Soundtrap
About
I led the accessibility transformation of Soundtrap, making the product WCAG compliant and unlocking new markets for Spotify. As Accessibility Lead, I aligned 11 product teams and drove the initiative from strategy through delivery.
WCAG Compliant
$1B+
Unlocking the global education market and eliminating legal risk
Services
Business Transformation, Accessibility
Industry
Music / EdTech
This was a business transformation project as much as a design one. I worked both strategically and operationally, setting the direction at leadership level while embedding with designers day-to-day to do the hands-on accessibility work. Beyond compliance, the goal was to change how the entire organization thinks about accessibility.
I designed and facilitated workshops at every level, documented the full process of building an accessible product, and worked closely with Spotify's accessibility team throughout, sharing knowledge and resources in both directions. External experts were brought in to ensure compliance and quality across the board.
Challenge
Soundtrap needed to meet WCAG accessibility standards to enter the global education market, but the product had never been built with accessibility in mind. Achieving compliance meant aligning 11 product teams across engineering, design, and product management, all with different priorities and varying levels of accessibility awareness.
The scope was massive. Every feature, every flow, and every component needed to be evaluated and reworked. Without action, Soundtrap faced both legal and financial risk, and an entire market segment remained out of reach.
Solution
I championed and implemented an "Accessibility First" design process across the organization, making accessibility a starting point rather than an afterthought. I ran workshops to educate and align stakeholders at every level, securing buy-in from leaders, PMs, engineers, and designers.
On the ground, I embedded with the design teams and worked through the product hands-on, auditing interfaces, reworking flows, and pairing with designers to build their accessibility skills. I worked closely with Spotify's accessibility team, collaborating on standards and sharing learnings that benefited both Soundtrap and the wider Spotify ecosystem. The full process was documented into long-term internal assets and standards, ensuring the work would outlast the project itself.
Outcome
Soundtrap crossed the accessibility threshold, unlocking the global education market and transforming accessibility from a compliance burden into a competitive advantage. Spotify avoided a potential multi-million fine while gaining a product that works better for everyone.
The impact went beyond the product. The "Accessibility First" process, the documentation, and the cross-team ways of working became lasting assets for the organization, raising the bar for how accessibility is approached across Spotify.
Feedback
“I have had the pleasure of working with Björn on our accessibility program for Soundtrap. Björn's competence, passion and leadership in how to approach Accessibility not just as a matter of compliance but also as a guideline and principles that provide true value for all users of a product. If you care about usability, it is time to also care about accessibility. Björn can help you with that and I really recommend him.”
Urban Falk
Head of Education at Soundtrap
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