Over the past several years, I’ve worked hard to raise awareness among my clients about why accessibility is not just important, it’s essential. We’ve talked about websites, eCommerce platforms, SaaS products, mobile and web apps, and digital documents. We’ve talked about people, the millions of users around the world who are routinely excluded from using these tools because of how they’re designed and built.
We discussed ethics, inclusion, and the social responsibility of technology. And in every conversation, I was met with understanding. Heads nodded. The scale of the issue was clear. Everyone agreed: this matters. So how many of those companies actually did something about it? Two. Two of twenty-two.
The rest had reasons, or excuses.
- “We’d love to do it, but our backlog is too long. Maybe in two years.”
- “Our developers don’t know how to implement accessibility.”
- “It’s too complicated.”
- “We don’t have any disabled users. I mean, who with a disability uses our app anyway?”
- “How many disabled users are there? It will cost too much. It’ll take too much time, it’s not worth it.”
- “No one’s reported us, so why bother?”
Many of these products are already available in the U.S., where they technically fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And yet, accessibility continues to be deprioritized, mostly because businesses don’t see the ROI.
Let me pause here: ROI stands for return on investment. It’s the measure of whether something will pay off, in money, growth, or market share.
So here’s the thing: accessibility does pay off. The number of people affected by inaccessibility is enormous. It includes neurodivergent users, people with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments, many of whom want to use your product, but can’t. If you run an eCommerce platform, SaaS platform, health-tech platform, mobile app, the chances are high that you’re excluding thousands of potential users. And when you exclude people, you don’t just lose trust. You lose revenue.
If ethics haven’t convinced you, maybe numbers will.
I wrote this article for my fellow product designers, product owners, developers, PMs, and CPOs, to give you arguments, numbers, and solutions you can use to open conversations and influence change in your team or organization. I want to help you show your leaders that accessibility is not a burden, it’s a business advantage and a reflection of good design. There’s a way forward, and you can help lead it.
And I wrote it for VPs, CTOs, CEOs, and decision-makers, to help you understand what accessibility really means, what it takes, and how your teams can begin. Yes, it requires time, training, and intention. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I’ll lay out the essential concepts, tools, and action steps to help you approach accessibility with clarity, not confusion. You don’t need to become an expert overnight. But you do need to begin.
I’ve said these things hundreds of times in workshops. I’m saying them again here, in writing, because this conversation needs to scale. And it needs to happen now (EAA is on the horizon).
And if you’re looking for support, we’re here. We help companies design and develop accessible systems, yes, including design systems in your preferred front-end framework. If you need a partner, just reach out. We’ll help you lead the way with inclusive, future-ready software.
Why today?
Because it’s Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), founded by Joe Devon and co-founded by Jennison Asuncion in 2011. Every third Thursday in May, GAAD sparks global conversations about accessibility and digital inclusion for the 1.3+ billion people worldwide living with disabilities. So here we are, continuing what they started.
Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. And let’s finally do something about it.
Chapter 1: Who Are We Talking About? Understanding Disability in the Digital World
In the digital world, disability refers to any condition that creates barriers to accessing or interacting with technology. These barriers may arise from permanent, temporary, or situational impairments, and they affect how people access and use digital products: websites, mobile apps, dashboards, forms, eCommerce platforms, public terminals like ATMs, and more.
Disability in the digital context is not a narrow category. It includes a broad range of physical, cognitive, sensory, and neurodevelopmental conditions that shape how people experience the digital world.
Below is an overview of the most relevant categories, their definitions, and the estimated number of affected users in North America and Europe, two of the most digitally connected regions in the world.
Visual Impairments
Includes blindness, low vision, and color blindness.
- United States: Approx. 3.1 million
- Europe: Around 7.5 million people experience vision loss.
Impact: Users may rely on screen readers, high-contrast modes, or text magnification. Poor color contrast, unlabeled buttons, or missing alt text can make digital experiences unusable.
Hearing Impairments
Includes deafness and partial hearing loss.
- United States: ~15% of adults report some degree of hearing loss.
- Europe: Hearing loss affects 30% of men and 20% of women over 70, and Europe is aging fast.
