who may not be as inclusive.
In 2025, I was chosen as one of UK’s most impressive female founders by Small Business Britain and f:Entrepreneur.
Since 2019, I’ve helped hundreds of businesses from a range of sectors to make their messaging and services more accessible and inclusive. Including:
You can read some of their feedback here, which usually sounds something like this:
“Katie is a real pleasure to work with! She’s helped us create several animations which distil lots of information in a clear, easy, engaging, and accessible format. Katie takes the time and care to really listen to your needs, including feedback. Working with her is super smooth and efficient, and we plan to work with her again soon!” – Lucy, Sussex MSK Health
What it’s like to work with me
I’m friendly, creative and great at problem solving!
I’m often described as “kindly honest”. If something is creating a barrier for your audience, I’ll tell you why (very kindly 🙂) and suggest ways that you can fix it.
To share what it feels like to work with me, I made this PDF guide (and a Microsoft Word version) from my clients’ feedback. Which includes testimonials like this:
“Katie has incredible skill in processing information quickly and coming up with key themes. She is really lovely to work with, kind, warm, caring, great communication” – Sally, Amaze
“Katie brought an incredible blend of creativity, humour, and inspiration. She is an absolute pro with meticulous attention to detail. Working with Katie was not only productive but also an absolute pleasure.” – Roz, Get Your Career Unstuck
If I sound like the right fit for your project, hit the button below to book in a chat.
Research and best practice
I don’t have the same lived experience or access needs as every member of your audience.
Which is why I’ve spent years researching accessibility best practice (and continue to do so), to make sure that my work doesn’t inadvertently exclude anyone.
I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned, because it makes life better for everyone. So I’ve made a “rucksack” full of ways to make your information more accessible and inclusive which you can access here as a PDF and here as a Microsoft Word document.
I also regularly share accessibility and inclusion-related top tips on my LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
If you’d like to talk about some bespoke support for you, your business and your clients, please contact me for a chat.
Features and articles
My work and my business have appeared in several publications and podcasts, including:
- A blog post about the benefits of my accessible animations for Sussex MSK Partnership.
- An interview with Hive IT talking about accessibility and inclusion.
- A comic strip about how and why I started CommuniKate Design in issues 3 and 4 of Support Local magazine.
- A local entrepreneur spotlight in Brighton and Hove Business and Intellectual Property Centre‘s newsletter.
- “Get Your Career Unstuck: Discover your inner maverick and transform your life” by Rozalyn Willocks.
