Accessibility is the practice of creating inclusive products, services, and experiences that are usable by as many people as possible. By removing barriers that impact visual, physical, auditory, and cognitive disabilities or impairments, DDS can help create better digital experiences for all.
Disabilities and impairments can be permanent, situational, or temporary. Various limitations mean that a piece of critical information should be delivered in alternate ways, such as text, audio, and visual formats. For example:
- Blindness or low vision may mean that a person primarily perceives and interacts with content via a screen reader.
- Deafness, hard of hearing, or use of a device without headphones in a noisy environment necessitates closed captioning or audio description on a video.
- Fatigue or stress may require a graphic, short video, or simple text to prevent cognitive overload.
- For those with fine motor disabilities unable to use a mouse, logically ordered content is necessary when using a keyboard to navigate.
Accessible design empowers all people to equally experience and interact with the world.