Including Accessibility From The Beginning

Inclusive design is a crucial component for inclusion, diversity and equity policies. As companies broaden these policies, it’s more important than ever to incorporate accessibility to:

Prevent tedious programming corrections in digital spaces
Avoid ADA accessibility lawsuits
Create inclusive and equitable digital spaces for all consumers

Preventing reprogramming

People with disabilities use the web to engage on social media, shop on apps and to conduct personal and professional business. Disabled people make up 25 percent of the population, and disability is the biggest minority as it intersects with all other identities.

Considering digital accessibility from the beginning of a project means a company will avoid the eventual process of reprogramming digital platforms. Sixty million disabled Americans want to access these platforms. However, when a company fails to implement inclusive design in the beginning, it leads to:

Considering inclusive design from the ground up is just good business practice.

Avoiding ADA lawsuits

ADA lawsuits are on the rise. It’s frustrating when a disabled consumer bumps up against accessibility barriers in digital spaces. In most cases, the disability is not the obstacle, the lack of inclusive design is the barrier.

Inclusive practices are crucial to building an inclusive brand. The lack of inclusion and accessibility is a problem, especially in digital spaces that are necessary, such as:

Online medical forms
Academic registration
Financial transactions

Disabled people have every right to independently access digital platforms without accessibility barriers. It’s about equal access.

When a company overlooks equal access, there’s potential risk for an ADA lawsuit to be filed. This will lead to legal expenses and likely end up in correction expenses for a company to resolve the issue.

All a company has to do to avoid legal action is to incorporate inclusive design in the planning of digital spaces, long before the actual creation starts.

Creating inclusive and equitable spaces

Inclusive design is just the right thing to do. It’s a beacon informing consumers that a company cared enough to consider accessibility from the start.

Inclusive design also means anyone can access a space at any time. Disability is the largest growing minority group, because disability is a part of life. Anyone can become disabled at any point. When inclusive design is considered and incorporated, it provides for all consumers, not just some.

Inclusive design advocates and disability justice activists will recognize and promote companies considering inclusive design. Companies have the opportunity to be inclusive design trailblazers right now. When influential disabled activists take notice, the hive often takes notice.

This broadens the market reach, leading to business in addition to avoiding potential fixes and legal expenses.

Incorporating accessibility from the start can seem overwhelming and expensive. It usually does not cost as much as you think, and it is almost guaranteed to cost more if you do not launch a website or app with inclusive design.

Let Outlook Business Solutions help you ensure your product or service is accessible to everyone. Ally Support, our new accessibility offering, lets you add accessibility expertise to your team without adding full-time staff. We can make sure accessibility is included into every aspect of your project so you do not have to worry about whether your company is ADA compliant or following best practices outlined in the WCAG.