Aaron Gustafson

Aaron Gustafson is a principal accessibility innovation strategist at Microsoft and a recognized authority in web accessibility, progressive enhancement, and inclusive design. As a former manager of the Web Standards Project, Gustafson has contributed to advancing web equity for nearly three decades. Throughout his career, he has held roles including strategist, information architect, user experience designer, front-end engineer, back-end engineer, performance engineer, and database architect. He has collaborated with organizations such as Box, Major League Baseball, the New York Times, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Vanguard, and Walgreens.

At Microsoft, Gustafson oversees the $25 million Accessibility Innovation grant program and leads accessibility innovation initiatives across the company. He joined Microsoft as a web standards advocate, working closely with the browser team to establish the developer-engagement platform Web We Want. Gustafson has contributed to the future of Progressive Web Apps as a member of the W3C Web Applications Working Group, editor of several PWA-related specifications, and author of multiple feature proposals. He is also involved in culture work at Microsoft, providing allyship and related training to various product teams.

Gustafson authored "Adaptive Web Design: Crafting Rich Experiences with Progressive Enhancement," which has appeared on several web design book lists. His three-part series on progressive enhancement for A List Apart remains widely referenced, and his book on the subject has received industry recognition. Gustafson serves as editor-in-chief of A List Apart and frequently writes and speaks about building a resilient and equitable web.

To encourage broader participation in web standards, Gustafson created Web We Want and co-founded events including PWA Summit, Code & Creativity, and Retreats 4 Geeks. As part of the Accessibility Innovation team at Microsoft, he identifies and funds projects leveraging artificial intelligence to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Gustafson has authored numerous articles and books and delivered more than 100 talks on web development at conferences and workshops worldwide.