8 Steps to Design for Accessibility and Inclusive Product Experience

Published March 26, 2025

8 Steps to Design for Accessibility and Inclusive Product Experience

Have you ever used a website where the text was too small to read or the buttons were almost impossible to click? Consider how much harder it would be for someone with vision problems or restricted mobility.

This is why accessibility is important in design. Accessibility in design means creating digital things that everyone can use easily including people with disabilities. You should design digital experiences that anyone, regardless of ability, can access. When a product is developed with accessibility in mind, it is more user-friendly and inclusive.

Keep on reading to learn eight much-needed steps to create a more accessible and user-friendly design experience.

8 Accessibility Principles UX Designers Should Know

Making your design accessible means everyone can use it easily. Here’s a simple checklist to help you create an inclusive experience.

1- Ensure Text is Readable and Scannable

If users are unable to read the information you provide, they will not engage with it. Legibility is key.

Use crisp and high-contrast text. Light grey against white? Bad concept. Black and white? Much better.
Choose readable typefaces. Avoid too elaborate designs. Sans-serif fonts such as Arial and Roboto perform well.
Keep the text sizes flexible. Users should be able to zoom in without affecting the layout.
Use the right line spacing. Tight text is overbearing. Space it out to improve readability.

Think of government websites, such as USA, UK, Singapore, etc. They emphasize readability through clear and strong typography. That’s an example of proper accessibility.

2- Add Alternative Text for Images

Visually impaired users rely on screen readers to interpret images. Without alternative text (alt text), they miss out on crucial information.

Describe the image’s purpose. Instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” use “A woman using a laptop in a café.”
Keep it concise. Users don’t need a full paragraph. Just enough to understand the image.
Amazon does this well. Their product images include descriptive alt text, making shopping accessible to all.

3- Make Navigation Keyboard-Friendly

Some users can’t use a mouse due to mobility impairments. Your website should be fully navigable with a keyboard.

Use logical tab order. Pressing “Tab” should move users through elements in a predictable sequence.
Highlight focused elements. When a user tabs through links and buttons, they should see which item is selected.
Provide skip navigation links. This allows screen reader users to jump past menus directly to content.

Try using your website without a mouse. Can you navigate everything? If not, it’s time for some tweaks.

4- Provide Captions and Transcripts for Multimedia

Videos and audio content should be accessible to those with hearing impairments.

Include captions. Auto-generated captions are helpful, but manually edited ones ensure accuracy.
Offer transcripts. A text version of audio content benefits both hearing-impaired users and those who prefer reading.
Use sign language interpretation. If possible, provide sign language options for critical content.

YouTube shines in this area. It allows content creators to add subtitles which makes videos more inclusive.

5- Design for Color Blindness

Not everyone sees colors the same way. Relying solely on color to convey information can create accessibility barriers.

Use text labels with color cues. Instead of red error messages alone, add explanatory text: “Error: Incorrect password.”
Ensure color contrast is strong. Use tools like WebAIM’s contrast checker to verify readability.
Test with different color-blind filters. Chrome extensions like Colorblindly let you simulate how users with color vision deficiencies see your design.

You can take inspiration from traffic signals. They use both color and position (red on top, green on the bottom) so everyone can understand them.

6- Use Accessible Forms and Buttons

Forms are essential for sign-ups, purchases, and communication. Make them easy to use.

Label form fields clearly. Avoid placeholder text as the only label. Users need persistent labels.
Make buttons big and clickable. Small buttons frustrate users, especially on mobile.
Provide error messages with guidance. Instead of just “Invalid input,” explain what needs to be fixed: “Enter a valid email address.”

Google’s login page does this well. It provides clear labels, helpful error messages and large and accessible buttons.

7- Avoid Automatic Content Changes

Ever filled out a form, hit enter, and suddenly the page reloaded, erasing all your inputs? That’s a nightmare for users, especially those with cognitive disabilities.

Give users control. Avoid auto-refreshing pages or auto-playing media.
Use clear confirmation messages. When submitting a form, show a success message: “Your request has been received.”
Let users disable animations. Some animations can trigger dizziness or seizures. Provide an option to turn them off.

Apple’s iOS includes a setting to reduce motion which makes a smooth user experience for those sensitive to animations.

8- Test with Real Users

No matter how well you design, you won’t know if it’s truly accessible until real users try it.

Conduct usability testing with people who have disabilities. Get feedback from screen reader users, keyboard-only navigators, and others.
Use accessibility evaluation tools. WebAIM’s WAVE and Google Lighthouse highlight accessibility issues.
Iterate based on feedback. Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. Keep refining based on user insights.

Microsoft’s inclusive design approach involves real users in testing. That’s why their products are highly accessible.

Designing for Accessibility: A More Inclusive Future

Good UX is about both aesthetics and inclusivity. When accessibility is built into the design process, digital experiences become more intuitive and user-friendly for people of all abilities. Because when we design for everyone, we build a future where technology is truly for all.

At Doerz Tech, we believe accessibility should be a priority and not an afterthought. Our UX experts ensure your product is inclusive, engaging and easy for everyone to use.

To make your digital product accessible, book a free 30-minute consultation with us today!

Published March 26, 2025