When creating a new website design, accessibility should be a top priority from the start. Inclusive design ensures that people with disabilities can use and navigate your site with ease. But good accessibility practices benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities. Let's explore why accessibility matters and how you can implement it in your design process.
About 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability. By not considering accessibility in your design, you're potentially excluding millions of users. Beyond that, accessible design often improves usability for all visitors. For example, high contrast designs help people with visual impairments and those viewing screens in bright sunlight.
There are also legal considerations. Many countries have laws requiring websites to be accessible, like the Americans with disabilities Act (ADA) in the US. Designing with accessibility in mind from the start can help avoid costly redesigns later.
To create an accessible website design, keep these core principles in mind:
Now that we understand the principles, let's look at specific actions you can take during the design phase:
Design your layout with a clear visual hierarchy. Use size, color, and positioning to indicate the importance of different elements. This helps all users, especially those with cognitive disabilities, understand and navigate your content more easily.
Ensure there's enough contrast between text and background colors. This helps users with visual impairments read your content more easily. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text. Also, don't rely on color alone to convey information - use additional visual cues like shapes or patterns.
Create layouts that can adapt to different text sizes and screen sizes. This helps users who need to enlarge text or use screen magnifiers. Avoid fixed-size containers that might cut off enlarged text.
While designing, consider how users will navigate your site using only a keyboard. Ensure all interactive elements can be accessed in a logical order. Visually indicate which element has keyboard focus.
Design buttons, links, and other interactive elements to be easily identifiable. Use consistent styles for interactive elements throughout your design. Consider how these elements will appear in different states (hover, focus, active).
When designing forms, keep these points in mind:
While you won't be writing the actual alt text at the design stage, plan spaces for descriptive text alternatives for images, especially those that convey important information.
If your design includes space for videos or audio content, plan for captions and transcripts. Consider how users will control media playback.
Design navigation menus to be clear and consistent across all pages. Consider providing multiple ways to access important pages.
Don't hide important information or functionality behind hover effects. Users on touch devices or with motor impairments may have difficulty accessing this content.
While you can't do comprehensive accessibility testing at the design stage, you can:
Remember, designing for accessibility is an ongoing process. As you refine your design, continually consider how it will work for users with different abilities. By prioritizing accessibility from the start, you're creating a better experience for all your users and setting the foundation for a truly inclusive website.