Why Accessibility Should be Everyone's Job

Have you ever tried to book a flight online, but the website's buttons are too small to tap on your phone, the text is so light you can barely read it, and there's no way to navigate without a mouse.

Frustrating, right?

Now imagine that's your daily reality because you have a visual impairment or motor disability. This is where accessibility comes in, and why it can't just be one person's problem to solve.

What Accessibility Really Means (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

Let's start simple and clear like a bright sunny day. Web accessibility means making websites and apps usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Realistically in physical world, think of it like building a ramp alongside stairs, you're not removing the stairs, you're just making sure everyone can get to the same place.

But most people don't realize that accessibility benefits everyone. Don't believe us? Let's walk through some of the accessibility concept without thinking about the 'accessible' label.

• Those captions you use when watching videos in a noisy café? That's accessibility.
• The voice commands you use while driving? Also accessibility.

When we design for people with disabilities, we often end up creating better experiences for everyone.

The numbers tell a compelling story too.

Over 1.3 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, that's about 16% of the global population!

In business terms, that's a massive market segment you don't want to exclude. Plus, in many countries web accessibility is becoming legally required, not just morally right.

Why the "Just Fix It in Code" Approach Doesn't Work

Traditionally, accessibility has been treated like a last-minute fix. The design is done, the content is written, the user flows are mapped out, and then—OOOH WAIT—someone remembers accessibility.

"Can you just make this accessible?"
they ask the developer, as if it's a simple toggle switch.

Pause.

We will always kindly remind you that accessibility isn't something you can sprinkle on top like seasoning. It's more like the foundation of a house since it needs to be planned from the ground up.

When accessibility becomes solely the developer's responsibility, several problems emerge:

• First, developers inherit decisions they didn't make.
  If a designer chooses a color scheme with poor contrast, or a content writer creates confusing navigation labels, the developer is stuck trying to work around these fundamental issues. It's like asking a chef to make a delicious meal but only giving them spoiled ingredients.

• Second, fixing accessibility problems late in the process is expensive and time-consuming.
  It often requires redesigning components, rewriting content, or even restructuring entire user flows. What could have been prevented with early planning becomes a costly retrofit.

Most importantly, this approach misses the forest for the trees. Developers can make sure screen readers can navigate the code properly, but they can't fix unclear content, illogical user flows, or design patterns that exclude certain users. Accessibility is fundamentally about the user experience, not just the technical implementation.

Let's Push The Power of Shared Ownership

So what happens when everyone takes ownership of accessibility?
Magic, that's what.

When designers think about accessibility from the start, they choose color palettes with sufficient contrast, create layouts that work at different zoom levels, and design clear visual hierarchies. They consider how their design decisions impact users with various abilities and make intentional choices that include rather than exclude.

When content creators and copywriters (hey it's me!) prioritize accessibility, they write clear, jargon-free text, create descriptive link text instead of generic "click here" phrases, and structure content with proper headings. They understand that their words are often the primary way users navigate and understand a website.

When UX designers and researchers include accessibility in their process, they test with diverse user groups, create user flows that work for different interaction methods, and design features that are intuitive for users with various cognitive abilities.

When product managers champion accessibility, they allocate proper time and resources, make it part of the definition of done, and ensure accessibility requirements are clear from project inception. They understand that accessibility is a feature, not a bug fix.

When QA testers include accessibility in their testing process, they catch issues before they reach users, test with assistive technologies, and understand what good accessibility looks and feels like.

And yes, when developers are part of this collaborative approach rather than bearing sole responsibility, they can focus on implementing accessibility correctly rather than trying to compensate for upstream decisions.

Let's Move From Individual Burden to Team Superpower

The beauty of shared ownership is that it doesn't require everyone to become accessibility experts overnight. Let's starts with awareness and grows through collaboration.

Begin by including accessibility considerations in your existing processes.

• In design reviews, ask "How will this work for users who can't see color?"
• In content reviews, ask "Is this language clear for users with cognitive disabilities?"
• In sprint planning, include accessibility tasks alongside feature development, not as an afterthought.

Create cross-functional accessibility champions, people from each team who can learn a bit more and help guide their colleagues. These champions can share knowledge, catch potential issues early, and advocate for inclusive practices within their specialties.

Most importantly, start measuring accessibility alongside other quality metrics. If you track page load times and conversion rates, also track accessibility compliance and user satisfaction among people with disabilities.

What gets measured gets improved.

The Ripple Effect of Inclusive Thinking

When teams embrace shared accessibility ownership, something wonderful happens. Collaboratively, they start thinking more inclusively about everything. They consider users in different contexts, with different needs, and different ways of interacting with technology. This inclusive mindset leads to innovations and improvements that benefit all users.

Teams that prioritize accessibility often find they're also creating more robust, flexible, and user-friendly products overall. They write clearer content, design more intuitive interfaces, and build more reliable technical implementations. Accessibility becomes a lens for quality, not just compliance.

Let's Go Far, Together?

You don't have to figure this out alone. Whether you're just starting your accessibility journey or looking to level up your current practices, there are resources designed to meet you where you are.

If you're curious about where your website currently stands, consider trying a free audit with Access Lens while it's in beta. It's a great way to get baseline insights without any commitment.

For teams ready to dive deeper and create comprehensive accessibility strategies, the AccessTime team offers consultancy services that can help you build sustainable, inclusive practices across your entire organization.

The most important step is simply starting.
Begin those conversations,
ask those questions,
and remember, accessibility isn't about perfection, it's about progress.

Every small step toward inclusion makes a difference in someone's digital experience.

When we stop treating accessibility as one person's job and start seeing it as everyone's opportunity to create better experiences, we can build inclusive, more innovative, thoughtful, and successful products too!