Accessibility: are your digital platforms up to industry standards?
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased reliance on digital products and services for everyday life. That’s why assessing your digital accessibility is more important than ever. We’ve detailed some of the most important reasons to consider accessibility in your digital design and the benefits of doing so.
One billion people around the world live with some form of disability. But despite the large number, disabled people are often forgotten about during the design process of products and services. This means that their needs are overlooked - excluding them from getting the same experience as abled customers.
Digital accessibility means allowing all users the ability to access every function of your website with ease. You may not think it’s necessary as you don’t have many disabled customers. That’s your first mistake—many disabilities are invisible. So, even if your products and services aren’t targeted towards a minority group, by catering to disabled people, you can maximise your customer base and ensure no one is left out. Plus, if a wider range of people have access to your products or services then you are more likely to achieve your goals. Businesses who encourage and cater to customers with disabilities improve their overall customer experience, which in turn, improves customer satisfaction and loyalty and gives you an edge against competitors.
Whilst your image shouldn’t be the only reason to enforce accessibility measures, it can also help to avoid the wrong kind of attention. The Equality Act 2010 states that organisations need to take reasonable steps to overcome the challenges faced by those who are disabled, to offer them the same experience as someone who isn’t. By being proactive and having an inclusive design, you can protect yourself from public backlash by doing the right thing and aligning with industry standards.
worldwide homepages violated some aspect of the web content accessibility guidelines. These faults included low contrast text, missing alternative text for images, and empty links. These issues cause problems for users with visual or auditory disabilities, meaning they don’t get the same experience as those without disabilities.
“Usability and accessibility are very much linked—for example, there’s little point in having alt text if that text is badly written. As such, it goes beyond a checklist of technical criteria—it’s an appreciation of the fact that disability is a wide spectrum and that user needs and preferences are varied. The goal should be to make a site as accessible as possible to as wide a range of users as possible.”
Web and mobile app designers need to ensure their services are optimised for all people by following the government's accessibility regulations or by subscribing to the POUR acronym. Similarly, if your business has a website or social channels, have you checked that they follow accessibility best practices? Doing this ensures a better user experience for each and every one of your customers, strengthening your online community and building loyalty.
For advice on how to create a more accessible, and more attractive design, or if you would like more advice on user experience, you can view our services, or get in touch.