Designing for Accessibility in UX: Best Practices and Tools

Summary: Designing user interfaces that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, is an important aspect of creating a positive user experience (UX).

uxbold believe that accessibility is a human right.
With an increasing number of people relying on technology to access information, it’s crucial to make sure that everyone has equal access to this information, regardless of their abilities. Let’s dive into the top tips for creating accessible UX design, including the importance of considering accessibility in the user journey, the different versions of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), tips for designing in an accessible way, and the mindset to give to your team to convince them to follow you in this approach.

The Importance of Accessibility in UX

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide. That’s roughly 15% of the global population, and the number is growing as the world’s population continues to age. With such a large number of people requiring accessible technology, it’s more important than ever for companies to take accessibility seriously.

Accessibility is a key aspect of creating a positive user experience. People with disabilities are a significant and growing segment of the population and they need to be able to access technology and information in order to fully participate in society. By designing for accessibility, you can ensure that everyone has equal access to your products, regardless of their abilities. Furthermore, designing for accessibility can have other benefits, such as making your product easier to use for everyone, not just people with disabilities.

Different Versions of WCAG

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a set of recommendations for making web content accessible to people with disabilities. There are three versions of WCAG, each with increasing levels of accessibility requirements:

1. WCAG 2.0: The original version of WCAG, published in 2008, provides a set of guidelines for making web content accessible to people with disabilities.
2. WCAG 2.1: This version of WCAG, published in 2018, includes additional guidelines to address new technologies and accessibility issues that have arisen since the publication of WCAG 2.0.
3. WCAG 3.0: Currently in development, WCAG 3.0 is intended to be an evolution of WCAG 2.1, providing an even higher level of accessibility requirements.

Examples of Rules Included in WCAG: The WCAG guidelines cover a wide range of accessibility issues, including the following:

1. Text contrast: The text on your website should have enough contrast with the background to be easily readable by people with visual impairments.
2. Alt text: Images on your website should have alternative text descriptions, so that people with visual impairments can understand what the images are showing.
3. Keyboard navigation: Your website should be navigable using only a keyboard, so that people who cannot use a mouse can still access your content.
4. Headings: Your website should have clear headings, so that people with visual impairments can quickly understand the structure of your content.

While the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a useful framework for ensuring a minimum level of accessibility, they are not the only factor to consider.

Going beyond the WCAG means considering accessibility not just as a legal requirement, but as a design principle that drives the development of inclusive and user-centered products. This requires a deep understanding of the diverse needs and abilities of users, and the ability to design for accessibility from the ground up, rather than just checking boxes.

It will help organizations to stay ahead of the curve by embracing innovation and emerging technologies that can make digital experiences even more accessible and inclusive. This, in turn, helps organizations to build a better reputation, enhance their brand image, and improve customer satisfaction.

The Mindset to Give to Your Team

Accessibility is not just about making sure people with disabilities can use technology; it’s about designing technology that is inclusive and easy for everyone to use. To build an inclusive world of technology, it’s essential to have a mindset that prioritizes accessibility from the start.

In order to get your team on board with designing for accessibility, it’s important to stress the importance of accessibility and to help them understand the benefits of designing for accessibility. Here are some tips for getting your team to embrace accessibility:

1. Lead by example: Be a role model and make sure that you are practicing what you preach when it comes to accessibility.
2. Educate your team: Take the time to educate your team on the importance of accessibility and the benefits of designing for accessibility.
3. Make accessibility part of your design process: Incorporate accessibility into your design process from the start, so that it becomes an integral part of your work.
4. Emphasize the impact on real people: Remind your team that accessibility is about making your product usable by real people, including those with disabilities.
5. Consider accessibility in the user journey: Make sure that accessibility is considered throughout the user journey, from the initial design phase to the final testing phase.
6. Use the WCAG guidelines: Use the WCAG guidelines as a starting point when designing for accessibility. The WCAG provides a set of rules and guidelines that can help ensure that your product is usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities.
7. Consider accessibility in the design of every component: Make sure that accessibility is considered in the design of every component of your product, from buttons to forms to images.
8. Make text easy to read: Make sure that text is easy to read, with a minimum size of 14 point and a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
9. Provide alternative text for images: Provide alternative text for images, so that users who are visually impaired can understand the content of the image.
10. Test your design for accessibility: Test your design for accessibility, using both manual testing and automated testing tools.

Accessibility in iOS

Apple has taken a strong stance on accessibility and has built a robust set of tools and features into its iOS operating system to help users with disabilities. From VoiceOver to Zoom, and from Dynamic Type to Switch Control, Apple has created a range of tools to help users with different abilities use their iOS device. When it comes to accessibility in iOS, there are several key features that can help make your app more accessible, including the following:

1. VoiceOver: VoiceOver is a screen reader that provides spoken and braille descriptions of everything that appears on the screen. It allows users who are visually impaired to use their iOS device with ease. VoiceOver can be customized to suit the user’s needs, with adjustable speech rates and pronunciation, as well as the ability to add custom pronunciation for proper nouns.
2. Zoom: Zoom is a magnification feature that allows users to magnify the screen on their iOS device, making it easier for users with visual impairments to see and interact with the screen. With simple gestures, users can zoom in and out, and the zoomed view can be adjusted to fit the user’s needs.
3. Dynamic Type: Dynamic Type allows users to adjust the text size on their iOS device, making it easier for users with visual impairments to read text. This feature adjusts the size of text across all apps, so users can enjoy a consistent experience.
4. Switch Control: Switch Control is a feature that allows users who have difficulty using their hands to control their iOS device using a single switch or multiple switches. Users can control their device by selecting items on the screen or by using keyboard commands.
5. Guided Access: Guided Access allows users to limit their iOS device to a single app, making it easier for users with autism or other attention difficulties to focus on a specific task. This feature can be especially helpful for individuals who are easily distracted or who have difficulty staying on task.
6. AssistiveTouch: AssistiveTouch allows users who have difficulty using physical buttons to control their iOS device using on-screen gestures. This feature can be especially helpful for individuals with motor impairments, such as those with cerebral palsy.
7. Closed Captions and Subtitles: Closed Captions and Subtitles are features that allow users who are deaf or hard of hearing to access audio content. With closed captions, users can read along with the audio, and subtitles provide a written representation of the dialogue.
8. Speech to Text: Speech to Text allows users who have difficulty typing to dictate text instead. With this feature, users can speak their message and have it transcribed into text.

In conclusion, designing for accessibility is an important aspect of creating a positive user experience. By considering accessibility in the user journey, using the WCAG guidelines, and following best practices for designing in an accessible way, you can help ensure that your product is usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities. By incorporating accessibility into your design process and educating your team, you can help create a more inclusive and accessible world.

Sources

1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, W3C
2. Accessibility in iOS, Apple
3. Designing for Accessibility, A List Apart
4. The Importance of Accessibility in UX Design, UX Design
5. Designing for People with Disabilities, Nielsen Norman Group
6. Disability and Health, World Health Organization (WHO)