FEARHSONIC

There is no doubt that members of the design community are familiar with the ongoing debate regarding design and accessibility. It is often thought that the term “accessibility” is associated with a lack of features and poor visual design. Indeed, it could be said that such opinions, accompanied by a lack of promotion and awareness amongst the design community, can limit the skills and abilities of established and novice front end developers.

However, this does not have to be the case. Accessibility does not have to equate to poor visual design, it should be used effectively to promote the removal of barriers, not their creation. Ultimately it should be understood that a successful use of visual design can in fact increase accessibility and usability.

If you wish to make a lasting impact on the web trends of today then visual design is a vital element. As web trends have evolved and changed over recent years so to have the user’s expectations and therefore a high standard of visual design is crucial. However, with advances in technology, increasing popularity and world wide growth of the internet, it is essential to realise a basic level of accessibility must be adhered to.

The majority of designers develop their websites whilst thinking of accessibility as a somewhat separate issue. Yet, the key issue here is to recognise the fact that both visual design and accessibility share the same goals as both aim to remove barriers and provide a positive user experience. This aspect is essential to recognise when dealing with the likes of commercial websites which draw a range of internet users.

To aid your design and improve your accessibility implementation you should consider the variety of abilities, interests, styles, devices on which your design will be viewed, bandwidths and internet speeds available to users and the current situation of your target audience.

Below you can find a list of standard accessibility principals which will aid you to design your next project with accessibility in mind;

• Principals of accessibility
• Provide appropriate alternative text
• Provide headings for data tables
• Ensure users can complete and submit all forms
• Ensure links make sense out of context
• Caption and/or provide transcripts for media
• Ensure accessibility of non-HTML content.
• Allow users to skip repetitive elements on the page
• Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning
• Make sure content is clearly written and easy to read
• Make JavaScript accessible Design to standards

WebAIM