Why Accessibility is Important
Embracing an Inclusive World
Did you know that around one in five people in the UK have some form of disability, as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)? This significant demographic underlines the gravity of the question: Why is accessibility important?
Accessibility is not merely an optional extra or a corporate social responsibility checkmark. It is a fundamental human right, as emphasised by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It impacts approximately 20% of your customers or workforce.
However, the importance of accessibility extends beyond statistics and legal requirements. Accessibility benefits all of us—whether you identify as disabled or not.
Accessibility: Empowering Individuals, Boosting Businesses
The implementation of accessible designs allows everyone, including people with disabilities, to fully participate in society. Whether it’s shopping online, working remotely, accessing educational materials, or just socialising on a platform, everyone deserves an equal opportunity to engage without barriers. By ignoring accessibility, you’re inadvertently excluding a considerable portion of your audience.
From a business perspective, accessibility is a solid investment. Organisations that embrace accessibility increase their reach, enhance their brand reputation, and ensure they aren’t losing potential customers or talented employees due to inaccessible environments or tools.
Accessibility: A Procurement Requirement
Accessibility is now a procurement requirement in many sectors. Consequently, the lack of accessible design can limit your company’s opportunities. However, retrofitting an existing application or tool to meet accessibility needs can be a significant undertaking—both in terms of time and cost.
The Case for Proactive Accessibility
At Blazie, we advocate for a proactive approach to accessibility. It’s crucial to consider accessibility from the outset of any project. This approach ensures you create products and services that are inherently accessible, rather than retrofitting them after the fact.
Incorporating accessibility in the initial stages of design and development can:
Increase Efficiency: Accessibility incorporated from the outset can speed up project timelines by avoiding costly and time-consuming adjustments later.
Improve User Experience: Accessible designs tend to be more user-friendly, benefitting all users—not just those with disabilities.
Enhance SEO: Many accessibility guidelines align with SEO best practices, thereby improving your website’s visibility on search engines.
Drive Innovation: Accessibility challenges can spark creativity and innovation, leading to better products and services.
Digital Accessibility Consulting: We’re Here to Help
Understanding why accessibility is important is the first step. The next is acting on this understanding. At Blazie, we’re here to guide you through this journey. We can help make your products and services more accessible and inclusive, catering to the needs of all your users.
So let’s embark on this path towards a more inclusive future. Speak to us today about how we can help to make your products and services more accessible. Remember, an accessible world benefits everyone.