Accessibility, Usability, and Inclusion. Differences or intersections? (UXR 101)

4 min readNov 24, 2023

Since a while now, I’ve been working on projects requiring inclusivity and accessibility without compromising usability. Sounds complicated right?— it certainly did for me. However, through exploration and learning, I’ve gained insights that I’m eager to share here.

What is the difference? are they all same? or are they intersecting????

Creating a product or service that is accessible, usable, and inclusive is essential for ensuring equal opportunities for all users. It’s crucial to comprehend the distinctions and overlaps between accessibility, usability, and inclusion. This article aims to shed light on these concepts, encouraging increased collaboration across research and practice in these disciplines, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a focus on the accessibility needs of people with disabilities.

Distinctions

Accessibility: The primary focus of accessibility is to eliminate discriminatory aspects related to user experience for individuals with disabilities. It ensures that people with disabilities can equally perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites and tools. Accessibility encompasses technical requirements related to underlying code, as well as user interaction and visual design.

For example, any App prioritizing accessibility to ensure an inclusive user experience for individuals with disabilities. Features such as a high contrast mode, voice commands, and screen reader compatibility enhance navigation and interaction for users with visual impairments. Alt text for images, customizable font sizes, and a simplified language option address diverse needs, promoting inclusivity for users with cognitive and visual challenges.

Usability: Usability is about designing products to be effective, efficient, and satisfying for users. While usability includes user experience design, it often does not adequately address the specific needs of people with disabilities, it focuses more on making the product easily usable to majority of its users. There is a significant overlap between accessibility and usability.

For example, an e-commerce website that focuses on usability and accessibility to provide an optimal experience for all users. The website employs a clean and intuitive navigation structure, allowing users to easily find products and complete tasks efficiently. The checkout process is simplified with clear steps and minimal form fields, reducing friction and ensuring a smooth transaction for all users. The website is designed responsively, ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience across various devices, from desktops to smartphones.

Inclusion: Inclusion focuses on diversity and aims to involve everyone to the greatest extent possible. It addresses a broad range of issues beyond disabilities, including access to technology, economic situation, education, culture, age, and language. Inclusive design practices take accessibility into account from the start, minimizing the need for workarounds.

For example, using emojis representing diverse skin tones, gender identities, and abilities, ensuring that users can express themselves in a way that resonates with their identity. Supporting multiple languages, allowing users to create and consume content in their preferred language, fostering a global community and breaking down language barriers. Including a warning message for sensitive content that might create anxiety, Including people with diverse bandwith internet, Incorporating age-appropriate content controls, ensuring a safe and inclusive space for users of different age groups, from children to seniors.

Intersections

Accessibility and Usability

Accessibility and usability share common ground, with many accessibility requirements enhancing usability for everyone. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) sets international standards to ensure web accessibility. Design considerations such as providing sufficient contrast or clear instructions benefit users in various situations, including those without disabilities.

Accessibility and Inclusion

Several accessibility requirements also align with inclusive design principles, benefiting users with low literacy, limited language proficiency, or those using older technologies. However, keeping accessibility focused on disabilities encourages specific research and development tailored to the needs of people with disabilities.

Usable Accessibility

Usable accessibility, or accessible user experience (UX), involves integrating usability processes with accessibility standards. This ensures that web design is both technically and functionally usable by people with disabilities. Real user involvement throughout the design process is key to achieving usable accessibility.

Intersecting Principles

Accessibility, usability, and inclusion intersect, with improvements in one area positively influencing the others. Web designers and developers must understand the differences between these concepts to meet necessary standards and provide an inclusive experience for all users.

Conclusion

Addressing accessibility, usability, and inclusion together leads to a more accessible, usable, and inclusive web for everyone. Designers and developers should commit to improving the site experience for users of all abilities and backgrounds. By adhering to web guidelines and incorporating real user experiences, we can ensure a digital landscape that is welcoming, efficient, and equitable for all.

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