Digital Accessibility

Jon Fredelius

It’s a chilly day in December when we meet Jon Fredelius at Consid’s office in the coastal city of Halmstad. Advent candles and Christmas stars can be seen in the windows surrounding us. Inside the office, it’s warm as we settle down with cups of coffee. Jon is an IT consultant at Consid, specializing in digital accessibility. Join us as we explore what digital accessibility really means and how Jon found his way to Consid.

Awareness is the first step toward addressing digital accessibility.

From Retail Salesperson to IT Consultant

Jon’s background is in retail, but he changed careers about eight years ago to become a frontend developer. Alongside his role as a developer, he began developing an interest in digital accessibility, particularly as new accessibility requirements for the public sector were introduced.

– This led to me doing a lot of accessibility analysis and advisory work for clients, which has grown increasingly comprehensive over time,” he explains.

Today, Jon works almost exclusively with digital accessibility and inclusion in various capacities—strategically, practically, as well as advising and training colleagues and clients.

– For me, it’s important to listen and ask follow-up questions to understand the big picture. It’s also key to provide nuanced answers when questions arise, as there’s rarely only one solution. I often hear colleagues say, ‘I should’ve expected that,’ when my answer to their question is, ‘it depends’, Jon says with a laugh.

What is digital accessibility?

– At its core, digital accessibility is about creating equal opportunities for everyone in digital environments, regardless of their circumstances or impairments.

He continues:

– Many people probably think of the typical impairments, like wheelchair users or those with visual impairments. But there’s a wide spectrum of both permanent and temporary, as well as situational, conditions that influence how individuals can perceive and engage with digital solutions and content. These conditions can also evolve over time, especially as we age. In the end, digital accessibility is something that concerns us all.

Jon sees a significant gap between how digital solutions are designed and developed and the actual needs of users.

– We live in an increasingly digital world, and just like the physical world, that world should be for everyone. Isn’t it reasonable, then, for digital solutions and usability to reflect the diversity of our society?

Two men sitting by a desk looking at a computer and pointing at something on the screen. They are smiling.

The New Accessibility Act

On June 28, 2025, a new digital accessibility law will take effect, extending requirements previously applied to the public sector to much of the private sector.

– The law will likely reference the European standard for accessibility, EN 301 549. This standard includes guidelines from the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), as well as requirements for accessible documentation and respecting user preferences, such as increased text size and contrast settings.

The most common challenge Jon observes among clients today is a lack of expertise and the failure to integrate accessibility early in the process.

– When working with accessibility, you need to include it as early as possible in the process and maintain it throughout. If you don’t, making adjustments later tends to be difficult and often negatively affects the end result. Such an approach usually ends up being both more expensive and less effective in the long run, he explains.

What’s the most important lesson about working with digital accessibility?

– Working with accessibility has many positive effects. Not only does it create more accessible products that reach a broader audience, but it also fosters more efficient workflows and improved communication within an organization. When everyone knows what’s required and works towards the same goal, there are fewer unnecessary discussions and more gets done. This, in turn, contributes to cost efficiency, which should interest both the public and private sectors.

Jon suggests starting small rather than trying to tackle everything at once, as this can feel overwhelming if you’re new to accessibility work.

– Instead, look for the simple things and start there. That way, you can see progress and gradually learn more. Then you can move on to bigger challenges, and by that time, you’ll hopefully have started to appreciate the benefits of working with digital accessibility.

The most important thing, Jon emphasizes, is to recognize that people are different and perceive information in various ways.

– Put yourself in the shoes of other users—people who don’t function the same way you do. Awareness is the first step toward effectively working with digital accessibility, and the most important thing is to start! Progress is more important than perfection.

A picture of two women in black and white. Three symbols illustrating different disabilities.

The Future of Digital Accessibility

Jon recently participated in a project where accessibility was a key focus.

– We developed a design system for a large government agency. We were a close-knit team with open communication and room to discuss and discard ideas, often arriving at excellent solutions in the end.

He believes the project’s success was due to their multi-faceted approach to problems and solutions.

– There was no ego in the team about what we did. We all just wanted the solutions to be great, and everyone contributed in different ways. We also maintained close dialogue with the other teams that would use the design system, which gave us valuable insights into how components and patterns worked with real content and under various circumstances.

Looking ahead, Jon predicts increasing demand for digital accessibility.

– Next year’s accessibility law builds on the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which covers the entire EU. In addition, the U.S. recently strengthened rights for individuals with disabilities through the introduction of ADA Title II this summer. Providers who don’t prioritize accessibility will likely struggle to stay competitive in the long term.

He continues:

– I also think we’ll see more use of AI in different aspects of accessibility work, which could change workflows and enable more innovative and accessible solutions. However, this assumes that we use AI responsibly and with a clear understanding of both its potential and limitations.

A man, Jon Fredelius, in a bluegreen shirt standing in front of a Consid-sign outside.

Do you want to discuss opportunities and ideas? Reach out to Jon.

Jon Fredelius

IT-consultant and digital accessibility expert.

jon.fredelius@consid.se

0739708225

Accessibility checklist

The first step in meeting the new accessibility requirements is to evaluate the current accessibility of your website or app interface. Therefore, in this basic checklist, we have compiled the most crucial checkpoints for accessibility based on WCAG 2.1 levels A-AA.

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