About UX Impact Network

A usability, accessibility, and UX research initiative - building the workforce America needs, one engagement at a time.

Our mission

Bridging the gap between expertise and need

UX Impact Network connects supervised student practitioners with nonprofits and community-based organizations to deliver user experience research, usability evaluations, and digital accessibility improvements — building a skilled UX and accessibility workforce while strengthening the digital services that communities rely on.

Our vision: A future where every organization serving the public, regardless of size or budget, has access to the usability and accessibility expertise their communities deserve.

A group of 3 students collaborating
Our values

What we stand for

Human-centered

Technology serves people. Design decisions are informed by the lived experiences of the users who depend on these systems.

Accessibility as a foundation

Every American deserves equal access to public digital services, regardless of ability. Accessibility is not an afterthought, it is integral to good UX.

Evidence-based practice

All work is grounded in rigorous, established methodologies, not assumptions or aesthetic preferences.

Research-driven

UX Impact Network contributes to the advancement of the UX field by generating original research and investigating how emerging technologies reshape human-digital interaction.

Learn by doing

The best way to train UX and accessibility professionals is through supervised, real-world practice with real organizations and real users.

Open source

Our frameworks and tools are freely available to anyone working to improve UX and accessibility.

A group of 3 students collaborating
Open source

Built to be adopted, not just admired

UX Impact Network is committed to making its research, methodologies, and tools freely available to the UX, usability, and accessibility community. As we grow, we will publish the frameworks and resources that power our work.

  • Usability and accessibility assessment frameworks
  • UX research methodology guides
  • Methodology training modules
  • Professional assessment report templates

Our goal is to contribute to a growing body of open, practical resources that help raise the standard of UX and accessibility practice across public-serving organizations nationwide.

Be part of the force

Whether you represent an organization in need or a student ready to make an impact — we want to hear from you.

Partner with us → Apply as a student →