Accessible design — or approaching your design to consider people with disabilities — shouldn’t be limiting. In fact, think of it as elegant design that makes it easier for all of your customers, including those who deal with disabilities. Designing for accessibility is easier on the eyes and elevates the customer experience.
If you don’t reach your company’s customers with disabilities, you’re ignoring a significant minority — 15% of the world’s population, making them the world’s largest minority, according to the World Health Organization.
Vision, mobility, and hearing are major categories to keep in mind when creating accessible design. Your customers need big print, screen reader software, more screen time before timeouts and captions on video to better digest your messaging.
Cognitive impairment is a growing sector within this demographic. Mild cognitive impairment is common for those 65 and older, according to the National Institutes of Health. In the United States, that population is expected to more than double from 46 million in 2016 to top 98 million by 2060, according to the Census Bureau. Others affected include those with ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries. These groups have trouble concentrating, remembering, learning new things, and/or making everyday decisions and may give up if your dazzlingly designed electronic communications are difficult to navigate.
