Accessibility in Design

Types of Disabilities and Inclusive Design

Imagine a spectrum of abilities, each with unique requirements:

• Visual disabilities, ranging from colour blindness to total blindness, may necessitate screen readers or high-contrast visuals. 
• Hearing disabilities call for captions and transcripts for audio content. 
• Motor disabilities, where a traditional mouse and keyboard setup isn’t feasible, require designs that are navigable through voice commands or adaptive hardware. 
• Cognitive disabilities, often overlooked, ask for clear, consistent, and predictable interactions.

Inclusive product design means considering this entire spectrum and ensuring that everyone can access the same services, enjoy the same experiences, and receive the same information. It’s about not just giving them a seat but ensuring they can enjoy the show in its entirety.

The POUR Principles of Accessible Design

Luckily, with careful consideration, products that transform an entire business can be built. The POUR principles serve like a compass, pointing us towards a more accessible digital world.

• Perceivable: Information must be presented in ways that users can discern, regardless of sensory abilities. This could mean providing text alternatives for images or ensuring content can be enlarged without losing information.
• Operable: Users should be able to navigate and use interfaces via various methods. This includes making all functionality available from a keyboard for those who can’t use a mouse.
• Understandable: Here, we aim for clear and intuitive operation. Language and functionality should be comprehensible, and content should appear and operate in predictable ways.
• Robust: A robust design smoothly interacts with different browsers, tools, and technologies, including assistive technologies like screen readers.

Embracing these principles doesn’t just amplify the user experience; it fine-tunes the performance for everyone. After all, a design that’s accessible to all is like a performance that gets a standing ovation from the entire crowd, not just a few.

POUR principle embedded in accessibility design across various categories

A. Visual, Auditory, and Motor Accessibility Techniques

1. Colour Contrast and Text Size: Just as we wouldn’t want our audience squinting at a dimly lit stage, we ensure high contrast between text and background colours, making content legible for those with visual impairments. Enlarging text without losing clarity is like offering binoculars to someone at the back of the room, ensuring they miss none of the action.
2. Alternative Text (Alt Text): For those who can’t see the stage, alt text narrates the unseen images. It’s a descriptive audio track for the visual elements, ensuring users who rely on screen readers can ‘see’ the image with their ears.
3. Captions, Transcriptions, and Sign Language Options: Captions are not just subtitles for the dialogue on stage; they’re a bridge for those with hearing disabilities, ensuring no line is missed. Transcriptions serve a similar purpose, offering a written account of audio content, while sign language interpretation adds an invaluable visual aid.
4. Keyboard Navigation and Touch Targets: Not everyone can navigate the aisles of our digital theater with a mouse. Some rely on the keyboard to find their seat. Designing for keyboard navigation ensures they can access all content easily. Likewise, touch targets must be large enough for those with motor disabilities to select without error, akin to ensuring doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs.

B. Cognitive Accessibility Techniques

1. Content Clarity and Navigation: The paths through our digital space should be as clear as aisle lights guiding to one’s seat. Menus and buttons should be straightforward, avoiding confusing jargon or complex terms. It’s like replacing Shakespearean English with plain language that everyone understands.
2. Structured Layout for Easy Understanding: Just as an usher would present a well-organised program, our digital content should be laid out logically. Headings and lists break down information into digestible pieces, while consistent patterns and predictable behaviours make the user’s journey through the content feel like following a well-rehearsed choreography.

Each technique is a tool to remove barriers, akin to providing ramps, sign language interpreters, or audio descriptions at a live show. By implementing them, we’re not just putting on a performance; we’re orchestrating an inclusive experience where every customer, no matter their abilities, benefits from your product offerings.

Tools for Accessibility Testing

1. WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): Imagine WAVE as your digital accessibility consultant. WAVE is a browser extension that gives you a rundown of how accessible your site is. With one click, WAVE highlights issues like missing alt tags on images, poor colour contrast, and more, essentially providing a quick health check of your site’s accessibility. 
2. Axe: This tool is like a detailed inspector who scrutinises every corner of your website. Integrated into your browser or testing framework, Axe runs through your site and flags violations of WCAG standards. It’s thorough, pointing out exactly where your site needs improvement to be more accessible.
3. Lighthouse: Straightforward and unembellished, Lighthouse, a part of Google Chrome, gives you the hard facts about your website’s performance, including its accessibility. It scores your site out of 100, offering a clear measure of how well you’re doing and where you need to improve.
4. Manual Testing with Screen Readers (like JAWS and NVDA): There’s no substitute for the real thing. Using screen readers like JAWS (Job Access With Speech) or NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access), you can step into the shoes of a user with visual impairments. This experience is invaluable; it’s not just about ticking boxes for compliance but truly understanding the user journey.

Conclusion

Whether you’re building an e-commerce page or transforming your business website to enhance customer satisfaction, remember that accessibility is the linchpin of design excellence. Many customers might not recognise their own need for accessible features until they experience the seamless ease your product provides. Accessibility isn’t just about addressing specific disabilities; it’s about creating an environment where everyone finds interacting with your digital space effortless and enjoyable regardless of their abilities. In a world where inclusivity is increasingly recognised as a hallmark of quality and care, designing with accessibility at the forefront isn’t just a good practice—it’s a crucial strategy for connecting with a wider, more diverse audience and enriching their experience with your brand.