Get started with accessibility work – 5 important steps

Test

Starting to work with digital accessibility can feel overwhelming, but by taking the right steps from the beginning, the process becomes both simpler and more effective. Here are five concrete tips to help you get started and create a more inclusive digital experience for everyone.

1. Appoint a responsible trio

To move accessibility work forward, someone needs to take responsibility. Appoint a group of 2–3 people with various competencies within the team – for example, from UX, development, and testing. This way, you can cover the most important aspects and ensure that accessibility is integrated throughout the entire design and development process.

💡 Tip: Review your existing knowledge and consider if you need to supplement with training or external experts.

2. Start with simple tests – “Easy Checks” from W3C

A good start is to use W3C’s “Easy Checks,” a collection of tests that can be performed on any web page.

What do you test?

• Contrast and readability

• Structure and semantic HTML

• Keyboard navigation

• Text alternatives for images

The results provide a quick and basic indication of the page’s accessibility and can help you prioritize improvements.

📌 Read more here: W3C Easy Checks

3. Use design patterns and code examples from W3C

To avoid common accessibility problems, it’s good to start with proven solutions. On the ARIA Patterns page from W3C, you’ll find design patterns and code examples showing how interactive components – such as menus, dialogs, and buttons – can be made accessible.

Good for both developers and testers

• Developers get concrete examples of how ARIA attributes should be used.

• Testers can use the information to understand how, for example, a checkbox should function when tabbing.

📌 Link to W3C Patterns: ARIA Patterns

4. Have a joint kick-off

To succeed with accessibility work, commitment from the entire team is required. Create a “Let’s do this!” feeling where everyone feels involved and motivated.

💡 Consider:

• Accessibility is not a one-time effort – it’s a long-term commitment.

• By involving more of the team, the risk of accessibility being forgotten in later stages of development decreases.

Set a clear plan and involve everyone from the start!

5. Test together and download tools

Sometimes the biggest obstacle is simply getting started. Do it together instead!

Here’s how:

1. Gather the team and choose a web page to test.

2. Download the necessary tools.

3. Go through a checklist and identify areas for improvement.

Benefits:

• It becomes both more fun and more educational.

• You quickly get an idea of which problems are most common.

📌 Link to Bookmarklets for testing

Do you need help?

We can help you get started with your accessibility work! Read more about our offers at uxare.design and contact us for an introduction.