Accessibility
Billions are spent on communicating with customers, yet a significant percentage of people are being overlooked.
8 to 10 percent of the overall population can benefit from an accessible Web. In the UK two million are blind and partially sighted. As more of these people go online, services such as banking and shopping become more important for them. Friends, family and carers are also affected customers and it is also well known that vision problems increase at the age of 50 years and over.
As the numbers above show, an accessible website can increase market share and audience reach. Accessible sites adhere to web standards and as such are more search engine friendly, increase operating efficiencies and are usable on emerging platforms (e.g. mobile, TV).
Legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), is on the increase and the need to reduce potential legal liabilities is rapidly moving up the corporate agenda. Additionally, demonstrating ‘social responsibility’ can reap benefits that may be less tangible than economic or technical ones.
How do you ensure you site is accessible to all?
Sites should be designed from the outset to meet web standards and accessibility best practice. We help clients at the early stages of design and development by providing expert consultancy and iterative testing.
However even an existing design can be tested and improved by:
