1 in 8 Dutch people have a physical, intellectual, sensory or mental disability. This makes it far from always easy for everyone to use a website or web application. We are talking about 20 to 50% of the population that cannot (completely) use a website or web application. Excluding such a large target group is obviously not desirable and does not enable you as an organization to be socially responsible. In the long run, this could cause damage to your image or negatively affect your business results.
An accessible website or web application ensures that everyone has a good user experience. This sounds simple, but there are many target groups to consider. Consider:
Legislators at all levels consider accessibility important and there are several legal obligations that you, as a business owner, must comply with. Which obligations these are, depends on the sector and country you are operating in. In the Netherlands, the Digital Accessibility Decree states that as of September 23, 2020, all government websites must be accessible. From September 23, 2021, this also applies to all mobile applications.
In Europe, there is the European Accessibility Act, which sets similar obligations for government and other sectors (such as e-commerce). If an organization or company does not comply with this, there can be consequences for your business (such as a lawsuit/branding damage).
Most legislation uses WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) as a guideline. Currently, WCAG 2.1 level AA is required as a minimum. Soon this requirement will be tightened to version 2.2, level AA.
The majority of developers and designers lack accessibility knowledge. Due to the lack of knowledge, the website is not developed or tested accessible. Website accessibility is therefore not integrated throughout the development process, which can cause the following common problems:
At Ibuildings, digital accessibility is an integrated part of our development process. We strive for digital accessibility for all and therefore ensure that our websites and our apps are digitally accessible. You can contact us for, among other things:
Every project is different so we provide a tailored approach for your website or app.