Impact: Lack of captions, transcripts, or visual alerts can exclude users from critical content like video, audio instructions, or customer support calls.
Motor Impairments
Includes paralysis, tremors, limited dexterity, and loss of limb function.
- United States: Approx. 13.7% of the population has mobility impairments.
- Europe: Data varies, but mobility challenges are common, especially among older adults.
Impact: Small buttons, non-keyboard-friendly forms, and drag-and-drop interactions can make interfaces inaccessible.
Learning Disabilities
Includes conditions such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and others affecting reading, writing, and processing.
- United States: ~20% of people have learning and attention differences.
- Europe: Widely recognized as a significant educational and social concern.
Impact: Dense blocks of text, complex language, and lack of assistive tech support (like text-to-speech) make comprehension difficult.
Neurodivergence
Includes autism spectrum disorders (ASD), ADHD, sensory processing differences, and more.
- United States: ~19% of adults identify as neurodivergent.
- Europe: Estimated 15–20% of the population is neurodivergent.
Impact: Cluttered UI, inconsistent navigation, flashing elements, or time-limited interactions can cause confusion, anxiety, or disengagement.
Cognitive Impairments
Includes memory challenges, processing delays, brain injuries, or dementia-related symptoms.
- Population estimates are harder to pinpoint, but prevalence increases with age, injury, and certain health conditions.
Impact: Poorly structured content, overwhelming decision paths, and lack of clear guidance can cause abandonment and frustration.
The Bigger Picture
Across the European Union, over 101 million people over the age of 16 live with some form of disability. That’s nearly a quarter of the adult population.This isn’t a niche concern. It’s a defining characteristic of your market. And yet, most digital products still fail to meet basic accessibility standards. For disabled users, this isn’t just inconvenient, it’s exclusion.
Chapter 2: How Bad Is It Really? WCAG, the Law, and the State of Accessibility Today
Let’s start with something you’ve probably heard of: WCAG. It sounds like a complicated acronym, but it stands for something simple and incredibly important: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These are international rules created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that tell us how to make websites and digital content usable by people with disabilities. Think of WCAG as the standard operating manual for building accessible technology.
Now, here’s the tough truth: over 97% of websites fail to meet WCAG compliance standards (WebAIM, 2023). That means most digital spaces are fundamentally unusable for millions of people. Imagine if 97% of physical stores had steps but no ramps. That’s where we are, digitally.
A Quick Tour of WCAG Versions
- WCAG 2.0 (2008): The first widely adopted version. Introduced the POUR principles. Has three levels of compliance: A (basic), AA (expected), and AAA (gold standard).
- WCAG 2.1 (2018): Built on 2.0. Added guidelines for mobile devices, low vision users, and people with cognitive challenges.
- WCAG 2.2 (2023): Focused on making forms, buttons, and navigation more usable for people with learning and cognitive disabilities. Also improved support for keyboard-only users.
- WCAG 3.0 (Draft): Still in development. It’s not just an update — it’s a complete rethinking. It moves toward outcomes-based evaluations and will eventually replace 2.x, but that won’t happen overnight. For now, most laws still refer to WCAG 2.1 or 2.2.
But WCAG Is Just One Side of the Coin. The Other? The Law.
Technical standards are important, but what really drives action is legislation. And both the United States and European Union are moving decisively.
The EU Is Making Accessibility the Law. Are You Ready?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a directive introduced by the European Union to harmonize accessibility standards across all member states. It will go into effect on June 28, 2025 and is designed to ensure that digital products and services are accessible to people with disabilities across the EU.
The regulation applies to both public and private companies, including B2C and B2B businesses. It also covers non-EU companies whose digital products or services are accessed by users within the European Union. In other words, if your platform is available in the EU market, regardless of where your company is based, you are expected to comply. There is, however, one key exemption: microenterprises, defined as businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of less than €2 million, are not subject to the directive.
To comply with the EAA, companies will need to conduct audits of their digital platforms, identify and fix non-compliant areas using accessibility standards such as WCAG and EN 301 549, and ensure their teams are trained to create and maintain accessible digital products going forward.
