Accessible Design Is Good Design – Designing Better Websites for All Users

More than one billion people live with a disability. Many of them struggle to perform basic online tasks, such as reading information, learning, shopping, or banking, because websites and digital tools are not designed with their needs in mind.

One of the main reasons for this exclusion is an inaccessible design. When design creates barriers, people are left out of everyday digital life. When design removes those barriers, more people can participate, complete tasks, and feel included.

In this guide, we break down what accessible website design means, why it leads to better user experiences, and share practical design tips you can start using right away.

What is accessible design?

Accessible design is the practice of creating designs and interfaces that everyone can use, no matter their ability, situation, or device. It is a user-centric approach that removes barriers and ensures the experience is usable and inclusive for all people.

Here are some of the key characteristics of an accessible design:

• is easy to see, with strong contrast, readable text, and comfortable spacing
• is easy to understand, with clear hierarchy and predictable layouts
• is easy to use, with large, well-placed touch targets
• uses consistent patterns, so people know what to expect
• supports focus and attention, by reducing clutter and avoiding overwhelming visuals
• keeps the interface calm, with simple, purposeful motion
• works across different screens, through responsive and flexible layouts
• provides clear visual cues, such as visible hover, active, and focus states

Accessible design brings these qualities together to create a smoother experience for everyone. When you follow these basics, your product becomes easier to see, understand, and use. These choices remove friction and strengthen the overall design.

3 reasons why accessible design is good design

Accessible design is often treated as an extra step, but it is a core part of creating websites that truly work for everyone in real, everyday situations. And if you need reasons, here are three that show exactly why accessible design is good design.

#1. It doesn’t exclude people

Many websites unintentionally leave people out.

When you are not designing, coding, or writing content with accessibility in mind, your website can create barriers that prevent some users from completing everyday essential tasks such as shopping, learning, banking, or accessing healthcare.

A real example of this happened in the UK, when several major rail websites switched to greyscale as a tribute to Prince Philip. The reduced color contrast made the sites difficult to use for many visually impaired users, limiting booking and access to essential travel information.

Accessible design, along with accessible code and content, helps prevent this kind of exclusion. By considering different needs early, design plays a key role in creating experiences that work for more people and support participation with confidence and dignity.

#2. It benefits everyone

Accessible design does not only help people with disabilities. It improves the experience for all users. This is known as the curb-cut effect, where designs created to support people with disabilities end up benefiting a much larger user group.

One good example of the curb-cut effect is high-contrast text. It was designed to assist individuals with low vision in reading content more easily. Today, it also benefits users reading screens in bright sunlight, on low-quality displays, or during long sessions when eye fatigue sets in.

This pattern shows up across many parts of design. Features like captions, larger touch targets, and clear layouts help people with specific needs, but they also create a smoother and more comfortable experience for everyone else.

Put simply, when you make a design easier for one group, you often make it easier for all. That is why accessible design leads to better design overall.

#3. It is good for your business

Accessible design opens your product to a much larger market. At least one billion people around the world have a recognized disability. That is about 15 percent of the global population. This number is growing as people live longer and acquire age-related disabilities.

This group also has significant spending power.

In the UK, the disability market represents at least £249 billion each year. In the US, people with disabilities have over $200 billion in annual discretionary spending. Globally, the extended market is estimated at 2.3 billion people who control $6.9 trillion in annual disposable income.

These users are one of the most overlooked demographic segments. When your product is accessible, you reach a wider audience and create more growth opportunities. This is another clear reason why accessible design is good design.

The legal implications of accessible design

Many countries now require digital products and services to be accessible.

Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) exist to make sure everyone has equal access to public information, online services, and everyday digital tools.

While the legal requirement applies to the final product, design still plays a major role. If the design itself is not accessible, the digital product will not be accessible either, and that can lead to both legal issues and a poor user experience.

When a digital product fails to meet WCAG accessibility standards required by law, the consequences can be real. In the well-known Target case, the company agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit after people with disabilities were unable to use its website to shop.

Accessible design reduces this risk by supporting compliance from the start. It helps you create products that are fair, responsible, and aligned with legal expectations.

Tips for creating accessible designs

Creating accessible designs does not have to be complex. Small, thoughtful choices can make your interfaces easier and more comfortable for everyone. These practical tips will help you build accessibility into your work, even if you are just getting started.

Tip #1. Make text easy to read

What to do: Focus on typography that supports comfortable, effortless reading.

Why: Good typography helps users recognize letters and track lines without strain. It supports people with low vision, dyslexia, ADHD, or anyone reading quickly on small screens.

How to do:

• Choose accessible fonts such as sans-serif fonts.
• Keep line height close to 1.5 for comfortable reading.
• Limit line length to under 80 characters to help users track lines easily.
• Use left-aligned text so spacing stays steady and natural.
• Avoid very light font weights (below 300). They can look blurry or faint on some screens.

Tip #2. Keep the screen clear and focused

What to do: Create layouts that reduce cognitive load and highlight what matters.

Why: A calm, simple design helps users focus, especially those who struggle with overstimulation or attention difficulties. Clear layouts make the experience easier for everyone.

How to do:

• Remove visual clutter.
• Group related items using comfortable spacing.
• Provide an option to pause animations.

