(Originally published on May 8, 2024 by Microsoft 365 Insider Engagement Team)
Creating a more accessible future with Peter Wu
In 2016, the PowerPoint team had a “surge” to find and fix existing accessibility issues in the app. For Peter Wu, a Principal Software Engineer on the PowerPoint team, it was very eye-opening.
“The more I learned about accessibility,” Peter says, “the more I understood how much I didn’t know. And the more I learned how deep the issues were, the more I realized how big a difference we could make by fixing them.”
Peter’s journey in tech began at age 8 when he got his first personal computer, a TRS-80. His interest in technology burgeoned from there and led him to Rice University for a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Mathematical Science and then to Duke University for a Master's degree in Computer Science. He's an ace at building quality products that people love, and he's been making waves at Microsoft for almost three decades. From coding to design to managing teams, Peter's passion lies in creating a culture of excellence and innovation in the tech space.
With Global Accessibility Awareness Day just around the corner, we spoke with Peter about his pivotal role in the space of accessibility – not only the work he’s done on accessibility features in PowerPoint but also the massive amount of effort he’s put into “retrofitting” existing products to be more accessible. In addition, by educating his team and increasing awareness about the importance of accessibility, he’s also been incredibly instrumental in changing team culture and ensuring that his colleagues are all aware of how accessibility benefits so many people in our community.
In your experience, what’s one accessibility myth that keeps cropping up, and how do you tackle it?
“Well, the hurdle I often come across is a simple one: awareness—or rather, the lack of it. It’s quite common, really. But there’s another layer to it for those who are somewhat in the know. They’ve dabbled in accessibility, perhaps retroactively, and they’ve gotten the impression that accessibility is very expensive.
From their perspective, it’s understandable. They’ve been patching up issues in designs that didn’t consider accessibility from the start, learning as they go—which can indeed be pricey. However, what they often miss is the preemptive approach. Learning about accessibility and integrating it into the design process from the get-go does have its costs, but it’s significantly less than retrofitting later on.
An analogy I like to use is this - suppose you are building a house, and you don’t know much about the electricity thing, so you skip putting in any wires for it. But after you finish painting the walls and putting in the carpet, someone tells you that electricity is really important, and you need to put wires in. Imagine how complicated and costly it would be to put them in afterwards. And even after going way over budget and over schedule the results still aren’t very good. If you learn how to design and build in the wires from the beginning, the cost is much lower, and the results are much better. So, I try to illuminate this path—the ‘build it right the first time’ approach. It’s more efficient, cost-effective, and, frankly, it’s the right thing to do. Most folks are only familiar with the ‘fix it later’ method, not realizing there’s a smarter way forward.”
How do you approach testing for accessibility in the products you manage?
“I believe testing needs to be incorporated into every stage of an engineering project. The skill and attention you put into it has a huge impact on how smoothly the project goes and how high the quality of the product turns out. Testing is an art that increasingly fewer people in the industry learn.
Effective accessibility testing requires all the skills that testing requires plus deep knowledge of accessibility requirements and assistive technologies.
Using the product like a real customer is the most effective way to assess how well it works and find the places where it is going wrong.
I do a lot of testing myself and coach others on how to do it to make sure we are finding the bugs early and often.”
We are wondering about the features that really make you beam with pride. Is there a particular accessibility enhancement in PowerPoint that you’ve poured your heart into?
“You know, when we first started looking into Closed Captions for PowerPoint, it was all about accessibility. Working with the team, we wanted to create something that would make a real difference. And I think we’ve done just that.
It’s been quite the process, fine-tuning every detail to make sure it’s just right. Seeing it come to life and hearing how it’s helping people has been incredibly fulfilling. It’s not just for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, either. Teachers, students, professionals—they’re all finding it useful in ways we didn’t even anticipate. It helps so many other people understand and enjoy video better, whether it is language learners, people who have to stay quiet where they are working, or people trying to understand a speaker with an accent.
I’m proud to have been a part of this, to have contributed to something that’s opening doors for so many. It’s a good feeling, knowing you’re part of a change like that.”
With the Insider program being so feedback-driven, can you share an experience where user input really made a difference in the way you developed an accessibility feature?
“Oh, absolutely! There’s this one story that always comes to mind. Picture this: we’re sifting through feedback, and we keep seeing comments from individuals with low vision expressing their struggles during remote presentations. They’re trying to follow along, but they’re getting lost in the details. Now, they could use a screen magnifier, but that’s like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut—it magnifies everything, causing them to lose context.
So, they reached out with a simple request: “Why not have a zoom feature right within the app? Something that just magnifies the slides, not the entire screen.” It was one of those lightbulb moments for us. We realized that by embedding a zoom function, we could transform their experience.
Their voices were loud and clear, and they echoed in every meeting we had. It wasn’t just about adding a feature; it was about empowering people, giving them the independence they craved. So, we rolled up our sleeves, shuffled our priorities, and got the funding we needed. And you know what? We didn’t just bring it to market—we made it a part of their storytelling, their education, their work. It became a key driver for change, beginning with a single piece of feedback that greatly enhanced accessibility.”
What is the biggest challenge about working in the accessibility space for you, Peter?
That’s a great question. Obviously, I am really proud of all of the great features and products I’ve been able to work on and bring to market. It’s about toiling on thousands of bugs without much recognition to improve the experience for our customers. It’s about the grit and hard work it takes to deliver something on a shoestring budget against the odds. It’s about facing adversity and taking risks to fight for what’s right.
With all the advancements in accessibility happening these days, what’s the one trend that’s really capturing your imagination?
“AI is certainly at the forefront of exciting developments. The potential it holds for enhancing people’s lives is vast, though it’s not without its complexities and concerns. Accessibility stands as one of the more intricate challenges ripe for AI’s transformative touch.
When we think about bringing together AI with a nuanced understanding of human needs and top-notch design, we’re looking at a powerful combination. It’s this synergy that I believe will unlock solutions to some of the most persistent challenges in accessibility. It’s not just about technology for technology’s sake; it’s about crafting tools that genuinely make a difference, and that’s a thrilling prospect.”
As we look five years into the future, what’s your take on the evolution of accessible technology?
“I’m really hopeful about what’s coming up in accessible tech. There’s one big change I’m looking forward to: talking interfaces that could replace the usual way we interact with screens. This could be a huge help for people who are blind or have trouble moving around. Think about devices that can talk back to you, not just in any old way, but with the right feeling and tone, like a natural conversation and can help you with even your most complex work.
And it’s not just about fancy tech. I’m looking forward to a time when creating features and experiences that everyone can access is just the normal way of doing things. With better tools and more people knowing how to use them, I think we’ll see a lot more content out there that everyone can enjoy.”
Peter, in the realm of accessibility, what’s the current project on your desk that’s sparking some excitement?
“At the moment, I'm working on making captioning videos in PowerPoint fast and easy. So everyone can do it without hesitating.”
We’ll be sure to update the Insider blog with upcoming information about PowerPoint captions and you can check out Peter’s most recent blog post here.
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