Making Digital Experiences Inclusive Through Accessibility Testing

Written by Frank Rapando, DHS Trusted Tester , Accessibility Lead at Techno Brain Group

A staggering 16% of the world's population lives with some form of disability. This is a huge emerging market of potential users and a powerful reminder of the diversity and strength within our global community. Some of the most prevalent disabilities include Mobility Impairment, Visual Impairment, Sensory Processing Disorders, Hearing Impairments and Cognitive Disabilities.

In this article, we will describe what Accessibility is, why Accessibility is crucial in today's digital landscape, and explore real-life scenarios illustrating the importance of inclusive design for individuals with disabilities.

Accessibility is the inclusive practice of ensuring that everyone regardless of their abilities or disabilities can access and interact with digital products and services easily and efficiently. Accessible UX design reduces obstacles, ensuring that features and content can be accessed and utilized by individuals with disabilities in the areas of hearing, motor skills, vision, speech, and cognition.

In the current digital landscape accessibility is a fundamental aspect to any business operation. It is important to emphasize accessibility as teams design and develop products and services.

The essence of accessibility stems from the moral duty to have an all-inclusive society where all individuals have equal access to information and resources. Beyond this ethical consideration, businesses stand to gain significant benefits by prioritizing accessibility within their organizations. Let’s examine two everyday scenarios.

Consider Catherine, a passionate environmental activist who is blind. She dedicates her life to advocating for sustainable practices and raising awareness about climate change. One of her roles involves organizing educational workshops on environmental conservation. She relies on digital platforms to connect with participants. As she is preparing for a plastic recycling event Catherine navigates a website to plan. Her screen reader struggles to compete with an automatic nature sound playing in the background. Catherine, to no avail, desperately searches for controls to pause or adjust the audio volume. This inaccessible design not only hinders her workflow but also frustrates her passion for environmental advocacy leaving her with a feeling of isolation and exclusion.

Then there is Frank, a resilient individual with cerebral palsy, hungry looking forward to a delightful lunch. He navigates an online food store website using only keyboard as his mobility impairment hinders him from using the mouse. He taps through the form elements picking his favorite dish but as he seeks to submit his order realizes the submit order button is not keyboard accessible leaving him unable to finalize his order. The simple act of ordering lunch, which many take for granted, becomes an uphill task for Frank due to an inaccessible design.

These among many other cases represent the challenges that people living with disabilities face across various digital platforms.

Businesses must recognize that there is a significant market segment that they can’t afford to overlook. Furthermore, with a surging aging population, the prevalence of visual, auditory or cognitive impairments affecting the ability to navigate and use digital products and platforms continues to grow. Businesses must therefore proactively address Accessibility concerns.

Businesses must also navigate the legal landscape surrounding accessibility as different countries have legislated and passed laws mandating Accessibility standards for digital products and services. Non-compliance with these regulations attracts legal liabilities and even damages the brand’s reputation. An overwhelming 95% of lawsuits recorded in 2023 targeted desktop websites, primarily because their Accessibility can be easily tested and documented.

By embracing accessibility, businesses can:

• Reach a wider market,
• Improve user experience,
• Create innovative products,
• Demonstrate commitment to inclusivity and,
• Comply with legal requirements hence saving costs and increasing revenue.

In our next article, we will explore ways to make your digital products and services accessible.

Frank Rapando, DHS Trusted Tester Agnes Itote Rahul Srivatsa Mercy Njambi [DHS Trusted Tester] Sheila Kinoti Markfey Muhoho Chrispus Mbithi (OCA) Alex Kinuthia Ndathe Alexander Nguku Cyprian Kipruto Katana Mercy Chege