Accessibility is a web design principle that determines whether people can perceive, understand, and interact with a website. Accessibility is not an enhancement or a secondary concern. Accessibility is a foundational design consideration that affects usability, reach, and effectiveness across all users and devices.
When accessibility is treated as a fundamental principle that all design decisions flow from, it influences decisions from layout and typography to interaction conventions and content structure.
What Is Accessibility?
Accessibility in web design refers to designing digital experiences so people with different abilities can use them without issue. Accessibility accounts for differences in vision, hearing, motor control, cognition, and the various technologies people rely on to access content.
Why Is Accessibility Important?
Accessibility is important because it defines who can access your website. A website that cannot be used by a portion of its audience fails regardless of how visually appealing or technically advanced it may be. Ensuring your website caters to as many users as possible means that entire segments of your audience aren’t blocked from using your content. It also enables more segments of the population to benefit from your content.
How Accessibility Issues Impact SEO
Accessibility issues impact SEO because both rely on clear structure, meaningful content, and predictable interactions. Search engines rely on many of the same signals that assistive technologies use to understand a page. When accessibility issues exist, content becomes harder to interpret, navigation becomes less reliable, and intent becomes ambiguous. These issues affect both users and search engines, even though accessibility and SEO serve different goals.
How Accessibility Is Evaluated in Practice
Accessibility is evaluated by examining whether users can access content and complete tasks using different inputs and assistive technologies. Evaluation focuses on experience quality. Users with various accessibility issues should be able to reliably and easily use your website without encountering major issues.
How Accessibility Issues Are Addressed
Accessibility issues are addressed by revisiting the design decisions that created barriers in the first place. It is best to leverage a comprehensive web design strategy that accounts for accessibility rather than fixing accessibility issues down the road.
Accessibility Is Not a One-Time Optimization
Addressing accessibility is an ongoing design responsibility, not a one-time task. As content, features, software, conventions, and interactions evolve, accessibility must be re-evaluated within the design process.
The Core Dimensions of Accessibility in Web Design
Accessibility in web design is not a single concern. It spans multiple dimensions that affect how users perceive and interact with content.
Color and Contrast
Color and contrast affect readability, clarity, and whether users can distinguish content and understand meaning. Design decisions that rely too heavily on color alone often exclude users with visual impairments or situational limitations.
Text and Readability
Text readability determines whether users can process and understand information efficiently. Typography, spacing, and hierarchy all affect how content is interpreted.
Keyboard Navigation
Keyboard navigation determines whether users can interact with a website without a mouse or touch input. Many users rely on keyboards or alternative input devices to navigate interfaces.
Pointer Interactions
Pointer interactions affect users who have limited precision or alternative input methods. Small targets, hover-dependent interactions, and complex gestures can create unnecessary barriers.
Accessibility Standards and Constraints
Accessibility design is evaluated against established standards and legal frameworks. These systems define expectations for outcomes, not the design philosophy itself.
WCAG Guidelines
WCAG provides technical criteria used to evaluate whether digital content meets accessibility requirements. These guidelines are commonly referenced during audits and assessments.
ADA Compliance
ADA compliance applies legal expectations to digital experiences in certain contexts. This type of compliance is primarily focused on legal obligations, protections, and compliance.
ARIA Roles and Attributes
ARIA provides semantic information to assistive technologies when HTML alone is insufficient. ARIA is a technical mechanism, not a design substitute.
Ensure Your Website Is Accessible
Accessibility is not a checkbox or a trend. It is a design responsibility that determines who can use your website and how effectively it serves its purpose.
Designing with accessibility in mind creates more resilient, usable, and inclusive digital experiences. If you want to ensure your website is complying to modern accessibility standards, leverage our website design services to review your website. We’ll ensure your website complies with modern accessibility standards.