The Web needs to be designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, location, or ability. Designing digital products for accessibility doesn't just fulfill legal requirements; it broadens a product's reach, improves user experience, and enhances a brand's reputation. Let's explore digital accessibility, why it is essential, and what are practical strategies for designing digital products with accessibility in mind, making them inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.
Why digital accessibility matters
The word "accessibility" can be understood as product quality. It primarily refers to the degree to which something is accessible by people with disabilities. Still, in the broader sense, it also measures resistance to external or temporary restrictions, such as bad signal or low lighting. An accessible digital product is designed so that people with disabilities can use it with the same level of ease and effectiveness as people without them - this includes removing physical, sensory, and cognitive barriers that prevent equal access and participation.
Considering digital products aren't optional but a vital part of almost everyone's lives, accessibility means all people can use systems and services and, therefore, easily participate in education, jobs, culture, politics, sports, etc.
The European Accessibility Act will come into effect in June 2025 in all EU member states, and countries such as Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein will follow the directive. Accessibility sets ethical standards, ensures an inclusive experience for all users, and provides equal access to information and services regardless of ability.
From a business perspective, excluding a good number of potential clients comes at a cost. People with acquired disabilities, particularly at age, expect to be able to use systems and services as they used to when they had no disability. Making technology accessible is a smart business decision, allowing companies to tap into a larger market and create more inclusive products and services that are seen as innovative, responsible, and focused on their customers.
Moreover, search engines rely on web content to provide relevant search results to users. When web content is accessible, search engines can more easily analyze and index it, leading to better user search results. Also, websites that allow easy access to search engine web crawlers usually rank higher in search results.
How to start implementing digital accessibility
Digital accessibility has matured over the years, providing and elaborating recommendations, guidelines, standards, techniques, and tools to implement it. These are integrated into many platforms and frameworks for easy and efficient implementation. It's feasible at a very reasonable effort with a high impact on software quality, and that's why there are no more excuses for building digital products that aren't accessible. Now, let's walk through how to implement digital accessibility in your digital products.
Follow accessibility guidelines
The most recognized accessibility guidelines are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The guidelines offer a comprehensive framework for creating accessible digital products, divided into four principles:
Perceivable: Ensure users can perceive the information (e.g., providing alt text for images, offering audio alternatives for video)
Operable: Ensure users can operate your site or app (e.g., keyboard navigation, accessible forms)
Understandable: Make your content easy to understand (e.g., clear instructions, simple language)
Robust: Ensure your digital product is compatible with current and future technologies (e.g., assistive technologies)
They are the measure of the EU accessibility laws, requiring websites and mobile applications to meet the WCAG Level A and Level AA standards. Familiarizing yourself with these guidelines is the first step toward digital accessibility.
Design with accessibility in mind
When it comes to designing accessible digital products, there are several key considerations to keep in mind:
1. Color & Contrast
— Maintain a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for text and UI elements
— Avoid using color alone to convey meaning; include text, icons, or patterns
2. Typography & Readability
— Use legible fonts and ensure a minimum font size of 16px for body text
— Provide sufficient line-height (1.5x) and spacing to improve readability
3. Navigation & Structure
— Ensure a logical, consistent layout with a clear visual hierarchy
— Design focus states for interactive elements to guide keyboard users
4. Forms & Inputs
— Use clear labels instead of placeholder text inside input fields
— Provide error messages with actionable guidance and avoid vague terms like “Invalid input.”
5. Interactive Elements
— Buttons and links should have a minimum size of 44x44px for touch accessibility
— Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard-navigable
6. Multimedia & Motion
— Provide captions and transcripts for audio and video content
— Avoid auto-playing animations and allow users to disable motion effects
Accessibility from a frontend perspective
Frontend accessibility is primarily about ensuring that the user interface (UI) and the content are perceivable, operable, and understandable for all users. Here’s a breakdown of some key components of accessibility from a frontend perspective:
1. Semantic HTML & ARIA
— Use correct HTML elements (e.g., button tag instead of div tag) for better screen reader compatibility
— Implement ARIA attributes only when necessary to enhance accessibility, not as a substitute for semantic HTML
2. Keyboard navigation
— Ensure users can reach all interactive elements via Tab and activate with Enter/Space
— Implement logical focus order and skip links for better navigation
3. Forms and error handling
— Associate — Use aria-live regions for dynamically updating content like form validation messages
4. Media and alternative content
— Include alt attributes for images, except for decorative ones (alt="")
— Ensure videos have captions and transcripts, and use aria-hidden="true" for decorative elements
5. Responsive and scalable design
— Ensure content adapts well to different screen sizes and orientations
— Use relative units (em, rem, %) instead of fixed units (px)
Accessibility in mobile development
1. Native accessibility features
— Using platform-specific accessibility APIs (TalkBack for Android, VoiceOver for iOS)
— Ensuring proper contentDescription (Android) or accessibilityLabel (iOS) for UI elements
2. Touch targets & gestures
— Maintaining a minimum target size of 44x44dp (iOS) or 48x48dp (Android)
— Avoiding complex gestures that require multiple fingers or precise swiping
3. Screen reader optimization
— Ensuring buttons and icons have meaningful descriptions
— Using focusable attributes to control navigation order and prevent hidden elements from receiving focus
4. Dynamic content and feedback
— Providing live region updates (announceForAccessibility() on Android, UIAccessibilityPostNotification() on iOS)
— Avoiding auto-refreshing screens or sudden layout changes
5. Dark mode & high contrast
— Supporting system-wide high-contrast modes
— Ensuring color themes adapt well for users with vision impairments
By integrating these accessibility guidelines from the start, we can create digital products that are inclusive, legally compliant, beneficial to the business, and enhance the user experience.
Make people feel included
Creating an accessible digital experience is essential for ensuring all users can easily interact with a website or application, regardless of their abilities. Focusing on thoughtful UI/UX design, straightforward navigation, readability, and compatibility with assistive technologies creates an inclusive environment that benefits everyone. Accessible multimedia content, well-structured forms, and interactive elements are crucial in providing an every-user-friendly experience.
As a part of the digital community, we advocate for inclusivity and accessibility, and our team can help you navigate the complexities of accessibility to ensure your digital solutions are accessible to all users.
NEXT BLOG POST
Mentorship matters: Empowering young talents & building a strong engineering culture
Learn more about is why mentorship so integral to our culture at Moberg, the impact it has on both our mentors and mentees, and how we actively mentor young talent, including students at the University of Applied Sciences in Zagreb.