Is Accessibility the Future of UX? How Companies Are Making Inclusive Design a Priority

While inclusive design strategies accommodate the 1.3 billion people in the world with disabilities, they also offer more benefits than companies may realize. A 2020 study by Accenture found that companies that improve the accessibility of their products see a 28% increase in revenue, and the Centre of Inclusive Design reported that products built with accessibility in mind can reach four times as many consumers. 

These studies show that digital accessibility isn’t just about compliance: it’s about meeting demand. As more users expect and actively seek out accessibility features, they will shape both the modern user experience (UX) and the future of UX design as a whole.  

Why Does Accessibility in UX Matter?

Accessible user interfaces play a vital role in the future of UX design, ensuring that websites are usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities. Thanks to accessibility in UX, many users who previously were unable to access or navigate sites can now.

As individuals with disabilities collectively generate a collective $490 billion in disposable income in the US, companies that fail to accommodate these users isolate a valuable demographic. These companies may also face legal repercussions for failing to follow laws around digital accessibility best practices.

Accessibility features are also a valuable safeguard. The odds of someone becoming disabled between the ages of 20 and normal retirement age are 25%, and one-third of all adults ages 65 or older in the US have serious mobility limitations. By incorporating accessibility in the future of UX design, companies can retain valuable workers regardless of potential disability, and make their workplace more appealing for users and employees who may already have one. 

Additionally, inclusive design strategies like keyboard navigation, larger default text sizes, and intuitive navigation also improve UX overall. Esteban Montero, an accessibility tester at FullStack, notes, “If something is easier for someone with a disability to use, it's also easy to use for you, for me, or anyone else.” Closed captions, for example, are useful for hearing-impaired users and users in loud areas.

How Are Companies Integrating Accessibility in UX? 

Tech companies are often the pioneers of the future of UX design, and many have already implemented and introduced various inclusive design strategies. IBM, for instance, requires its teams to follow a list of Accessibility Requirements, which include, but aren’t limited to, thorough instructions on text alternatives, captions, and keyboard shortcuts. IBM also offers an Equal Access Toolkit to help companies create inclusive experiences. 

Microsoft is another company that strives to create accessible user interfaces. Microsoft Windows and Microsoft 365 offer various tools and features, such as Narrator and Magnifier for users with low vision and visual disabilities, and captions and visual alerts for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also provide tools for neurodiversity, mobility, and mental health, while posting Accessibility Conformance Reports to inform users how they meet accessibility standards. 

By incorporating accessibility into their products, Microsoft and other industry leaders are setting the standard for the future of UX design.

What are the Best Inclusive Design Strategies? 

Inclusive design strategies have existed since the early days of the internet, with WAI introducing Version 1.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) in 1999. The WCAG has since evolved alongside the internet and comprises 12 guidelines divided between four principles. According to these principles, websites must be:

1. Perceivable
2. Operable
3. Understandable
4. Robust

As the EU, Canada, and other governments worldwide support WCAG, implementing these principles allows businesses to conform to a widely accepted standard. In doing so, they improve their potential legal compliance and remain competitive as the future of UX design evolves. 

Accessibility Principles: Perceivable

The first principle of accessibility states that website content must be perceivable, meaning that users can experience it regardless of sensory ability. If the content on a website is invisible to all of a user's senses, then it is not perceivable. The guidelines that WCAG offers to address this principle are:

• Text Alternatives: Non-text content like images and videos should have text alternatives that can be converted into large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language.
  
  
• Time-Based Media: Prerecorded audio and video-only media require alternatives such as transcripts and captions. 

• Adaptability: The content on a website should be presentable in different ways, such as simpler layouts or other orientations, and maintain its information and structure. 

• Distinguishability:  Businesses must make it easier for users to see and hear content. For example, if audio on a website automatically plays for over 3 seconds, there must be a way to stop or pause it.

Accessibility Principles: Operable 

Operable UX and intuitive design go hand in hand, playing a key role in shaping the future of UX design. For a website and its tools to be operable, they should be easy to use and accessible for users, including those using assistive technology. An operable website should feature:

• Keyboard Accessibility: The website must be operable through a keyboard interface.

• Enough Time: Users should have enough time to access content, and either have the ability to adjust or turn off any time limits or have no time limits or interruptions at all. 

• Seizures and Physical Reactions: The website's content should not be designed in any way that might cause seizures or physical reactions.

• Navigability: The website should include page titles, headings, labels, and other ways to help users navigate and find content.

• Input Modalities: The website should make it easier to navigate with other, non-keyboard input options (e.g., voice commands or gestures).

Accessibility Principles: Understandable 

The principle of “understandability” focuses on creating a straightforward UX that is easy to read, follow, and interact with. Its guidelines consist of:

• Readability: Content should be readable and understandable, avoiding complex jargon and offering definitions when needed.

• Predictability: The content should appear and behave in predictable ways (e.g., consistent navigation and UI elements).

• Input Assistance: Input assistance should help users avoid and correct mistakes, and notify them when the site needs user input.

Accessibility Principles: Robust

Robust is the final principle in WCAG's inclusive design strategies, and states that a website's content must “be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.” In other words, the website must function well across different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies– now, and as the future of UX design evolves. 

Companies can ensure their website meets the final guideline by:

• Testing screen readers and other assistive tools on the website
• Writing clean and structured code so content displays properly across different browsers
• Adjusting and updating the website to ensure it meets the standards of future UX design

Is Accessibility the Future of UX Design? 

The future of UX design is evolving as technology evolves and more companies innovate. Microsoft, for instance, is implementing AI into its Narrator feature, allowing it to create image descriptions for the visually impaired. Google, meanwhile, created Lookout, which now creates AI-generated image captions of pictures to help users with blindness or low vision navigate the world. 

Companies that prioritize inclusive design gain a competitive edge over those that overlook it. If you're looking to improve accessibility in UX for your website, FullStack’s team of experts has helped over 300 clients develop scalable, custom software solutions tailored to their needs.