app development / 4 min read
Building Accessible Apps
By Marion / February 20, 2025
Ensuring Inclusivity for All Users
In today's digital world, building apps that are accessible to everyone isn't just a nice-to-have—it's a must-have. When we create apps with accessibility in mind, we ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can use and benefit from our technology. Let's explore how we can build accessible apps and ensure inclusivity for all users.
Why Accessibility Matters
Accessibility is about making technology usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people—or about 16% of the global population—experience significant disability. This number is expected to increase due to factors like population ageing and the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (Disability).
Persons with disabilities often face health inequities, such as higher risks of developing conditions like depression, asthma, diabetes, and obesity. They also encounter barriers in accessing healthcare, transportation, and education (Disability).
By designing accessible apps, we open the door to a larger audience, improve user experience, and demonstrate our commitment to social responsibility.
Key Principles of Accessible Design
Perceivability: Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that all users can perceive. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, such as images and videos.
Operability: Users must be able to navigate and interact with the app. Ensure that all functionalities are accessible via a keyboard and that there are no time constraints that can impede usage.
Understandability: Users must be able to understand the information and the operation of the app. This means using clear and simple language, and providing instructions and feedback.
Robustness: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. This involves following web standards and ensuring compatibility with different browsers and devices.
Practical Steps to Build Accessible Apps
- Use Semantic HTML: Semantic HTML elements, such as <header>, <footer>, <article>, and <nav>, help structure content and make it easier for screen readers to understand.
- Provide Alternative Text for Images: Use alt attributes to describe images so that screen readers can convey the information to visually impaired users.
- Ensure Keyboard Accessibility: All interactive elements, like buttons and links, should be accessible via keyboard navigation. Use focus indicators to highlight interactive elements when they are selected.
- Implement ARIA Landmarks: Use Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) landmarks, such as role="banner" or role="navigation", to define regions of the app and assist screen readers.
- Test with Assistive Technologies: Regularly test your app with screen readers, voice recognition software, and other assistive technologies to ensure compatibility and usability.
- Include Captions and Transcripts: For multimedia content like videos, provide captions and transcripts so that users with hearing impairments can access the information.
- Adopt Colour Contrast Standards: Ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and background to make content readable for users with visual impairments. Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to verify compliance.
- Educate Your Team: Accessibility should be a priority for your entire development team. Provide training and resources to help them understand and implement accessible design principles.
Benefits of Accessible Apps
Building accessible apps isn't just about compliance—it's about creating a better user experience for everyone. Accessible apps are often more user-friendly, leading to higher user satisfaction and engagement. Additionally, accessibility can enhance your brand's reputation and loyalty by demonstrating your commitment to inclusivity.
Accessible Apps need to have a good user experience design – what are the benefits?
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the importance of User Experience (UX) design has skyrocketed. Gone are the days when a website or app's mere existence was enough. Now, consumers expect seamless, intuitive, and delightful interactions. But, what are the tangible benefits of good UX design? Let's dive in. (See also What are the top three User Experience Design (UXD or UX) fundamentals?)
Enhanced User Satisfaction
Imagine walking into a well-organized store where everything is easy to find, the staff are friendly, and the checkout process is quick. That’s what good UX design aims to replicate in the digital realm. When users find an interface intuitive and enjoyable, they’re more likely to have a positive experience. This satisfaction translates into higher user retention rates and increased brand loyalty.
Improved Accessibility
A cornerstone of good UX design is accessibility. By ensuring that websites and apps are usable by people with diverse abilities, designers create inclusive experiences. Accessibility not only broadens your audience but also demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility, potentially enhancing your brand’s reputation.
Boosted Conversion Rates
The primary goal of many digital platforms is to convert visitors into customers. Good UX design plays a crucial role in this process by streamlining user journeys, minimizing friction, and making it easy for users to take desired actions, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form.
Reduced Development Costs
Investing in UX design early in the development process can save significant costs down the line. By identifying and addressing usability issues during the design phase, businesses can avoid expensive redesigns and modifications later. This proactive approach leads to more efficient development cycles and ultimately, cost savings.
Increased User Engagement
Good UX design encourages users to spend more time on a platform. Engaging interfaces, interactive elements, and personalized experiences can captivate users and keep them coming back. This increased engagement can lead to higher page views, longer session durations, and improved metrics overall.
Competitive Advantage
In a crowded digital marketplace, standing out is crucial. A superior user experience can be a differentiator that sets your brand apart from competitors. When users have a positive experience with your platform, they are more likely to choose your services over those of competitors, driving higher market share.
Better SEO Rankings
Search engines prioritize websites that offer a good user experience. Factors such as mobile-friendliness, site speed, and user engagement metrics are taken into account when determining search rankings. By focusing on UX design, you can improve these aspects, leading to better visibility and higher organic search traffic.
How many accessible apps are there in the stores?
While there isn't an exact count of accessible apps available in app stores, it's clear that the number is growing as awareness and demand for accessibility features increase. Both Google Play and the Apple App Store have been making efforts to promote accessibility by highlighting accessible apps and providing developers with tools and guidelines to create them.
Conclusion
Creating accessible apps is a crucial step towards ensuring inclusivity for all users. By following the principles of accessible design and implementing practical accessibility measures, we can make our apps usable by a diverse audience. Let's embrace accessibility as a fundamental aspect of app development and work towards a more inclusive digital world.
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