Tip #3. Use color wisely

What to do: Choose colors that improve readability and convey meaning clearly.

Why: Good color choices improve legibility and clarity. They support users with low vision, colorblindness, or sensitivity to bright, high-contrast screens.

How to do:

• Follow WCAG contrast ratios: 4.5:1 for normal body text (smaller than 18 pt regular or 14 pt bold) and 3:1 for large or bold text (18 pt regular or 14 pt bold and above).
• Keep icons and focus indicators at 3:1 contrast or higher.
• Use colors that stay visually distinct for users with colorblindness. Common problem pairs include red and green or green and brown. Safer combinations include blue and orange or purple and yellow. Always test your palette with color-blindness simulators.
• Never rely on color alone to convey information. Combine it with labels, icons, or underlines.
• Test your designs using a free color contrast checker.

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Tip #4. Make interactions clear and forgiving

What to do: Design interactive elements such as buttons, links, menus, and form controls in a way that makes them easy to identify and simple to use.

Why: Users should never have to guess how an interface works. Clear, forgiving interactions reduce errors, support people with motor challenges, low vision, or cognitive load, and make the experience smoother for everyone.

How to do:

• Use clear, descriptive text for links and buttons so users understand where an action will take them.
• Make interactive elements visually distinct from static content using button shapes, borders, or background fills.
• Do not rely on color alone to indicate interactivity. Use secondary cues like underlines or outlines so clickable elements remain clear to all users.
• On touch screens, design buttons, icons, and other touch targets to be at least 44×44 pt, with enough spacing to prevent accidental taps.
• Keep navigation in a consistent location and order across screens so users can rely on familiar patterns.

Example from the W3C website showing accessible interaction design. Links are clearly underlined and change on hover, making them easy to identify. The button uses descriptive text instead of vague labels, so users know exactly what action it performs.

Tip #5. Ensure that form elements include clearly associated labels

What to do: Ensure that every form field has a clear, visible label that explains what information is required.

Why: When fields are not clearly labeled, users may enter the wrong information, miss required fields, or abandon the form. Clear labels support users with low vision, cognitive load, and also people who rely on screen readers to understand and navigate forms.

How to do:

• Place labels close to their corresponding input fields so the relationship is visually clear.
• Keep labels visible at all times. Do not rely on placeholder text alone.
• Use clear, simple wording that matches what users expect to enter.
• Group related fields using spacing, borders, or headings to make longer forms easier to follow.
• Provide clear instructions for complex inputs, such as password rules, character limits, or formatting requirements, and place them near the relevant field so users do not have to guess or retry multiple times.

Tip #6. Provide easily identifiable feedback

What to do: Provide clear, visible feedback that tells users what happened after an action, such as submitting a form, clicking a button, or entering information.

Why: Feedback helps users understand whether an action was successful, needs correction, or requires another step. When feedback is missing, unclear, or easy to miss, users may repeat actions, make errors, or feel unsure about what to do next.

How to do:

• Show feedback near the action or field it relates to, so the connection is obvious.
• Use clear visual signals such as text, icons, and borders to indicate success, errors, or required input.
• Do not rely on color alone. Always pair color with text or symbols.
• Keep feedback visible until the user has time to notice and respond to it.

Tip #7. Use headings and spacing to group related content

What to do: Use headings, spacing, and layout to group related content and show clear relationships between sections.

Why: Grouping content helps users scan pages, understand structure, and stay oriented. Without clear visual grouping, pages can feel overwhelming and difficult to follow.

How to do:

• Use headings to break content into logical sections and describe what follows.
• Add consistent spacing between groups to show where one section ends and another begins.
• Keep related elements visually close and separate unrelated content with whitespace.
• Avoid dense layouts that force users to work harder to understand the page.

Tip #8: Create designs for different viewport sizes

What to do: Create designs that adapt smoothly to different viewport sizes and screen orientations.

Why: People access websites on phones, tablets, laptops, large monitors, and zoomed-in views. If a design only works at one size, users may struggle to read content, tap controls, or navigate the page.

How to do:

• Design responsive layouts that adjust content, spacing, and hierarchy at different breakpoints.
• Ensure text remains readable and buttons remain easy to tap on smaller screens.
• Avoid layouts that require horizontal scrolling or force content off screen.
• Preserve clear structure and visual relationships at every viewport size.

Tip #9. Include image and media alternatives in your design

What to do: Design images and media with alternatives in mind so the same information is available in more than one way.

Why: Not everyone can see images or hear audio. When important information is only conveyed through visuals or sound, some users are left out. Planning for alternatives helps ensure everyone can access the message, regardless of how they consume the content.

How to do:

• Avoid embedding important text inside images. Use real text so the content remains accessible.
• Make sure images that convey meaning are supported by nearby text or captions that explain their purpose.
• Design video layouts that support captions without blocking important visuals.

Wrapping up

Accessible design makes your website clearer, easier, and more comfortable for everyone. It removes barriers, supports more users, and strengthens the quality of the overall experience. When your design works for more people, it becomes more useful and more trustworthy.

Small choices can create a big impact. Simple typography, strong contrast, predictable layouts, and clear interactions help users complete tasks with ease. By bringing accessibility into your design process, you create websites that feel fair, welcoming, and effective.

Accessible design is good design, and it is worth doing.