The consequences of ignoring this law are real and significant. Organizations that fail to comply may face financial penalties that can reach into the hundreds of thousands of euros. In more severe cases, non-compliant products may be removed from the EU market entirely. Importantly, any user, not just someone with a disability, can report a product or service for non-compliance.
This is not a distant or abstract possibility. The infrastructure for reporting, monitoring, and enforcement is already being developed across the EU, and it will be active by the time the legislation takes effect in 2025.
The U.S. Approach to Digital Accessibility
In the United States, the primary legal framework for accessibility is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has been in place since 1990. While the ADA was enacted before the digital age fully took shape and does not specifically mention websites or digital platforms, U.S. courts and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have consistently interpreted the law to apply to online spaces, particularly for businesses considered “places of public accommodation,” such as retailers, banks, hospitality services, and eCommerce platforms.
In addition to the ADA, there is a separate legal requirement known as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which specifically applies to federal government websites, digital systems, and any technology developed or purchased by agencies and contractors working with the federal government. Section 508 mandates that all digital content and tools used by the government must be accessible to people with disabilities.
Failing to comply with accessibility requirements in the U.S. can carry serious legal and financial consequences. Every year, thousands of lawsuits are filed against businesses for failing to provide accessible digital experiences. Many of these cases result in costly settlements, often reaching tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. In recent years, the Department of Justice has stepped up enforcement actions, signaling that digital accessibility is not just a legal grey area, it’s a growing regulatory priority.
High-profile lawsuits, such as those involving Domino’s Pizza and Winn-Dixie, have brought digital accessibility into the national spotlight. These cases have made it clear that digital products are not exempt from civil rights protections and that companies can be held accountable for excluding users with disabilities from their online services.
In short, digital accessibility is not optional in the U.S. It is a legal, financial, and ethical imperative, and enforcement is only gaining momentum.
Measuring the Problem: How Do We Know How Inaccessible the Digital World Really Is?
You might be wondering: how do we actually know that the state of digital accessibility is this bad? Who’s measuring it and how?
The most widely cited source for this data is WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind), which conducts annual evaluations of the top one million websites using automated testing tools. Their 2023 report found that over 96% of homepages had at least one WCAG failure, with an average of 50+ distinct accessibility errors per site.
Other organizations, like the Bureau of Internet Accessibility (BOIA) and Deque Systems, provide similar insights by conducting large-scale audits and publishing benchmark reports based on their findings across industries.
To identify accessibility issues, auditors typically rely on a combination of tools and methods. Automated scanners like axe, WAVE, Lighthouse, and Pa11y can detect many common errors, such as missing alt text, low color contrast, or keyboard traps. But these tools only catch about 30–40% of real issues. That’s why manual testing, user testing with assistive technologies (like screen readers), and code reviews are essential to get a full picture.
In the EU, as enforcement under the EAA ramps up, we expect to see even more robust infrastructure for reporting and monitoring accessibility. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the rise in litigation continues to serve as a very real metric of how widespread the problem still is.
The takeaway? The gap between what’s required and what’s delivered is still enormous. But now that we’ve identified the problem, and we can measure it, it’s time to talk about solutions. That’s where we’re heading next.
Chapter 3: Guide through WCAG, tools on the market and how to approach fixing accessibility.
By now, you already know what WCAG is and why it matters. In this chapter, we’re going one layer deeper: not just what the guidelines are, but how to interpret them, how to apply them, and how to move from theory to action in your product.
WCAG can feel overwhelming at first glance: long lists of criteria, legal jargon, abstract terms. But at its core, it’s a practical guide to removing barriers. Once you understand how to read it, you’ll find that many of its recommendations align naturally with good design and development practices.
Let’s break it down by the four foundational principles and take a closer look at what WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 are really asking us to do.
- WCAG 2.1 (published in 2018) built on WCAG 2.0 by adding criteria focused on mobile accessibility and support for users with cognitive and low vision impairments.
- WCAG 2.2 (released in 2023) introduced additional requirements aimed at improving experiences for users with motor, cognitive, and low vision disabilities.
