The process of identifying barriers that prevent a person from using a product or service as it was intended.

The process of identifying barriers that prevent a person from using a product or service as it was intended.

26% of adults in America have a disability (CDC). Usability issues that may be a small annoyance for someone without disabilities can be a complete barrier to someone with a disability.

Everyone has abilities, and limits to those abilities. Designing for people with permanent disabilities actually results in designs that benefit people universally. Constraints are a beautiful thing.

As part of inclusive, universal design, accessibility evaluations:

• Increase user interaction efficiency
• Ensure that the product or service is intuitive or easy to master
• Measure the degree to which the user is satisfied with the experience of interacting with the product or service
• Offer the greatest value possible to its intended users
• Improve marketability of product to larger segment of society
• Save money and time spent on lawsuits and re-designs

From 2017-2018, there was a 177% increase in lawsuits against websites for being inaccessible. Even Domino’s and Beyoncé have been sued, people. In the Work 2.0 landscape where livelihoods are increasingly predicated on remote access, tech that excludes 26% of the population is a bigger issue than ever.

• to understand how to improve access for people with disabilities, so they can participate in society and live independently.
• to document a product or service’s conformance with legal requirements