Success in accessibility
Inclusive design. Sounds fancy, right? But what does it actually mean? Sure, it’s about making things accessible to people with disabilities, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Real inclusive design is about creating experiences that work for everyone — whether they’re using a phone on a shaky bus, speaking a different language, or dealing with cognitive challenges. It’s about designing products that can adapt to all kinds of users and their needs, no matter where, when, or how they interact.
Addressing accessibility debt involves tackling critical issues first and setting long-term goals, while preventing it requires integrating accessibility from the start and using tools and feedback. Ultimately, inclusive design ensures your product is intuitive and usable for all, making it truly adaptable and effective.
From accessibility to true inclusivity
Accessibility is important: it’s the foundation of inclusive design. Alt text for images, keyboard navigation, screen readers — those are essential for making sure people with disabilities can use your product. But if we stop there, we’re missing out on the bigger picture.
Inclusive design means thinking about every possible user. Yes, those with disabilities, but also those with cognitive differences, cultural backgrounds, varying internet speeds, and even different devices. Basically, it’s about making sure your product is the Swiss Army knife of design — useful for everyone in every situation.
Cognitive differences
Designing for cognitive differences is essential for creating inclusive experiences, much like hosting a party where you cater to everyone’s needs.
A cluttered interface is the enemy of cognitive accessibility. Too many bells and whistles? It’s like trying to navigate a funhouse with a blindfold on. Imagine a visually impaired person trying to navigate using the browser’s built-in reader, only to be overwhelmed by an emoji flood. The reader might interpret the text as: “clap-welcome-clap-to-clap-our-clap-website-clap”. It's far from user-friendly, disrupts the experience, and could even drive the user away. Clean and clear content is the way to go.
When users know what to expect, they can focus on what's important. Consistent navigation and design patterns reduce cognitive strain. Apply information architecture principles to structure content, which not only organises what you want to share but also helps determine when and how much information to reveal. Progressive disclosure is key — provide users with the right details at the right time. Overloading them too quickly is like trying to drink from a firehose.
And finally, we should talk about visual perception. Maybe someone needs bigger text or higher contrast. Keep interfaces simple and uncluttered, use consistent design patterns to reduce cognitive load, and avoid overwhelming users with too much information at once. Allowing users to customize their experience, such as adjusting text size or contrast, enhances accessibility and user satisfaction. Giving people the ability to tweak the interface to suit their needs makes for happy users. And happy users? They stick around.
Culture matters
What’s obvious in one culture might be totally confusing in another. Designing for a global audience requires careful consideration of cultural differences. Localization involves more than just translating content; it includes adapting idioms, references, and UI elements to fit local customs.
For instance, in some parts of the Middle East and parts of Africa, the thumbs-up gesture can be interpreted as an offensive insult. If the company doesn’t research and understand these cultural nuances, they could inadvertently offend a large portion of their global audience. To avoid such a "cultural foot-in-mouth" moment, the company should do thorough research or consult with cultural experts to ensure their designs are respectful and appropriate for all markets.
Another example might be a seemingly simple topic of colours: in the West, red often means “danger” or “stop.” But in China? It’s all about luck and prosperity. Choose your colours wisely, or you might send the wrong message.
In conclusion, designing for a global audience requires much more than just translating words; it demands a deep understanding of cultural differences and sensitivities. Without this careful attention, companies risk alienating or offending their international users, potentially damaging their brand and credibility. To succeed globally, organizations must prioritize cultural research, localization, and adaptation, ensuring their designs are not only functional but also culturally appropriate and inclusive.
Data-driven design
To design inclusively, start with comprehensive research and data analysis. Test your product with a diverse group of users to gather feedback from various abilities, backgrounds, and cognitive styles. Analyze user engagement through analytics to identify and address any issues that specific groups may face. Collect direct feedback via surveys to understand roadblocks and areas needing improvement. Finally, use A/B testing to experiment with different designs and determine which versions work best for different user segments.
The accessibility debt
I could go on writing about designing for cognitive or cultural differences, or I could give you guidelines about context, or how to research. But at this point I’m more interested in the accessibility debt. We don’t talk about it much, although we should.
Accessibility debt is like technical debt but with a focus on accessibility issues. It builds up when you neglect accessibility needs during development, such as missing alt text or poor color contrast. Over time, this debt accumulates and becomes more costly and complicated to fix, just like technical debt. Why does this matter, you ask? Ignoring accessibility can lead to costly fixes, exclude over a billion potential users, incur legal risks, and damage your brand’s reputation.
If the damage is done, you need to know how you can manage existing accessibility debt, prioritize and address the most critical issues first, break improvements into manageable tasks, and set long-term goals for full accessibility. If needed, consult with accessibility experts to create a strategic plan and ensure future designs are accessible.
To avoid accessibility debt, integrate accessibility from the start and follow established guidelines like WCAG. Use automation tools to detect issues early, gather feedback from real users, involve your entire team, and conduct regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance and usability.
How accessibility debt grows
Initial oversights: at the start, skipping accessibility considerations can seem like a small oversight. However, as development progresses, these small omissions can build up, turning into a bigger issue.
Compounding issues: each new feature or update that neglects accessibility adds to the debt. The more you add without addressing accessibility, the more complex and expensive it becomes to fix later.
Integration challenges: fixing accessibility issues in an existing product often means backtracking and redesigning features, which can be cumbersome and resource-intensive, especially if the product has already evolved significantly.
The impact of the accessibility debt
On the product: accessibility debt can render your product unusable for people with disabilities. For instance, inadequate keyboard navigation or screen reader support can severely limit their ability to interact with your product. Addressing accessibility issues retroactively is often more costly than integrating them from the beginning. It may require extra development time, redesigns, and potentially re-coding large parts of the product.
On user satisfaction: users with disabilities may find themselves unable to use your product, leading to frustration and exclusion. This not only impacts their experience but also their perception of your brand: an inaccessible product can damage your brand’s reputation. Users increasingly value inclusivity, and a lack of accessibility can lead to negative reviews and backlash.
On the company: accessibility is legally mandated in many jurisdictions. Failing to meet these requirements can result in lawsuits and legal consequences, leading to further financial strain. By not catering to a diverse user base, you risk losing potential customers. Accessibility is not just a compliance issue — it’s a market opportunity. Over 1 billion people globally live with some form of disability, and excluding them means missing out on a substantial audience. Companies that prioritize accessibility are seen as more inclusive and socially responsible. Ignoring it can harm your brand’s image and impact customer loyalty.
Avoid the accessibility debt
To avoid accessibility debt from the start, integrate accessibility considerations into your design and development processes from the very beginning, making it a core aspect of your project requirements. Adhere to established guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure your content and features are accessible. Utilize automated tools such as for early detection of common accessibility issues. Conduct user testing with a diverse range of users to uncover and address issues that automation might miss. Educate your team about the importance of accessibility to ensure it’s a shared responsibility. Lastly, perform regular accessibility audits to proactively identify and address issues, preventing debt from accumulating.
Designing for everyone, everywhere
At the end of the day, inclusive design is about more than just making sure your product works for people with disabilities—it’s about designing for everyone. Whether it’s considering cognitive differences, adapting to various cultural contexts, or making sure your product works in real-world situations, inclusive design is the future.
By using data and research to inform your decisions, you can create products that feel intuitive, flexible, and enjoyable for every kind of user. And in today’s connected world, designing with inclusivity in mind isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential. After all, the more inclusive your product is, the more people can use it—and love it.
Now, go make something great for everyone!
