Mobile-first accessibility: designing for everyone in the age of smartphones

The European Accessibility Act (EAA)
– Designing for Everyone

In today's digital age, accessibility is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Designing for everyone means creating digital products that can be used by more people, regardless of their abilities. But what exactly is accessibility, and why should you (or your company) care?

Accessibility means creating digital products for a wider group of individuals. The fact that we are all unique–with different ways of experiencing and navigating through the world–is something to be celebrated. As designers, the responsibility and ability to create digital products that can be used by a wider audience lies with us. Despite the challenges that come with this responsibility, it is an honorable task to make the web a friendlier, more inclusive space. 

What is a Disability? What is Accessibility?

There is a broad spectrum of disabilities, which includes permanent, temporary, and situational. All must be considered when designing digital products. Mobile is no different: as users spend more time on screens year over year, ensuring our digital products are robust and able to be used in a variety of situations becomes more important than ever. 

Often, people don’t even consider themselves disabled, regardless of the type or severity of their ‘disability’. Types of Disabilities include:

• Permanent
  These are long-term disabilities that do not change over time, such as blindness or deafness.

• Temporary
  These are short-term disabilities, like a broken arm or temporary vision impairment.

• Situational
  These occur due to specific situations, such as trying to use a mobile phone in bright sunlight or listen to a voice memo in a noisy environment.

As you can see, it’s not always a black or white situation when thinking about designing accessible products, and with users interacting with phones in a huge variety of situations and ways, our mobile designs should be perhaps the most versatile of all. 

Accessibility rules for mobile products

In the age of mobile first design, these scenarios also apply to designs and digital products for mobile. Many companies have started designing “mobile first," and it is all the trend to have an app! But new accessibility regulations are coming into effect soon, and are putting a spotlight on digital products.

There is a set of rules when it comes to designing for accessibility. As a designer, it’s important to keep these principles in mind throughout your work. The guiding principles, as published per WCAG are as follows:

• Perceivable – Information must be presented to users in a way they can perceive.

• Operable – Components and navigation must be operable.

• Understandable – Both content and interface must be understandable.

• Robust – Content must be interpreted by multiple agents, including assistive technologies

Who is affected by the European Accessibility Act’s regulations? 

The European Accessibility Act does not apply to everyone equally. Below is an overview of who is covered by the regulations and who is exempt.

You can consider your or your company’s digital products under the umbrella of regulation, if you: 

• A provider of digital products such as websites, mobile apps, and other digital products.

• Private sector entities including digital maps intended for navigational use, e-commerce, banking, ticketing, check-in machines, websites and mobile services, access to audio-visual media services, and mobile apps.

Who Doesn’t It Apply To?

Certain exceptions also apply: 

• Public sector (which has a different set of guidelines).

• Online maps and mapping services, if essential info is provided in an accessible digital manner for maps intended for navigational use.

• Content of mobile apps that qualify as ‘Archives’ before June 2025.

• Third-party content that is not under the control of the operator.

In Addition, there are many other legislative examples of laws passed to ensure accessible products in The United States, Australia, UK, and many others.

Deep Dive: What Are the Standards?

The following section provides an overview of the key standards and requirements for mobile products and time-based media. They help ensure accessibility in practical implementation. 

Key Compliance Points for Mobile include:

WCAG 2.1 (soon: 2.2) AA compliance across web products.

For mobile products, WCAG 2.1 (soon 2.2) in AA compliance is particularly important and is considered the standard for all web and digital products.

In addition, voice control must be possible, while at the same time a non-verbal method of control must also be offered. The protection of sensitive data is especially important - this information must not be spoken aloud. When using biometrics, it must be ensured that this is not the only option; alternative methods must always be available. Key repeat rates must be adjustable and allow for at least a two-second delay. For double-tapping, the reaction time should be at least 0.5 seconds. Functions that require simultaneous user actions, such as pinch-to-zoom, must not be assumed - alternative control options are required.

Time-based media have additional requirements. Videos need subtitles as well as spoken subtitles, and there must always be an alternative way to communicate the video content. The order of hover states and event sequences must be logical and comprehensible.

Navigation also plays a key role. A correct focus sequence must be provided, the purpose of links should always be clear in context, and each page needs a meaningful title. Multiple navigation options should be offered, and headings and labels should be clearly structured and understandable. A visible focus on all controls is mandatory.

Various input aids play an important role in implementing accessibility. For example, errors must be clearly identified, and status messages must be displayed in a way that users can easily understand. Clear and legible labels are also required.

Content distinguishability is equally important. This includes meeting minimum contrast requirements and the deliberate use of color - either purely decorative or with sufficient contrast when conveying essential information. Text should be resizable, and text should only be used as an image for decorative purposes.

In the future, new requirements will also apply. For example, drag-and-drop functionality must ensure that focus, selection, and drag states are present and operable via keyboard or other alternative input methods. There must also be a confirmation option for reordering items.

The target size of interactive elements should be at least 24x24dp to ensure accessible operation. If assistance is provided, it should be consistently available, and in the case of extended authentication, AAA compliance is required.

How to Convince Your Boss, Stakeholder, or Leadership Team

Accessibility often seems like an afterthought, but we as designers have a new opportunity to convince stakeholders. With EU regulations and hefty fines as looming consequences, there are suddenly more conversations about compliance and legality. When it comes to accessibility, designing for all creates a product that more people can use and love, thus generating more income and not excluding potential clients or customers. This is a win-win for all.

Looking for arguments? We got you covered!

It can feel like an uphill battle trying to advocate for accessibility in a company setting. Busy leadership teams typically focus on the bottom line, shipping new features, and driving business, so these topics tend to take precedence over tech and design debt, sustainability, or accessibility.

However, with some patience and persistence, I’ve found it’s helpful to explain the importance of accessibility in terms these various stakeholders understand. Try and address the needs of your audience when discussing accessibility, and explain the benefits to the company and team.

First, you can start with the legal obligation: complying with standards protects the company from penalties and legal issues. Accessibility also leads to a larger market reach because accessible products reach more users - not just those with permanent disabilities, but also older people or those in temporarily restricted situations. It also improves user experience, as accessible design usually results in clear navigation, easy-to-understand information, and a better user experience for everyone. Finally, and especially if talking with the marketing department, explain how the brand image benefits, too. Companies that prioritize accessibility are seen as inclusive, modern, and responsible.

Still having trouble? Try these:

To drive accessibility internally, it’s worth emphasizing legal requirements such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA). But sometimes, these tactics still won’t be enough. If your company or stakeholders are still on the fence, I’ve had some success presenting success stories from other companies, which can help demonstrate how competitors have already benefited from accessible design. For the data-driven colleagues, emphasize the return on investment (ROI); for example, by providing data that shows accessible offerings lead to higher engagement and more revenue. Highlighting lower maintenance costs can also be persuasive, as accessible websites are generally better structured and require less ongoing maintenance and corrections. Finally, the best thing you can do is seek out allies in your work environment. It is helpful to find internal advocates to help you advance the topic together.

Conclusion

Designing for accessibility is not just about compliance; it’s about creating inclusive digital products that everyone can use. By understanding the principles and standards of accessibility, and effectively communicating their importance to stakeholders, we can build a more inclusive digital world.