Mastering accessible design: basic tips and tools for every website

1 in 6 people around the world live with a disability, and that number is growing. That’s why learning the basics of accessible design is key—it keeps your site ahead and works better for everyone. In this piece, we’ll share simple tips and tools to help you add accessibility to your web design process.

Why accessibility matters in web design

The goal of accessible design is to make sure your site works for everyone, regardless of their health conditions or impairments. 

As a designer, it’s your job to keep things simple and easy to use, whether it’s for seniors needing bigger text, people who struggle with colors, or users from different language backgrounds. And it’s not just about helping those with disabilities—accessibility makes things better for everyone, even if they’re just dealing with temporary stuff like eye strain.

Who benefits from accessible websites

Accessible websites work for everyone—whether they’re dealing with temporary or permanent limitations. But let’s break it down into a few key groups of people.

People with visual impairments

This includes users with blindness, color blindness, or low vision. They need features like alt text for images, scalable fonts, and high-contrast color schemes.

People with hearing impairments 

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, captions, and transcripts are essential for any audio or video content on your site.

People with motor disabilities

Those who can’t use a mouse rely on keyboard navigation, so your site should work smoothly without requiring a mouse.

People with cognitive disabilities

Users with conditions like ADHD or dyslexia benefit from simple layouts, clear calls to action, and content that’s easy to follow.

People with temporary disabilities

This could be someone with a broken arm who can’t use a mouse or someone with eye strain who struggles with small text. Designing with these users in mind makes your site more adaptable for everyone.

Tips for meeting accessibility guidelines

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set the standard for making websites accessible to everyone. Here’s how to follow them. 

Use strong contrast

Make your text pop against the background so it’s easy to read. Contrast checker tools like WebAIM can help you hit the right balance while keeping it stylish.

Keep navigation simple

Go for clear layouts and use straightforward text for buttons and links. Skip vague stuff like “click here” and instead use phrases like “Read more about our services” or “Download the guide”.

Add alt text to images

Give every important image a short, clear description so users who can’t see it still get the context.

Make keyboard navigation easy

Make sure users can navigate your site without a mouse. All buttons, links, and forms should work with keyboard shortcuts.

Organize with headings

Use headings (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content and help people—and screen readers—find their way around. This is also great for SEO.

For more on good web design practices, check out the article 5 Things to Remember When Designing the Web, where you’ll find some modern etiquette rules for designers.

Tools for accessibility optimization 

Once you’ve made your site more accessible, it’s time to test if everything works as it should. Here are some handy tools to help you out:

• WAVE provides a visual report on how your site stacks up against accessibility guidelines, flagging things like low contrast, missing alt text, or unclear labels.
• Hotjar can help you understand user behavior through heatmaps and session recordings and give you insights into how accessible (or frustrating) your site might feel for users.
• Lighthouse. This Chrome extension generates an accessibility score and suggests ways to improve your web accessibility.

These aren’t the only tools available. For more suggestions and tips, check out a piece based on a conversation with Tiina Golub, a UK-based product designer and writer who’s passionate about digital accessibility.