The world of UX design is constantly evolving, with new technologies and trends emerging all the time. But as designers strive to create ever more innovative and user-friendly experiences, it's important not to lose sight of one crucial factor: accessibility. In this blog post, we're going to explore everything you need to know about accessibility in UX design, from what it is and why it's important, to practical tips for designing accessible experiences. Whether you're a seasoned UX designer or just someone looking to utilise this to streamline their conversion funnel, read on to discover how you can make your designs more inclusive and accessible to everyone.
Accessibility in UX design refers to the practice of designing digital experiences that are usable and accessible to people with disabilities. This includes users with visual, auditory, motor or cognitive impairments, as well as those with temporary disabilities like a broken arm or anyone operating in an environment with external factors such as loud noise. Accessibility is often referred to as inclusive design because it seeks to ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations, can easily access and use your digital product or service.
Accessibility should be an essential consideration in any UX design process. Firstly, it's a legal requirement in many countries, so failing to design accessible experience scan lead to various legal compliance issues. But beyond that, accessibility matters because it makes good business sense: it increases your potential audience and helps you connect with a broader range of users. And of course, from a moral and ethical standpoint, everyone should have equal access to digital products and services.
In order to design accessible experiences, it's important to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) laid out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines provide a comprehensive set of recommendations for creating accessible digital experiences, covering everything from contrast ratios to keyboard navigation. Some specific tips for creating accessible experiences include using clear, concise language, ensuring that all images have text alternatives (alt text), and providing keyboard shortcuts for common actions.
Another important consideration is the use of colours in your designs. Ensuring that your text has a high contrast ratio against its background can help make your content legible for users with visual impairments. Similarly, using colour alone to convey information may not be accessible to users with colour blindness. One solution is to provide redundant cues like text labels or symbols to supplement the use of colour.
The readability of an app or site also plays heavily into accessibility as a substantial portion of the disabled community have a form of visual impairment or may require additional cognitive support in order to comfortably read and interpret a piece of content. Text clarity is key and fonts should always be coherent aswell as properly sized; it’s also encouraged that line spacing is 1.5 times the font size and that body text is a minimum of 16 pixels.
In conclusion, accessibility is a vital element of UX design that should not be ignored. Ensuring that everyone can easily access and use your digital products and services is not only a legal requirement, but also a moral and ethical imperative. Incorporating accessibility into your design process may require extra effort, but it will pay off in the long run, with easier user experiences and a broader audience. By following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and implementing some practical tips for creating accessible experiences, you can help make the web a more inclusive and accessible place for everyone.
Get in touch with our experts here at Red C, who can help you with developing your apps and give you a more comprehensive understanding of iOS. We can also help you with web integration, API, and backend services based in London, which can transform your business processes and your customer experience offering.
Contact us using our contact form or by phoning us.
Provide us with your contact details and we will contact you shortly.
%402x.png)
The app function as expected, satisfying its users and the client and leading to more work for Red C London. The team produces high-quality development work on time and at reasonable prices. Their collaborative nature and valuable suggestions make for an effective workflow.