diversity + inclusion = accessibility
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There are 7.4 billion people in the world. To be WCAG compliant, the goal is to create products that are physically, cognitively, and emotionally appropriate for each of them. It all starts with seeing human diversity as a resource for better designs.
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All humans are growing, changing, and adapting to the world around them every day. Digital designs should reflect that diversity. Every decision we make can raise or lower barriers to participation in society. It’s our collective responsibility to lower these barriers though inclusive products, services, environments, and experiences.
Top 3 reasons your website
is not WCAG compliant
Not meeting the simplest of accessibility requirements can cause customers to jump ship and never return.
Low contrast or stylized
text inhibits readability
The minimum contrast for text against a background color is WCAG AA, the global standard,* at 4.5 to 1. Use Contrast Color Analyzers, available as extensions for your favorite web browsers to help you test your headlines and copy against the background. Combinations of text color and font size can be used to achieve easy-to-read headlines and body copy. Highly decorative text can cause confusion and requires alt-image descriptions to ensure it can be read in context within the page.
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Assistive technology hits too many roadblocks
In the United States alone, the CDC estimates that 8.96 million Americans will be affected by vision loss due to the increasing epidemics of diabetes and other chronic diseases and our rapidly aging U.S. population.* When the code in the backend of your site does not properly differentiate your H1's from your body copy and your CTA's, screen reader users become confused and frustrated. Ensure that your code includes proper tags, structure, and image alt-tag descriptions.
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Animation or video is not backed with accessible files
Videos and animations can be annoying to some users, especially if they are action-packed, flashy or include text over motion. To assist your users, always include the proper support documents. These documents include: closed captions, audio descriptions and transcripts. Each video player is different and will require different file formats. Ensure that your player includes a downloadable transcript with both captions and audio descriptions formatted specifically for braile users in case all other file formats fail.*
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