Everything starts with an idea, then comes the key beginning step of forming a plan. Whether you’re building a website for a new business or doing a complete revamp of an existing site, you’ll need to develop a master plan for the design.
With so many things to keep in mind like your brand or business identity, what information you’d like to include, what platforms to use, etc. — there’s something else that should be at the forefront of your design plan: accessibility.
It is essential to provide a user-friendly experience for everyone across your website, as it could be their first introduction to your business and what you offer.
In 2022, almost 2,400 website accessibility lawsuits were filed (Accessibility.com), with 96.8% of home pages having detectable WCAG failures (WebAIM). This makes it evident that guidance is needed when creating accessible websites.
Here are some things to consider while making your master plan:
Page layout: From font size to color contrast, your website’s layout will draw in and maintain your audience or drive them to look elsewhere. Using large, simple sans serif fonts and keeping the contrast level at least 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for larger text is critical.
Language used: Convoluted language is enough to turn people away, so keep language clear and concise throughout. Always include alternative text when using images to provide users with visual impairments and physical or cognitive disabilities an equal chance to understand and interact with your site through the use of screen readers. Additionally, links should be clearly labeled with call-to-action terms, so users know what to do next.
Navigability: Many blind and visually impaired people use support assistive devices instead of a mouse. Keyboard navigators are essential for users with Braille keyboards to easily navigate your site.
Customer service: If a user has questions or concerns, there should be a clear section to get in touch with a customer service representative and multiple ways of contacting to accommodate preferences (live chat, phone, email, etc.). Support agents should be adequately trained in interacting with users living with disabilities.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of things to consider. Solidify and learn how to master the design stage of your project by creating a digital accessibility master plan at our event Design for Accessibility (part one of our three-part series Design, Develop, and Deploy for Accessibility) on Tuesday, March 21.
During this event, you will learn how to facilitate an accessible user experience.
The key takeaways:
Designing the Team: Who should be included
Creating the right culture
Financial expectations: The cost of designing for accessibility vs. doing nothing
Prioritizing items to be included
Accounting for assistive technology
The importance of the user experience
Creating processes and standards for accessible design
Register now to reserve your spot to get started on creating an accessibility compliant site.