Both versions follow the same foundational framework known as POUR, and are organized into three levels of compliance: A (basic), AA (recommended standard), and AAA (advanced).
Level A represents the minimum requirements for accessibility. It ensures that users can access basic content and functionality. Examples include providing alternative text for images and ensuring that all interactive elements can be operated using a keyboard.
Level AA is considered the standard target for most organizations, especially those aiming to meet legal requirements like the European Accessibility Act or the ADA in the U.S. At this level, digital products must meet additional criteria, such as ensuring a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background, and providing captions for video content.
Level AAA is the highest level of accessibility. It includes more advanced criteria, such as providing sign language interpretation for videos and ensuring an even higher contrast ratio of 7:1. While AAA compliance offers the most inclusive experience, it is often difficult to achieve consistently across all types of content and is not typically required by law.
Most companies aim for Level AA compliance, as it balances inclusivity with practical implementation.
The Four Core Principles: POUR
Let’s break down the four guiding principles behind WCAG and what they mean in practice.
1. Perceivable
Users must be able to perceive the information on the screen, even if they have visual, hearing, or other sensory impairments.
Examples:
- Provide alt text for images (Level A)
- Add captions or subtitles to videos (Level A)
- Ensure sufficient color contrast (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text — Level AA)
- Allow text to be resized without losing functionality (Level AA)
2. Operable
People must be able to interact with your interface using various input methods (keyboard, switch devices, voice, etc.).
Examples:
- Ensure full keyboard navigation (Level A)
- Avoid keyboard traps (e.g., getting stuck in modal windows) (Level A)
- Give users enough time to complete tasks (Level A)
- Include skip-to-content links for easy navigation (Level A)
- Provide visible focus indicators (highlighting the currently selected element) (Level AA, enhanced in 2.2)
3. Understandable
Your content and interface should be intuitive and easy to follow.
Examples:
- Keep navigation and UI patterns consistent across screens (Level AA)
- Use clear labels and provide informative error messages (Level A)
- Avoid technical jargon or confusing language (Level AAA)
- Ensure actions behave predictably (e.g., no surprise pop-ups) (Level A)
4. Robust
The content must be compatible with current and future assistive technologies (like screen readers).
Examples:
- Use valid, semantic HTML and CSS (Level A)
- Ensure screen reader compatibility (Level A)
- Use ARIA attributes responsibly to improve accessibility (Level A)
What’s New in WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 introduced nine new success criteria to address gaps in accessibility, particularly for users with cognitive and motor challenges. Here are a few highlights:
- Better Focus Visibility (Level AA):
Focus indicators (such as outlines on buttons or links) must be clearly visible for keyboard users. - Easier Dragging (Level AA):
If drag-and-drop is used, there must be an alternative method (e.g., arrow keys or buttons). - Consistent Help (Level A):
If your product offers a help section or contact link, make sure it’s easy to find and stays in the same location throughout. - Simplified Authentication (Level AA):
Avoid making users complete complex cognitive tasks just to log in. Offer alternatives like one-time passwords or biometrics. - Reduced Motion (Level AAA):
Give users the option to disable animations or motion effects, which can trigger symptoms for people with vestibular disorders.
WCAG isn’t about perfection, it’s about progressively removing barriers. Start with AA-level fixes, test with real users, and iterate. You don’t need to memorize every line of WCAG 2.2 to create accessible products, but you do need to understand the intent behind it. Think of it as a guide for removing barriers, creating clarity, and ensuring that digital tools work for everyone.
And if the WCAG site feels overwhelming (you’re not alone), start with their Quick Reference Guide, which allows you to filter by principle, content type, or compliance level. It’s the best entry point for teams looking to bake accessibility into their everyday process.
How to Test Accessibility in Your Product
Automated testing tools are a great start, but not enough on their own. Here’s a structured way to approach testing:
1. Use Automated Tools First
Start with these tools to catch common issues:
- axe DevTools (browser extension)
- WAVE by WebAIM
- Google Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools)
- Pa11y CLI (for continuous integration)
These tools will flag issues like missing alt text, improper heading structure, low contrast, and more.
