VOL. III · CH. 3.33 · COMPONENT
Accessibility Foundations
Not a checklist bolted on at the end — a requirement that shapes every other chapter in this Part.
1 min read · 147 words
3.33.1Definition & Core Requirements
Accessibility ensures a product is usable by people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive differences — via keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, sufficient color contrast, and predictable interaction patterns.
3.33.2Common Mistakes
- Treating accessibility as a final audit pass rather than a constraint considered during design.
- Relying on color alone to convey meaning (e.g., red/green status with no additional indicator).
- Custom interactive components with no keyboard support, unusable without a mouse.
3.33.3Best Practices
- Meet WCAG AA contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text) as a baseline, not an aspiration.
- Test every interactive component for full keyboard operability, not just visual appearance.
- Pair color-coded status with an icon or text label, never color alone.
ExampleGovernment digital services (e.g., GOV.UK) build accessibility in from the first design pass specifically because legal accessibility requirements make it a launch-blocking constraint, not an optional polish item.