Accessibility is good for all

Accessible design benefits everyone, not just people with permanent disabilities. The same features that are essential for some users also help people with temporary injuries, like a broken arm, or situational limitations, such as using captions on a noisy train or reading a screen in bright sunlight. Designing for disability makes products better for all.

When we talk about designing for disabilities, we tend to assume we’re talking about the permanent kind. And it’s true: for those who fall into this category, accessible design (or lack thereof) can make the difference between being able to use a website/service or not. However, the same accommodations that help this group can improve the experience for everyone.

Types of disabilities 

Before we show how accessible design can help us all, it’s essential to understand the different categories of disabilities and how they can impact product use. Broadly, we group disabilities into four types:

1. Cognitive/learning disabilities 

Not all disabilities are physical. Learning and cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD can also influence accessibility.

For example, it can be difficult for users with dyslexia to read websites that use unnecessarily technical jargon and complex sentence structures for ideas that could be simply communicated.

2. Visual disabilities 

Long-sightedness, blindness and colour blindness are all forms of visual impairment you need to cater for in your design.

For example, if your website isn’t set up for screen readers, you will frustrate users with visual impairments who will find it difficult to navigate through the pages and may use a competitor instead.

3. Auditory disabilities 

These disabilities affect hearing and come in varying degrees of severity, up to and including total deafness.

Users who fall into this category won’t be able to hear video or other audio content hosted on your website and will rely on captioning and transcripts as alternative sources of information.

4. Motor/mobility disabilities 

This category doesn’t just extend to problems with the use of hands and arms, but also with other muscular or skeletal conditions, like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

This group might have difficulty using a keyboard or mouse, so it is vital to design target areas like buttons that are large enough that they are easily clickable.

Not all disabilities are permanent 

If you’ve ever broken a leg, you’ll know how difficult previously simple tasks become. You may not have thought about it as such, but your injury made you less able to complete day-to-day activities; in other words, you were temporarily disabled. 

Temporary disabilities

There are several ways users experience temporary disabilities, and they will have knock-on effects on their website use:

• Lost glasses will mean users won’t be able to see their screens so clearly. This can be eased if a website uses larger font sizes and contrasting colours. 
• Broken bones can restrict users’ mobility; for users with permanent motor disabilities, larger target areas will help this group click on interactive website elements. 
• Ear infections can impact users’ hearing; they might rely on captions instead of listening to videos out loud or via headphones. 
• Migraines can reduce users’ concentration and thinking capacity. They will struggle more than usual to recall information like passwords or work out how to use websites with complicated, technical functionality.

Situational disabilities 

Similarly to temporary disabilities, these are non-permanent impairments that arise in situations we all face day to day. For example: 

• In noisy environments, you cannot hear audio and rely on captions or transcripts.
• When you are carrying lots of things and have limited use of your hands, it’s useful to have larger button targets to hit on your mobile. 
• If you’re driving and need to keep your eyes on the road, you might choose to listen to your sat nav instructions instead of looking at the screen. 
• If you have poor internet connection that can’t load videos or images, you will rely on the context around them to help you understand the pages you are reading.

The curb effect

When you design something for people with additional needs, it almost always improves the experience for everyone at the same time. As the examples above show, when we suffer from situational and temporary disabilities, we often rely on solutions designed for those with permanent disabilities to help us overcome them.

This easing of effort to complete everyday tasks is commonly referred to as ‘The Curb Effect’. This refers to the lowered curbs implemented in towns and cities worldwide to make pavements accessible to wheelchair users. These were unexpectedly successful, not just with their intended audience but with the wider public: often being used by those with trolleys, buggies, crutches, as well as anyone else taking a shortcut that makes their life a little easier.

There are several examples of innovations, both in real life and in the digital space, created to improve accessibility that have been adopted by wider populations.

Real-life examples:

Automatic doors 

Originally designed to make it easier for wheelchair users to access buildings, they have lowered the effort needed for everyone to get through doorways. 

Elevators 

Similarly, elevators that were designed as an accessible alternative to stairs are regularly used by older people with health and mobility limitations, people carrying heavy loads, as well as people feeling a bit tired and taking the easier option. 

Electric toothbrushes

Originally designed for people suffering from poor motor skills, electric toothbrushes have been embraced by the general population as an easy way to get a deeper clean. Their built-in two-minute timers help users stick to the recommended brushing time. Not only are they easier to use, but they also improve our well-being.

Digital examples:

Texting 

SMS texting was designed by a Finnish team aiming to discover a method for deaf people to communicate with one another without speaking. Texting transformed global communication when it was realised that it was an effective solution for saving telecom bandwidth. 

Voice control 

Designed for users with physical impairments, it has been widely adopted due to the convenience it affords millions of users. This is demonstrated by the popularity of home assistants like Alexa and Google that answer our questions and perform tasks without us needing to touch any devices. 

Embrace the curb

A small change in a design can have enormous benefits for a much wider audience than you thought. Accessible design doesn’t just apply to people with permanent disabilities – many contexts and circumstances can lead to anyone experiencing temporary or situational disabilities. Accessibility features can be helpful for all users, whether they are suffering from disabilities or not.

With this in mind, it’s clear that providing accessible digital products makes business sense. Doing so will improve the experience of all of your users, leading to better brand perception, repeat visitors and customer loyalty. Which business wouldn’t want that?

Inspired to make your website more accessible? 

JBi Digital has a wealth of experience creating accessible websites for our clients and their users, and we've put together a guide on how to begin making your website accessible. 

Or, if you’re looking for a partner to improve the accessibility of your website, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing hello@jbidigital.co.uk or by calling us on 0207 043 2510.