Saturday, 13 December 2025

Why Accessibility in UX Design Is Essential for Inclusive Digital Experiences

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Accessibility in UX Design

Published on 13 Dec 2025, authured by Saloni Pasad (Sr. UX Designer at Ipsos) 

A person opens an app on a bright afternoon and can’t decipher the text. Another strains to hear a video in a roaring café. Someone recovering from a wrist injury struggles to complete a simple online form. None of them identify as having a disability, yet each is temporarily shut out by design choices that didn’t account for real-world use.

This is the heart of accessibility in UX design. It ensures that digital experiences, whether a government portal or a streaming app, remain usable for everyone. Accessibility isn’t about satisfying a rulebook. It’s about widening the doorway so every user can enter without struggle.

More than a billion people globally live with a disability, according to the World Health Organization. But accessible design reaches far beyond that number. High-contrast text helps both people with low vision and anyone reading outdoors. Captions support those who are deaf and also commuters watching silently. Voice commands began as assistive technology; now they’re an everyday convenience. Inclusive design consistently elevates the experience for all.

Disabilities Can Be Situational, Temporary, or Permanent

A clearer way to think about accessibility is to understand how fluid impairment can be. Disabilities aren’t always fixed. They can arise from context, circumstance, or life events.

1. Situational Barriers

These emerge from the environment rather than a medical condition:

• Sun glare washing out text

• Blue-light filters altering color

• Slippery ground limiting multitasking

• Crowded spaces drowning out audio

• Interacting across languages

These moments are brief but shape daily interaction with technology.

2. Temporary Impairments

Challenges that resolve with time:

• Lost glasses

• Fatigue reducing focus

• A broken arm limiting motor control

• Muffled hearing after a concert

• A concussion affecting memory

Temporary does not mean minor. Good design anticipates these phases.

3. Permanent Disabilities

Long-term or lifelong conditions:

• Blindness or color blindness

• Limited motor control

• Partial or total deafness

• Speech disorders

• Cognitive challenges

Rather than designing for clinical labels, it’s more effective to design for specific human challenges: difficulty remembering, difficulty distinguishing colors, difficulty manipulating small controls. When the focus shifts from diagnosis to experience, solutions become clearer and more humane.



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The Expanding Imperative for Inclusive Design

Digital products now reach global, diverse audiences. As companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft have demonstrated, accessibility must sit at the center of the design process, not at its margins. Their work showcases a simple truth: inclusivity isn’t a special initiative. It’s the path forward for products that want staying power.

When accessibility is foundational, users feel respected. Brands earn trust. Products reach broader markets. And digital spaces become more equitable.

Common Barriers in UX and Practical Fixes

Even thoughtful teams can unintentionally create obstacles. These are the most frequent issues and how to resolve them:

1. Limited Keyboard Accessibility

Not everyone uses a mouse.

Provide logical tab order, visible focus states, and full keyboard operability.

2. Poor Color Contrast

Low contrast strains users with visual differences and anyone in harsh lighting.

Use contrast-checking tools to keep text and elements readable.

3. Missing Alt Text

Without alt descriptions, images disappear for screen reader users.

Write concise, meaningful text that conveys purpose.

4. Overly Complex Navigation

Cognitive load rises with unclear pathways.

Use intuitive labels and predictable structure.

5. Inaccessible Forms

Forms are high-impact, high-friction moments.

Use descriptive labels, clear instructions, and error messages that guide.

6. Vague Link Text

“Click here” reveals nothing.

Descriptive links improve clarity and orientation.

These aren’t burdensome changes. They are refinements that make digital experiences more welcoming.

Designing with Empathy at the Center

Empathy begins with understanding actual lives, not idealized users. Interviews, accessibility audits, and usability testing with diverse participants expose barriers that guidelines alone can’t predict.

Personas grounded in lived experience keep teams focused on real needs. Feedback should be continuous, guiding iterative improvement. The aim isn’t perfection but responsiveness: a willingness to listen and evolve.


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Collaboration Strengthens Accessibility

Inclusive design flourishes when every role participates:

• Designers create visual clarity and logical structure

• Developers use semantic HTML and maintain compatibility with assistive tech

• Content creators craft clear text, alt descriptions, and readable hierarchy

• Project managers set timelines that include accessibility reviews

When accessibility is shared, issues surface early and products grow stronger.

Four Pro Tips to Deepen Your Accessibility Mindset

1. Accessibility Helps Everyone

Features intended for specific needs often benefit the full audience.

2. Design for Human Problems, Not Checklists

Ask what will help someone with low vision, someone tired, or someone multitasking. This reframing leads to better decisions.

3. You’re Not Designing for Edge Cases

Human variability is the norm. Designing for that spectrum is simply good design.

4. Usability Issues Intensify with Disability

Mild friction can become a complete barrier. Strong accessibility strengthens satisfaction, loyalty, and overall product quality. Accessibility continues to spark innovation.

Captions, voice assistants, and speech-to-text all began as accessibility solutions. As Google’s Eve Andersson noted, the accessibility challenges of today often become the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

Conclusion

Accessibility is inseparable from quality digital design. It ensures that every person, regardless of ability or circumstance, can participate fully in the digital world.

Prioritizing accessibility broadens your audience, strengthens your product, and reflects a commitment to equity. More importantly, it shapes digital spaces where everyone is welcome. The work is ongoing, but with every accessible choice, we build a digital environment that is more intuitive, more human, and more open to all.

About Author

Saloni Pasad

Sr. UX Designer at Ipsos in North America

Saloni has led digital product initiatives for global clients, shaping platforms used by millions, where her decisions influence both user satisfaction and organizational outcomes. With an M.S. in Human-Centered Design and a Bachelor’s in Communication Design, she combines formal training with hands-on experience to make products practical, usable, and impactful.


Image credits: Gemini

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