2. Test with Keyboard Navigation
Unplug your mouse and try navigating:
- Can you reach every element using only the Tab key?
- Does the visual focus move logically?
- Can you activate links and buttons with Enter or Space?
3. Test with Screen Readers
Use tools like:
- NVDA (Windows)
- VoiceOver (Mac, iOS)
- TalkBack (Android)
Check whether screen reader users can understand content hierarchy, navigate forms and identify interactive elements.
4. Test with Real Users
Nothing replaces direct feedback from people who use assistive technologies every day. Invite users with different disabilities to participate in usability testing and share insights about their actual experience.
How Native Platforms and Browsers Support Accessibility
Most modern platforms offer built-in accessibility APIs. Here’s how they support developers:
- iOS and macOS: Use UIKit and AppKit with built-in support for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and custom accessibility labels.
- Android: Offers AccessibilityNodeInfo, TalkBack support, and layout tools to create screen reader-friendly interfaces.
- Windows: Supports UI Automation, Narrator, and keyboard navigation out of the box.
- Browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge): Work with assistive tech and expose accessibility tree structures to screen readers.
Each platform provides documentation and accessibility guidelines. Following their native standards will greatly reduce your workload.
How to Implement Accessibility: A Step-by-Step Workflow
No matter what you’re building, a web app, mobile app, or eCommerce platform, this is the implementation plan we follow with our clients.
Step 1: Audit Your Product
- Run automated scans and manual audits.
- Identify WCAG 2.1/2.2 failures and areas of improvement.
Step 2: Prioritize Fixes
- Start with high-impact issues (e.g., inaccessible forms, broken keyboard navigation).
- Focus on issues that affect task completion and usability.
Step 3: Embed Accessibility in Your Design System
- Define accessible components and patterns.
- Use semantic HTML and ARIA roles where needed.
Step 4: Train Your Team
- Include accessibility checklists in QA.
- Assign accessibility owners in each team: developers, designers, PM’s.
Step 5: Test Regularly
- Integrate accessibility testing into your pipeline.
- Schedule manual tests and user testing at key product stages.
Step 6: Document and Maintain
- Keep accessibility documentation up to date.
- Monitor changes and retest periodically.
Accessibility isn’t a task to check off at the end of a sprint. It’s not just the developer’s job, or something you delegate to QA at the last minute. Accessibility is a shared mindset, and it needs to be built into the DNA of your product culture from day one.
Inclusion happens when everyone on the team understands why accessibility matters, and how their role contributes to it. Whether you’re a designer, engineer, product manager, content writer, or executive, you have a part to play.
Start with Team Awareness
Before a team can commit to accessibility, they need to understand who it affects and why it’s essential. This means starting conversations about disability, access, and exclusion. It means moving beyond compliance checklists and toward a genuine commitment to inclusive experiences.
- Run internal workshops or lunch-and-learns about accessibility and assistive technology.
- Invite speakers or advocates to share personal experiences.
- Audit your own product together, and reflect on who might be excluded right now.
You’ll be surprised how many people want to do the right thing, they just didn’t know where to start.
Assign Ownership Without Isolating the Effort
Every successful accessibility initiative needs an owner. But they shouldn’t carry the load alone. Make accessibility a shared KPI across roles:
- Designers define accessible components and flows from the start.
- Developers code with semantic HTML, ARIA roles, and keyboard support.
- Product managers prioritize inclusive features and user testing.
- QA testers include accessibility checks in every regression cycle.
- Content creators write clearly and structure content for screen readers.
Make it clear: accessibility is part of the definition of done.
Bake Accessibility into Your Workflow
The easiest way to scale accessibility is to make it part of your existing processes, not an extra layer on top.
- Add WCAG checkpoints to design specs.
- Include accessibility tests in your roadmap.
- Document known barriers and track them in your backlog.
- Require inclusive criteria in pull requests and code reviews.
The more habitual it becomes, the less overwhelming it feels.
Create Feedback Loops with Disabled Users
Accessibility isn’t just a technical issue, it’s a lived experience. To build truly inclusive products, involve people who rely on assistive technologies and who experience barriers every day.
