On the second day of the World Usability Congress, the talk “Websites and Apps for Everybody – Making Accessibility Easy” by Mari-Ell Mets was the most interesting for me. Accessibility plays a major role in design – and probably also for my master’s thesis topic. The talk emphasised once again how important it is to integrate accessibility into the design of websites, apps and other digital interfaces. Accessibility is not just about usability, but also about creating an inclusive experience that accommodates users with different abilities. In this blog post, I will focus on the 10 key accessibility rules, which were presented, that address 80% of the most common issues in digital design and highlight their importance in creating a more inclusive user experience.
The Importance of Accessibility
Accessibility is vital for ensuring that digital products and services are usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities. An inaccessible website can lead to unhappy users, legal risks, and damage to a brand’s reputation. In contrast, accessible websites enhance usability, improve user satisfaction, and provide a better overall product. In my research, accessibility plays a key role in designing adaptive systems that meet the needs of all users, including those with permanent, temporary, or situational disabilities.
The 10 Accessibility Rules to Fix 80% of Issues
These 10 rules provide a practical framework for addressing the most common accessibility issues in digital design.
- No Moving Content
Avoid animations or autoplaying sounds that users cannot stop. Moving content can be distracting and disorienting. Provide a stop button for any moving elements. - Contrasted Colors
Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background. Use at least 4.5:1 contrast for regular text and 3:1 for large text. This improves readability for users with visual impairments. - Adapt to User’s Settings
Respect user settings like font size or color scheme. Use relative font sizes (e.g., ems) and avoid overriding browser settings to give users more control over their experience. - Support Keyboard Navigation
Ensure your website or app can be fully navigated using just a keyboard. Avoid actions that require a mouse, such as drag-and-drop, and maintain a logical focus order. - Make Focus Visible
Always make the focus visible when navigating with a keyboard, so users can easily track where they are on the page. Avoid hiding focus styles. - Specify Language in the Code
Define the page’s primary language in the HTML code. If the language changes (e.g., a section in another language), update the code to reflect that. - Info & Relationships
What is visually presented must be structured in the code. Use proper heading tags, table tags, and list tags to ensure that screen readers convey content effectively. - Name, Role, Value
Properly label interactive elements (buttons, links) with name, role, and value to ensure screen readers can understand their purpose. - Text Alternatives for Images
Provide alt text for informative images to ensure users with visual impairments can understand the content. Decorative images should be marked appropriately to be ignored by screen readers. - Clear Error Messages
When users make errors, provide clear error messages with explanations on how to fix them. Ensure these messages are visible and readable by screen readers.
Best Practices and Tools
In addition to these 10 rules, regular testing with screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and color contrast checkers is essential to ensure accessibility. Be cautious with accessibility overlay plugins, as they often provide only a superficial solution and may not fully address the needs of users. Instead, integrate accessibility directly into the design and development process.
Conclusion: Accessibility is Fundamental
The principles outlined in the 10 accessibility rules have significantly influenced my research on what can influence the interaction with interfaces, helping me focus on crucial factors such as user settings, keyboard accessibility, and color contrast. By applying these principles, I can design flexible and inclusive interfaces that meet the needs of diverse users while ensuring that the systems I develop are not only legally compliant but also empathetic to all users. Accessibility is fundamental for creating digital experiences that are usable by everyone, regardless of ability. These rules provide a strong foundation for improving usability, especially for users with disabilities, and will continue to guide my research on adaptive interfaces. By integrating accessibility into the design process, designers can create inclusive, adaptable systems that make the digital world a better place for all, ensuring a more comprehensive and enriching user experience for everyone.
Links
https://worldusabilitycongress.com
https://www.twn.ee/en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mari-ell-mets/?originalSubdomain=ee
