The Business Case for Accessibility
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 1 billion people—roughly 15% of the global population, live with some form of disability. This isn’t a niche market; it’s a substantial audience that deserves equal access to digital experiences.
From a purely business perspective, failing to design accessible websites and applications means potentially alienate 15% of your customer base. Yet this is precisely what happens when designers and developers overlook accessibility considerations. The good news? Creating accessible experiences isn’t just the right thing to do; it often results in better design for everyone.
Understanding the Challenge
The central question facing today’s digital designers is straightforward: How can we create user experiences that allow people with disabilities to access and enjoy our websites and applications with the same ease as everyone else?
The answer lies in implementing thoughtful, inclusive design principles from the very beginning of your project. Here are five essential factors that will transform your approach to accessible design.
1. Create Logical Structure and Flow
Think of your webpage’s structure as the foundation of a building. Without proper organisation, everything built on top becomes unstable and difficult to navigate.
Why it matters: Screen readers—assistive technology used by people with visual impairments—rely on proper HTML structure to help users navigate content. When you use semantic HTML elements correctly (headings, paragraphs, lists, and navigation), you’re essentially creating a roadmap that screen readers can follow.
How to implement it:
- Use heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) in hierarchical order—never skip levels
- Structure your content with semantic HTML5 elements like <nav>, <main>, <article>, and <footer>
- Separate presentation from content by using CSS for styling rather than relying on HTML for visual effects
- Ensure your page has a logical reading order that makes sense when navigated sequentially
A well-structured page isn’t just accessible—it’s also better for SEO and easier to maintain over time.
2. Ensure Cross-Browser Compatibility
An accessible website must function properly across all major browsers and assistive technologies. A beautifully designed site that only works in Chrome is ultimately an inaccessible site for users who rely on different platforms or assistive tools.
Key technical considerations:
- Meta tags: Properly implement meta descriptions, viewport settings, and language declarations
- Alt text: Every meaningful image must have descriptive alternative text that conveys its purpose or content
- Semantic markup: Use HTML elements for their intended purpose to ensure assistive technologies can interpret your content correctly
- Progressive enhancement: Build your site to work at a basic level first, then enhance the experience for more capable browsers
Your development team should test across multiple browsers, screen readers (like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver), and devices to ensure consistent accessibility.
3. Design Clear and Accessible Calls-to-Action
Calls-to-action (CTAs) are the bridges between interest and engagement. When these critical elements aren’t accessible, you’re placing barriers between your business and potential customers.
Best practices for accessible CTAs:
- Use descriptive, action-oriented text rather than vague phrases like “click here” or “learn more”
- Ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and background
- Make buttons large enough to interact with
- Provide clear visual feedback when users hover over or focus on interactive elements
- Place CTAs consistently throughout your site so users always know where to find them
4. Never Rely on Colour Alone to Convey Information
Colour is a powerful design tool that can guide attention and communicate meaning, but approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of colour vision deficiency. When colour is the only way to distinguish between elements or understand information, these users are left in the dark.
How to communicate beyond colour:
- Use icons, patterns, or text labels alongside colour coding
- Provide textual descriptions of important colour-coded information
- Ensure sufficient contrast ratios meet WCAG guidelines
- Consider how your design appears in greyscale, if it’s confusing without colour, it needs adjustment
- Use multiple visual cues (shape, position, text) to indicate state changes or important distinctions
For example, if you’re showing form validation errors in red, also include an error icon and descriptive error text. Users with colour blindness will still understand there’s a problem and what needs to be corrected.
5. Label Every Form Field Clearly and Properly
Forms are the gateway to conversion, whether you’re collecting email addresses, processing purchases, or gathering feedback. Yet poorly labelled forms create significant barriers for users with disabilities.
Essential form accessibility practices:
- Every input field must have a visible, persistent label (not just placeholder text)
- Use the <label> element properly associated with its input via the for attribute
- Group related fields using <fieldset> and <legend> elements
- Provide clear instructions before the form, not just within it
- Include helpful error messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it
- Indicate required fields clearly with both visual markers and text
Screen reader users can’t see visual positioning cues that sighted users rely on. Without proper labels, they may not understand what information to enter in each field, leading to frustration and form abandonment.
The Broader Impact of Accessible Design
When you design with accessibility in mind, you’re not just helping people with disabilities, you’re creating better experiences for everyone. Accessible design principles lead to:
- Improved usability: Clear navigation and logical structure benefit all users
- Better SEO: Semantic HTML and proper structure help search engines understand your content
- Mobile-friendly experiences: Many accessibility principles align with mobile best practices
- Increased reach: More people can access and engage with your content
- Legal compliance: Meet WCAG standards and reduce legal risk
- Enhanced brand reputation: Show that your organisation values inclusivity
Moving Forward with Inclusive Design
Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought or a checklist item to tick off before launch. It’s a fundamental aspect of good design that should be integrated into every stage of your development process, from initial wireframes through to final testing and beyond.
Whether you’re creating a new digital product, redesigning an existing website, or developing a mobile application, accessibility must be a core consideration. The technology and guidelines are readily available; what’s needed is commitment and expertise.
Partner with Accessibility Experts
At WorldPlay Digital, we don’t just understand accessibility, we champion it. Our team integrates inclusive design principles into every project, ensuring your digital presence is welcoming and usable for all visitors, regardless of their abilities.
Designing for accessibility might seem daunting at first, but you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Our experienced designers and developers stay current with WCAG guidelines, assistive technology capabilities, and best practices to create digital experiences that work for everyone.
Make Your Digital Presence Truly Inclusive
Don’t let accessibility be the barrier between your business and potential customers. Whether you need an accessibility audit of your current site, want to build an inclusive digital product from scratch, or need guidance on meeting compliance standards, we’re here to help.
Contact WorldPlay Digital today to discover how accessible design can expand your reach, improve user experience, and demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity.
Let’s build a more accessible digital world together.
