“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” — Tim Berners-Lee
The most common question companies ask themselves is whether it's really worth it.
“My visitors, however, consist only of people without disabilities or other obstacles.” This mindset is both horribly exclusionary, but also strategically unsmart.
First, it is important to understand that people with disabilities do not constitute an insignificant minority. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 15% of the world's population has some form of disability, meaning that 1 in 7 people may need customized access to digital services. This is a significant portion of your potential audience that you risk excluding if your website or app is not available to them.
In addition, it is important to remember that digital accessibility is not just about making it easier for people with disabilities. An accessible website or app benefits all users. Just think of the times you've tried to use a website on a mobile device with the sunshine shielding your screen or when you've needed to use a website in a noisy environment where the sound has been turned off. In these situations, accessibility features such as clear and easy-to-read text, easy-to-use navigation tools and the ability to control the site with the keyboard become invaluable.
Third, digital accessibility can be a strategic advantage for your business. Being a leader in accessibility can differentiate your brand and, in addition, many countries may have laws and regulations that require digital services to be accessible to all users, and ignoring these requirements can lead to legal consequences and negative publicity for your business.
Start with common sense
If you are a designer or developer, it is different what accessibility means, below I assume that you are a designer or owner of a website that uses a web tool to manage your website.
According to WHO, 2.2 billion of the world's population have some type of visual impairment, which corresponds to almost 30% of the world's population.
First of all, if you want to make sure that your website is accessible to everyone, you should start with the visual. This is not only about facilitating the 28% of the population living with visual impairments, but also for those who may be short of time or who use your website under special conditions.
Make sure the text is clearly visible regardless of the background color.
Use a legible font style and make sure there is enough space between the lines to facilitate reading.
Make sure links and buttons are large enough to be accessed both on computer and a mobile where someone might be moving and shaky on their hands.
For most users, these are the first sign of whether your website is accessible or not. It plays a significant role in creating a professional first impression and a positive user experience. Making these small adjustments can make a big difference to everyone who visits your site.
Take the help of a tool
The next steps may not be as obvious to the average person. Furthermore, an accessible website is about ensuring that all functions can be controlled from a keyboard or via voice command, that it is responsive and works well on all different screen devices, that images should have an alternative descriptive text, and videos have subtitles. The list can be incredibly long, and therefore there are tools you can use to make your work easier.
Take a quick search on google or turn to guides to help you get ahead such as https://www.accessiblemetrics.com/blog/7-web-accessibility-testing-tools-for-every-need/. There are hundreds of websites and services out there that will help you analyze your website to find potential problems. The tricky thing can then be to understand them and fix them.
Get nerdy with WCAG
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are a crucial resource for assessing the accessibility of websites. Their guidelines are the standard for ensuring that digital content can be perceived, used and navigated by everyone, regardless of any functional variations.
The new EU Accessibility Directive, scheduled to enter into force in 2025, is an important step in promoting online accessibility. Building on the WCAG guidelines, the Directive aims to ensure accessibility for all, regardless of functional variations.
The new EU Accessibility Directive, scheduled to go into effect in 2025, largely takes inspiration from WCAG. This underlines the importance of following these guidelines to be compliant with legislation and to ensure your website is accessible to a wider audience.
By visiting the WCAG website, you can access a comprehensive resource of detailed information on how to go about making your website accessible. While reading may not be the most exciting, it can provide invaluable guidance for understanding and implementing accessibility measures on your website.
So while it may feel a bit boring and technical, it's worth taking a look at the material on WCAG's website if you want to create a website that is open to everyone and compliant with the latest accessibility requirements. It is an important step in ensuring an inclusive digital environment and a successful online presence.
