Blog: Accessible Design

Thatcher Michael — March 28, 2024

Ensuring Inclusivity: The Imperative of Web Accessibility

As more of the world’s businesses transition their services to be primarily digital, the depth of accessibility must increase as well. Necessities like banking, online shopping, and government services are often designed without consideration for people with disabilities. Web accessibility, the practice of designing and developing websites to be usable by all people, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, plays a critical role in ensuring inclusivity for all users.

Understanding the Scope of Accessibility

Initially, apps and websites with 100% accessible design weren't so common to come across. In 2024, web accessibility is becoming increasingly important as the number of people with diagnosed disabilities continues to go up. According to the CDC, 16% of the world and 27% of people in the US are diagnosed with some form of disability. These disabilities encompass a wide range of challenges, including visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor disabilities, cognitive impairments, and more. For reference, that’s over a billion people in the world and every 1 in 4 people in the US alone. By implementing accessibility features and standards, websites can accommodate diverse needs and improve equal access to information and services for everyone. 

Empowering Individuals While Reaching Wider Audiences

While there are laws and regulations enforcing web accessibility to the disabled, the importance of digital accessibility extends beyond legal or moral obligations. It’s about empowering individuals with disabilities to participate fully in society, engage with digital content, and pursue their aspirations. A more inclusive and dignified environment is good for society as a whole, as well as the economy.

Being completely accessible to the world also means increasing traffic, sales, and overall revenue of your company. According to a statistic provided by Acquia.com, in 2022 alone, it was estimated that companies without accessibility sites were losing $6.9 billion a year to competitors with sites accessible to those with disabilities. Additionally, Google will likely move you up in SEO ranking if your company is inclusive of these considerations, and vice versa if not. 

How Can Companies Enhance User Experience?

Beyond its impact on people with disabilities, web accessibility also benefits all users by improving the overall user experience. Designing websites with accessibility in mind leads to cleaner, more organized layouts, clearer navigation structures, and more intuitive interfaces. Features such as alternative text for images, descriptive headings, and keyboard navigation not only assist users with disabilities but also enhance usability for everyone, regardless of their device or browsing preferences.

A Practical Step Towards Accessibility

When considering a website that is up and running, one thing you can do to ensure you have efficient accessibility is to have a professional audit done. Not only will it navigate your website, discovering areas inaccessible to those with disabilities, but it will also typically find unrelated issues like broken links, dead-end pages, and security issues which should all be audited and kept up with annually. 

Web accessibility is not just a technical consideration or a legal requirement—it's a fundamental human right. While the legal requirements and regulations continue to widen, it’s more beneficial to both your community and even your revenue stream to have an easily accessible website; it’s essential to today’s business practices.