The future of design and accessibility

Nowadays, a well-designed and accessible website is a must.

As your digital gateway, your site should be inviting and easy to navigate for everyone, providing a seamless and inclusive experience for all users.

That’s why the recent Crafted Future event, presented by the Webby Awards and WP Engine, asked experts to share their thoughts on the importance of accessible design in the modern age and what it means to create accessible digital experiences.

Panelists included Nicholas Tilley, Web UX Design Manager at WP Engine, Louis Lee, co-founder and chief creative officer of Bellweather Agency, and Kia Delgado, senior interactive designer for content marketing at Marriott International. The discussion was moderated by Nick Borenstein, general manager of the Webby Awards.

Read on to learn what experts have to say about effective website design and key elements of accessibility.

Finding a balance between accessibility and design

Accessibility is necessary in modern web design, but it’s easy to forget that the fundamental principles of accessibility overlap with the principles of great design.

Lee pointed out this fact during the panel discussion.

“There is a misconception that accessibility somehow compromises design, but if we look closely at some of the basic core principles of accessible design – strong color contrast, strong contrast in font sizes, clear hierarchy – these principles of accessibility are also principles of good design in general,” he said.

Other panelists agreed and took the time to highlight the importance of finding the right balance between accessibility and design innovation.

Delgado used the Marriott Bonvoy Travel By Design website as an example of this balancing act. The intent of the Travel By Design website is to draw the end user’s attention to Marriott’s portfolio of hotels. Marriott Bonvoy owns more than 30 brands, so travelers may not even know they are staying at a Marriott-owned hotel.

“We were looking for a way to balance the design because we showcase so many different properties with different looks. But how do we bring that into a space that feels unified while also letting those images shine?” said Delgado.

“We went for a more minimalist black and white design to really showcase the photos, make the visuals stand out, and make the site easy to navigate.”

The page design helps to establish the connection between the Marriott brand and the concept of beautifully designed hotels. For its efforts, the editorial page was nominated for a Webby Award in the category of Best Website and Mobile Site Homepage and will be featured in this year’s Crafted With Code exhibition as an example of beautiful, accessible design.

Identifying the tools for success

One obstacle that designers, especially on small teams, often face when creating accessible websites is finding the right tools to build and test their environments. Panelists talked about both current tools for success and hopes for the future to further improve accessibility testing.

Resources mentioned include Figma’s accessibility tools and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), as well as free content from accessibility activists on YouTube, among others. Ultimately, the most important thing a designer can bring to the table is a willingness to understand their entire audience, no matter what tools they use.

“I think the most important tool a designer has is empathy,” Tilley said.

“That’s why I recommend reaching out to someone who has or has had a disability and learning about that person’s problems so you can understand their perspective.”

In brainstorming the potential of future tools, panelists shared the hope that artificial intelligence (AI) could be the key to providing smaller teams with the resources they need to properly test accessibility.

“If you give small designers and small businesses that don’t have access to user research a tool to get input from users with disabilities – if an AI tool like that had that ability and could mimic the experiences of people with disabilities – that could lead to more education,” Tilley said.

AI: Accessibility assistant or enemy?

When it came to the topic of artificial intelligence, the panelists approached the subject with a healthy dose of skepticism, but also optimism.

While AI technology also brings with it issues of bias, panelists agreed that, when configured appropriately, it can also be used to support accessibility efforts.

“I think AI is one of those unavoidable topics and it seems really relevant to accessibility. I’m very optimistic that AI-powered tools can really help us as makers in terms of accessibility and web design,” Lee said.

Panelists also grappled with the conflict between the benefits that personalized experiences provide to users and the need to protect the data that enables personalization. They agreed that accessibility and personalization can coexist with high-quality privacy protections, and that it ultimately comes down to ethical website creation.

“Personalization is sometimes seen as the enemy, but I think it’s great,” Tilley said.

“It just requires a certain level of personal responsibility. You have to understand what you want to share and how to protect what you don’t want to share.”

Creating acceptance for barrier-free design

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability. In the United States alone, nearly one in four adults has a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These numbers reflect a significant proportion of potential website users who may have difficulty navigating a poorly designed website.

When asked how they ensured stakeholder buy-in to an accessible design before creating or redesigning a site, panelists responded with a clear message: Accessibility is not an option.

“Accessibility is a legal requirement for companies in both their physical and digital spaces. Literally, you should be accessible by law. So if CEOs or managers in your company are unsure about this, you should focus the conversation on protecting yourself against potential litigation now and in the future,” Lee said.

“A light but professional threat might be a good way to start the conversation,” he joked.

Having an accessible website is not only good practice, it’s also good business. Studies have shown that companies lose billions of dollars in potential revenue each year due to inaccessible websites.

And since search engines prioritize accessibility by improving the rankings of accessible websites, a lack of accessibility can cause your content to get lost in the crowd. By considering accessibility from the start, you’ll have a better chance of achieving your digital goals, whatever they may be.

“It’s a common misconception that accessibility is an add-on at the end – the extra work you do,” says Tilley.

“But it’s our job as designers to teach people that it doesn’t have to be that way. If we consider accessibility from the beginning – in the design phases, in the execution phases – it doesn’t take as much time. It’s built into the process. And the ROI is huge because you’re expanding your audience with minimal investment if you do it right.”

What is Crafted Future?

Crafted Future is a series of panel discussions featuring experts recognized in Crafted with Code, a joint showcase of the Webby Awards and WP Engine that highlights Webby-winning website work and tells the stories behind the builds.

Since 2019, the virtual event series has explored topics that impact the work of digital professionals, presented by top experts in their fields. All previous Crafted Future discussions can be found on the Webby Awards YouTube channel.

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