{"id":12334,"date":"2025-07-21T16:27:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T15:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=12334"},"modified":"2025-10-24T12:53:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T11:53:31","slug":"accessibility-checklist-for-designers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/accessibility-checklist-for-designers\/","title":{"rendered":"UX design accessibility checklist: everything you need to know as a designer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you want to skip straight to the checklist, just use the clickable menu to jump ahead. Otherwise, let\u2019s first consider why accessibility is now more urgent than ever. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why does accessibility matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Accessibility is about designing products and services that everybody can use. Without accessible design, you\u2019re missing a fundamental aspect of <\/span>human-centred design<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and that\u2019s problematic for ethical, legal and commercial reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why accessibility matters:<\/span><\/p>\n

Accessible design = a more inclusive world<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Above all else, accessibility matters because it creates a more inclusive world for everybody.<\/b><\/p>\n

When you prioritise accessibility, you\u2019re automatically prioritising the user experience. That\u2019s because accessible design is synonymous with good design, often resulting in cleaner interfaces, clearer language and better navigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re not only creating exceptional products and services that your users will love. You\u2019re removing barriers and creating a digital world that everybody can access and enjoy. Accessible design is, quite simply, the right thing to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accessibility is a legal imperative<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In many countries, businesses are required by law to meet certain accessibility standards.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

One such law is the European Accessibility Act (EAA) which passed an important deadline in June 2025. From now on, all new products and services launched within the European Union must comply with the Act. Existing products and services have an additional five years to meet accessibility standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019re not affected by the European Accessibility Act and similar laws, it\u2019s important to be aware that, under such regulations, accessibility will soon become the norm, something consumers expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you fail to keep up with industry standards and consumer expectations, you risk falling behind your more accessible, inclusive competitors. You may also be excluded from certain markets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn more: <\/span><\/i>What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and what does it mean for the UX industry?<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Ignoring accessibility is bad for business<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While accessible design is synonymous with good design, <\/b>inaccessible <\/i><\/b>design is synonymous with bad business.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>World Health Organization<\/span><\/a>, 1 in 6 people live with a disability. That\u2019s over 1.3 billion people worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now consider the fact that, globally, people with disabilities control <\/span>$1.9 trillion in disposable income<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you ignore accessibility, you not only risk losing out to more inclusive competitors. You\u2019re also actively choosing to exclude a huge segment of the population, <\/span>people who will spend their money elsewhere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s bad for your reputation <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>your bottom line.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So why does accessibility matter? Three big reasons:<\/b><\/p>\n