Have you ever noticed a building without accessible entrances or exits?
Sadly, this is more common than we think. Just as buildings need ramps, automatic doors, and other features for easy access, your application should be designed with accessibility in mind. This way, everyone can use and benefit from it.
We want our application not to look like this image, right? That’s why, in this blog post, we’ll explore key considerations for designing and developing your application.
Here are the keys to consider
- When picking colors for your site, think about how well your text color stands out against the background. Good contrast makes it easier for everyone, especially people with visual impairments, to read your content. Even if you need to stick to brand colors provided by the client, try using different shades of those colors to make sure there’s enough contrast.
- Images play a crucial role in web applications, enhancing both visual appeal and user experience. To maximize their effectiveness, always use the “alt” attribute to provide descriptive text for each image. Aim for clear, relevant descriptions that align with the context in which the image is used. This practice not only improves your page’s SEO but also ensures that individuals using screen readers can understand the content and purpose of the image.
- Forms are everywhere in web applications, and they’re made up of different input fields. To make sure everyone can use your forms, including those who rely on screen readers, it’s best to use labels for each field rather than just placeholders. Labels make it clearer what each field is for and improve overall accessibility.
- One of the biggest advantages of semantic HTML is that it helps assistive technologies navigate your website more effectively. Using the right semantic tags doesn’t take more time; it’s simply about knowing which tags to use for each situation. This approach not only boosts accessibility but also enhances SEO.
- Using the rem unit allows your design to adapt to the user’s zoom and font size settings. This is important because some users may need to increase text size to comfortably read your application’s content. By using rem, your layout and typography will adjust more effectively to these changes.
- Using headings effectively involves more than just adding text to each section. Here are a few key points to consider: there should be only one <h1> per page, headings should follow a logical, consecutive order, and they should be used for structuring content rather than for styling. Styling can be handled separately with CSS.
- Including a “Skip to Main Content” link in your web application is essential. For users who navigate by tabbing through focusable elements, it can be frustrating to cycle through every item before reaching the main content. This link allows them to bypass repetitive navigation and jump directly to the main content, greatly improving their browsing experience.
Remember, accessibility should be a comprehensive experience, not a partial one. It’s important to ensure that accessibility features are fully and properly implemented to provide a smooth and effective user experience
To help you in this process, here are some tools you can use to test how accessible your application is:
- Use assistive technologies like screen readers.
- Utilize built-in browser tools, such as Lighthouse or Accessibility Inspector.
- Check color contrast with contrast checker tools.
- Use an AI copilot to optimize your code for accessibility
In conclusion, we don’t want our application to resemble any of the pictures of the accessibility failures shown in this blog post. As designers and developers, our goal should be to ensure that our applications are easily accessible to everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this article and for prioritizing accessibility in your application. I hope you found the information useful and gained valuable insights into making your app more inclusive.