Common Digital Accessibility Mistakes – and How to Avoid Them

One of the most frequent mistakes is using insufficient contrast between text, graphics, and background, making it hard for users with visual impairments or color blindness to read the content. Even users without vision impairments may struggle in bright environments, such as direct sunlight.

Solution

Ensure that text and information-carrying graphics, such as icons and charts, have sufficient contrast against the background. According to legal requirements, text smaller than 24 pixels should have a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1, while bold text above 19 pixels or large text above 24 pixels should have at least 3:1 contrast.

Using generic link and button texts like “Click here” or “Read more” can make it difficult for screen reader users to understand the purpose of a component. These users often navigate by listing all links on a page out of context. Without clear descriptions, it’s impossible to know what each link or button does.

Solution

Provide meaningful link text that clearly describes its purpose. If the visual context makes the link’s purpose clear, you can add additional descriptions for assistive technologies. However, always prioritize visible, descriptive text.

Many designers use color alone to communicate important messages, such as indicating whether a form field is correctly filled or highlighting values in a chart. This can cause issues for users with color vision deficiencies or those who perceive colors differently.

Solution

Use icons, text, and patterns to reduce reliance on color. This makes content more accessible to a wider audience and improves readability for all users.

Forms are crucial in digital services but often have accessibility issues, making them difficult to use. Common problems include missing labels, instructions placed in placeholder text that disappears when typing, or unclear error messages.

Solution

Always use visible labels that describe the purpose of each form field. Provide instructions either before the field or as part of the label. If an error occurs, display clear messages explaining what went wrong and how to fix it.

A common mistake is assuming that following technical guidelines is enough to ensure accessibility. However, real users have diverse needs and may encounter issues that weren’t anticipated.

Solution

Test with real users throughout the development process when creating new systems or testing existing functionality. User feedback provides valuable insights that automated tools cannot detect.

Publishing videos without captions excludes a large group of users, including those with hearing impairments. Even users in sound-restricted environments, such as commuters or parents with sleeping children, may struggle to access video content without captions.

Solution

Add captions to all videos. Ideally, provide captions that can be toggled on and off rather than embedding them directly into the video.

Many factors impact how well a website or digital content works with screen readers. A good starting point is to:

• Use standard HTML elements whenever possible.
• Structure headings with proper tags.
• Implement ARIA attributes where needed to enhance clarity for screen reader users, such as labeling buttons and links or indicating dynamic content changes.
• Test with screen readers to ensure expected output. Keep in mind that users navigate screen readers in different ways, so testing with real users (as noted in point 8) is highly beneficial.

Conclusion

Improving accessibility goes beyond following basic guidelines. By avoiding these common mistakes and actively conducting accessibility analyses and user testing, you can ensure your digital platform is accessible to as many users as possible, regardless of their needs.

Need help ensuring your digital presence meets accessibility best practices? Contact Consid for a comprehensive accessibility analysis and expert guidance to take your platform to the next level.