Accessibility: do it for the users - not just to comply with the law

With the new EU Accessibility Directive rolling out very soon, accessibility is a central topic right now for many companies offering their services digitally. We can’t ignore them, and we shouldn’t. However, accessibility isn't just about complying with legal requirements – it's good practice, responsible, and makes your product better for everyone. That was the key message we laid out at our Hanegal last week. Keep on reading as we take you through the main takeaways from our event.

When we talk about “making digital products accessible” we often, by default, connote to major permanent impairments like blindness, deafness, or being mute. The reality is, that we all, most likely at some point in our lives will experience some kind of impairment, be it permanent (like losing a limb), temporary (like a concussion) or situational (the sun hitting the screen on your device). So in truth, digital accessibility is not just about catering a small audience, it’s something we can all benefit from.

And when we sometimes design for specific impairments, we actually end up improving the accessibility for a much wider audience. We call that the spill-over effect, or curb-cut effect. The latter stems from WW2 when many american veterans ended up in wheelchairs, and curbs needed to be redesigned (cut) so they could access side walks. The reality was, this design change benefitting so many more, people on bikes, with strollers, suitcases, and so on. 

Okay, back to digital.

What do you do, as one of Denmark's largest energy companies with more than one million customers, when not just one, but several users with visual impairments reach out and say: “I can’t use your app?” You listen. And in 2022 Andel Energi listened and acted, led by Susanne Flensmark, Senior Digital Consultant at Andel Energi. According to her, you’re obligated to act when you serve such a large and wide portion of the population. 

It’s a responsibility and a necessity to ensure accessible digital solutions for all users — and Andel Energi have been working with improving the accessibility in their solutions for many years - not because they legally have to with the incoming EU Directive - but because good user experiences should include everyone.

We were so excited to be joined by Pernille Severinsen, a long-time friend of Adapt, who offered a powerful personal perspective. Living with limited vision, she highlighted how everyday tasks can become unnecessarily difficult when accessibility is ignored. For example, she can experience difficulty commuting or getting around if signs or the transportation app is not accessible. She often ends up in the men’s restroom because of overly designed icons, and brings binoculars to the theatre or gymnastics shows.

She had a clear message: design shouldn’t be complicated—it should simply work for everyone. We couldn’t agree more.

Accessibility should be seen as an essential part of the design and development of any digital solution. But we know from experience, how challenging it can be to prove it’s worth and convince leadership to make it a strategic priority. That’s why we highlighted several business values at our Hanegal that accessibility directly enhances. 

Make accessibility your edge

That wraps up the key points made at our Hanegal event. If you’ve made it this far and are thinking, “Where do I start?”— we’ve got a suggestion. Take a look at our Accessibility Audit which provides a clear, actionable assessment to help you move forward.

Accessibility is one of our favourite topics (we could seriously talk about it all day), so if you’re even a little curious about how it can become part of your digital strategy—get in touch. We’re always ready to chat.