When people talk about accessibility, it’s often pigeonholed into one of three categories: a design issue, a coding issue, or a content issue. The truth is, it’s all three. And the best digital accessibility happens at the intersection of design, code, and content—not in isolation, but in harmony.
Accessibility isn’t just about ticking legal boxes or avoiding lawsuits. It’s about creating inclusive, usable experiences for everyone—including the one in five people in the UK who have a disability. That includes visual, auditory, cognitive, physical, and neurological impairments.
To achieve true accessibility, we need a holistic approach that respects how these three pillars interact. Let’s explore how each contributes, where they overlap, and why the sweet spot lies firmly in the middle.
1. Accessible Design: More Than Aesthetics
Good design is about solving problems. In accessibility, it solves the problem of how people interact with information.
Key Considerations:
- Colour contrast: Ensuring text is readable against its background.
- Font choice and size: Avoiding ornate or overly condensed fonts; providing scalable text.
- Layout and structure: Designing interfaces that are simple, predictable, and consistent.
- Focus and clarity: Avoiding clutter and ensuring a logical visual hierarchy.
Example:
A beautifully designed form with light grey text on a white background might look modern, but to users with low vision or colour blindness, it’s nearly unreadable. Design decisions like this can render an otherwise functional form completely inaccessible.
Solution: Ensure a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text (as per WCAG guidelines), and use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to validate your design choices.
Where Design Meets Code:
Designers need to consider how their decisions will translate into code. For instance, if a design includes hover-only interactions, developers must ensure there’s an equivalent focus state for keyboard users.
2. Semantic, Accessible Code
Behind every accessible interface is a solid foundation of semantic HTML and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) enhancements used correctly—not as a crutch.
Key Considerations:
- Semantic HTML: Using elements like <button>, <nav>, <main>, and heading tags correctly.
- Keyboard navigation: Ensuring that all interactive elements are operable without a mouse.
- Focus management: Making sure focus is visible and moves logically, especially after dynamic updates or modals.
- ARIA roles: Enhancing accessibility where semantics alone fall short—but never using ARIA to fix bad markup.
Example:
A developer might use <div> elements styled to look like buttons, but unless they include role attributes, keyboard focus, and onKeyDown handlers, screen reader users will never know they exist.
Solution: Use native HTML elements wherever possible. A <button> element is already accessible—don’t reinvent it with divs and JavaScript.
Where Code Meets Content:
A heading structure might be coded correctly using <h1> through <h6>, but if the content team uses them inconsistently—say, putting marketing slogans in <h2> just to make them look bold—it breaks the experience for screen reader users.
3. Inclusive Content: Clear, Meaningful, and Structured
Content is often the forgotten piece of the accessibility puzzle. But what we write and how we structure it makes a significant difference to all users.
Key Considerations:
- Plain language: Use clear, concise language. Avoid jargon unless it’s properly explained.
- Headings and structure: Organise content with meaningful headings, lists, and logical sequences.
- Alt text: Provide descriptive text alternatives for images that convey meaning.
- Link text: Avoid vague phrases like “click here” or “read more”—links should describe their purpose.
Example:
An article filled with technical jargon and no visual hierarchy may be accessible in terms of code and design, but cognitively inaccessible to someone with dyslexia or a learning disability.
Solution: Use plain English, break content into digestible chunks, and apply headings properly. Even the best layout can’t rescue bad writing.
Where Content Meets Design:
Think of how headings are both a content and a design feature. The design team styles them to reflect visual hierarchy. The content team uses them to structure meaning. Both must work in sync for assistive technologies to interpret the page properly.
The Sweet Spot: Where All Three Intersect
When accessibility works best, it’s not because of brilliant design or flawless code or well-structured content. It’s because all three have come together thoughtfully.
Let’s take a common example—a call-to-action (CTA) button:
- Design: The button is clearly visible, high contrast, and prominent on the page.
- Code: It uses a <button> element with descriptive aria-label if needed, and supports keyboard focus and screen reader interaction.
- Content: The label reads “Start your free trial” rather than “Click here”, making its purpose clear to all users.
Individually, none of these elements guarantees accessibility. Together, they deliver a seamless, inclusive experience.
Real-World Impact
When accessibility is baked into all layers, the result is a site or app that works for more people, in more situations, with fewer barriers.
For users with:
- Visual impairments: Proper contrast, screen reader compatibility, and alternative text make content understandable.
- Mobility impairments: Keyboard navigation and accessible form controls make interaction possible.
- Cognitive impairments: Clear layout and plain content reduce mental load and improve comprehension.
- Hearing impairments: Transcripts and captions provide access to multimedia content.
Good accessibility doesn’t limit creativity. It enhances it—by pushing us to be more intentional, more thoughtful, and more inclusive.
Final Thoughts
Accessibility isn’t a task to bolt on at the end of a project. It’s a mindset that must be embedded from the start—across design, development, and content creation. When all three disciplines work together, accessibility becomes natural, not forced.
So the next time you’re reviewing a digital project, ask yourself:
Are design, code, and content working together to include everyone—or working in silos that exclude some?
The sweet spot of accessibility is right in the middle. Aim for it, and you’ll be designing for all.