Accessibility isn’t extra — it’s essential

May 20

We design for humans. That’s what drew me to UX in the first place — not just making things look good, but making them work for real people.

But for a long time, I thought accessibility was just about adding alt text or passing a contrast checker. Something “developers would fix later.” Something “extra.”

I was wrong!

Accessibility is not a technical detail. It’s empathy in action. It’s designing for a mom holding her child in one arm, for someone recovering from eye surgery, for the user who doesn’t see your interface the way you do — but needs it just as much.

I started caring more when I saw people struggling with designs I thought were “clean” and “intuitive”. I began testing with a keyboard only. I tried using a screen reader. And I realized: if your design isn’t accessible, it’s not finished.

This article is a small reflection — and a call to action. Whether you’re new to UX or deep into it, I want to remind you (and myself):

Accessibility is not a bonus. It’s basic. It’s beautiful. A way of saying: “You matter. You are part of this.”

Let’s dive deep and see what we can improve and focus on.

Physical disabilities

Many people with physical limitations don’t use a mouse, they rely on tools like keyboard, voice control, and pointing devices. It’s important that elements like buttons, links, and controls are focusable and actionable using a keyboard, have a visible focus state, and focus order is logical. Skip to content can also be helpful.

Keyboard accessibility

Using a keyboard shouldn’t feel like a maze.

Some buttons look clickable, but you can’t reach them with a keyboard. That’s because they’re built from basic elements like <div> or <span> and aren’t coded properly.
Tooltips or hidden messages that only show on hover? If they can’t be triggered with a keyboard, they’re invisible to many users.
No visible focus = no idea where you are on the page. Designers often forget to style the focus state. It’s like navigating blind.
The focus order should follow how we read — top to bottom, left to right. Jumping all over the place is confusing and tiring.

Tip: Always test your design with just a keyboard. Can you navigate it? Can you see where you are?

Skip links — Skip the noise

Long navigation menus can be exhausting for keyboard users. Let them skip it. A simple “Skip to main content” link at the top helps users jump straight to what matters. Small thing. Big impact.

Size matters

Small buttons = big problem

Whether it’s shaky hands, a stylus, or fat thumb — tiny touch targets are frustrating. Grouped buttons with little spacing? Even worse.

Tip: Make tap areas bigger. Use space. Think about how people actually use your UI — not how perfect it looks.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being thoughtful

Accessibility is about reducing friction. For everyone. And once you start seeing it, you can’t unsee it.

Speech input: when talking replaces typing

Not everyone can use a keyboard or mouse. Some people rely on their voice.

Speech recognition lets users dictate text, click links, and control apps — just by speaking. It’s a game-changer for people with limited mobility, tremors, or pain.

But there are hurdles:

No clear labels? The system can’t recognise what to “click”.
Focus can’t be set? Then it can’t be activated.
Focus order is messy? Voice users can get lost fast.
No visible focus? They might not even know where they are.

Tip: Clear labels, logical focus, and good markup help not just screen readers — they help speech users too.

Designing for users who can’t see

People who are blind or have very limited vision often use screen readers — tools that read out loud everything that’s on the screen.

But screen readers can’t guess. They rely 100% on what we give them in the code.

What helps

Alt text for images and buttons — short, clear and purposeful.
Audio descriptions or transcripts for videos — they explain what visuals can’t be seen.
Proper structure — headings, lists, and labeled forms help users understand and jump through the content like a table of contents.

What makes it hard

Missing or vague alt text.
Overly long descriptions that slow everything down.
Messy page structure or broken focus order — just like with keyboard users.

Tip: If something is important visually, make sure it’s also available through sound or text. And keep it simple — clarity helps everyone.

Screen readers: seeing through sound

Screen readers are software that speak what’s on the screen — from text and headings to buttons, links, and image descriptions.

When a website is coded right, a screen reader can say things like:

“Select Terms and Conditions, checkbox, not checked.”

Screen readers have smart keyboard shortcuts. Users can jump to headings, links, forms — or move step by step through the page.

Popular screen readers include VoiceOver (Apple) and JAWS (Windows).

Not just for blind users

Some people with cognitive or learning difficulties also use screen readers — hearing text can make it easier to focus and understand.

Braille users

Some users connect a refreshable braille display, a device with small moving pins that form braille characters in real-time. They can be used at a desk or on the go via Bluetooth.

Tip: Clear structure, labels, and roles, help screen readers make your content come alive — even without a screen.

Designing for low vision: clarity over cleverness

Not all users are blind. But many don’t see clearly.

What makes it hard

Small fonts that can’t be resized. Not everyone uses zoom. Some just want bigger text.
Poor contrast. Light grey on white? Stylish, maybe. But unreadable in sunlight or for aging eyes.
Relying on color alone. Red labels, blue links, color pickers with no text — all of these can be invisible to users with limited color vision.
Animations and movement. Carousels, flashing ads, and auto-playing videos can be overwhelming — especially when zoomed in.
Zoom chaos. If elements shift, overlap, or appear off-screen, users get lost. Especially when related info (like form labels) isn’t grouped properly.