- Conduct usability testing with participants who are blind, neurodivergent, or have mobility impairments.
- Offer a clear way for users to report accessibility issues, and follow up when they do.
- Consider forming an advisory group of disabled users to help guide product decisions.
Inclusive products come from inclusive conversations.
Normalize Learning and Failing Together
Building accessibility into your culture doesn’t mean getting everything right from the start. It means committing to learn, improve, and stay accountable. Make accessibility training part of onboarding. Celebrate progress and small wins. Share lessons learned across teams.
Accessibility is not a destination. It’s a long-term relationship with your users, and a long-term investment in quality. When accessibility becomes part of your culture, it stops feeling like an obligation. It starts feeling like what it really is: good design, smart strategy, and responsible tech.
Chapter 4: What Happens When You Get Accessibility Right
Accessibility isn’t just about compliance. It’s about better design, stronger brands, and products that reach more people. And yes, when done right, accessibility can directly contribute to growth, retention, and innovation. Here are a few real-world examples of what’s possible.
Apple: Accessibility as a Feature, Not a Fix
Apple has consistently embedded accessibility into its hardware and software, from VoiceOver to Switch Control, from Live Captions to AssistiveTouch. This wasn’t just to check a legal box. Apple framed accessibility as product excellence and marketed it as such.
Their commitment created deep loyalty in the disability community, with many blind and low-vision users choosing Apple devices specifically because of these features.
The result? Higher retention and brand advocacy within disabled communities, market differentiation, and global recognition for inclusive innovation.
Microsoft: Market Expansion Through Inclusive Design
Microsoft’s journey toward accessibility began with legal pressure but evolved into a strategic advantage. They embedded accessibility into core products like Office 365 and Xbox, launched their Inclusive Design toolkit, and hired accessibility leads across product teams.
By addressing accessibility needs, Microsoft unlocked opportunities in education, government, and enterprise sectors where compliance is not optional, it’s a requirement. They didn’t just follow the rules, they led the conversation.
Barclays: Innovation Through Inclusion
Barclays, one of the largest banks in the UK, has long been recognized as a leader in digital accessibility. By embedding inclusive design into its products, including accessible ATMs, mobile apps with screen reader compatibility, and tools for neurodivergent users, Barclays didn’t just meet compliance standards. It became a trusted brand for vulnerable customers.
This commitment opened up a broader customer base, strengthened their reputation, and allowed their teams to innovate with features like voice banking and simplified interfaces, features that also benefited users without disabilities.
The result? Increased customer satisfaction, broader adoption across age and ability ranges, and internal innovation fueled by real user needs.
GOV.UK: Usability and Accessibility Go Hand-in-Hand
The UK government’s digital service (GOV.UK) prioritized accessibility as part of its mission to serve every citizen. Their design system is WCAG-compliant by default, and content is tested with people who use assistive technologies. This has led to faster access to public services, increased user confidence, and a strong model for other countries.
The result? Increased public trust, reduced support costs, and a replicable design framework adopted across departments.
Chapter 5: You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed by where to start, you’re not alone. Accessibility can seem like a massive shift, especially if your team or company has never seriously addressed it before. But that’s exactly why we’re here.
We’re Pay For Done, SaaS for SaaS development. An all-in-one platform built to automate every stage of product creation. Built by devs and designers, we know the chaos, the pressure, the complexity, because we’ve lived it. And we’ve built Pay For Done to help fix what’s broken in software development.
If you want to make your product more accessible but don’t know how to bring it into your roadmap, your team process, or your tech stack, reach out to us. We’ll help you get there. We support organizations in building inclusive, accessible, future-proof platforms, and we do it in a way that fits your workflow, not disrupts it.
Accessibility is achievable. And we’d be happy to help you lead the way.
Let’s make tech better, together.
Where to Learn More: Our Trusted Resources
Standards and Tools
Books
- Web Accessibility by Wojtek Kutyła (book in polish)
- Inclusive Design for a Digital World by Regine M. Gilbert
- A Web for Everyone by Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
- Accessibility for Everyone by Laura Kalbag
Sources
- Population with disability Eurostat
