Accessibility Isn’t Just a Box-Ticking Exercise
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Accessibility isn’t just a box-ticking exercise — it’s a core responsibility of good tech.
When we began the process of getting the Genius Finder platform WCAG 2.2 AA compliant, I assumed we’d pass the audit with minimal advisories. After all, the platform already had a well-structured, well-designed UI.
However, as we progressed through multiple rounds of testing, a few things became clear:
- 1. Features we’d considered polished were unusable to some users.
- 2. Interfaces we’d thought of as intuitive were anything but.
- 3. Accessibility needed to shift from being a pre-deployment check to one of the first steps in the design process.
The process was incredibly valuable. It gave us space to step back, question assumptions, and ensure the platform is genuinely usable by all types of users.
Three lessons I’ve learned:
- 1. There’s no “definition of done” for accessibility — it’s a mindset, not a milestone.
- 2. Automation tools help cover the basics, but real user testing finds the gaps.
- 3. Accessibility-first design forces genuine collaboration between designers, developers, and content creators.
Accessibility isn’t just about compliance. It’s about building trust by making sure every user has an equal experience.
#Accessibility #Inclusion #AssistiveTechnology #TechForGood