Inclusive UX research means intentionally including people with disabilities in usability testing and studies. Recruiting users with disabilities helps designers discover real-world barriers that automated checks or able-bodied participants might miss. It ensures products work for diverse needs (vision, hearing, motor, cognitive) and leads to simpler, more usable designs for everyone.

What to do, simply:

• Define the needed diversity: list disability types and assistive tech (screen readers, switch devices, magnifiers, captions).
• Use multiple recruitment channels: disability organizations, accessibility meetups, social media groups, clinics, and panels specializing in accessibility.
• Offer accommodations and clear instructions: provide flexible schedules, remote options, consent forms in accessible formats, and reimburse travel/time.
• Prepare accessible test materials: ensure prototypes, tasks, and surveys are compatible with assistive technologies and available in plain language.
• Train researchers: teach staff how to communicate respectfully, operate assistive tech basics, and adjust tasks as needed.
• Compensate fairly and ethically: pay participants for their time and any extra effort or costs.
• Document findings and iterate: record accessibility issues, prioritize fixes, and validate improvements with the same participant groups.

Impact for designers:

• Reveals practical barriers and workarounds users rely on.
• Prevents costly redesigns by catching issues early.
• Encourages design choices that comply with accessibility laws (e.g., European Accessibility Act) and broaden market reach.
• Improves overall usability and inclusivity, benefiting all users.

Further reading:

• W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• European Accessibility Act overview (European Commission)

What it says, simply

• The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many products and services placed on the EU market to be accessible to people with disabilities. For digital content and many ICT products, the EAA expects designers and providers to follow recognized technical standards and good practices so accessibility is consistent, testable and enforceable.

Key standards designers should use

• WCAG 2.1 / 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): the primary standard for websites, web apps and many digital documents. It covers perceivable, operable, understandable and robust principles (e.g., text alternatives, keyboard access, contrast, clear navigation).
• EN and ISO standards referenced by the EAA: depending on the product or service, the EAA points to European harmonized standards (EN) and international standards (ISO) that provide specific techniques and test methods — for example standards for ATMs, e‑commerce, ticketing machines, and software interfaces.
• Other technical specifications: the EAA may reference specialized specs (e.g., PDF/UA for accessible PDFs, platform accessibility APIs, or national technical guidelines) where relevant.

What designers must do, practically

• Adopt WCAG success criteria appropriate to the content (WCAG 2.1 or 2.2). Apply relevant levels (typically A and AA are used as legal baselines in practice).
• Use recognized techniques and testing methods from WCAG, EN/ISO standards or other referenced documents so compliance can be demonstrated and verified.
• Design accessibly from the start (inclusive design) — not as an afterthought — and test with assistive technologies and real users with disabilities.
• Keep documentation: explain which standards were followed, test results, and how accessibility will be maintained (updates, bug fixes).

Impact for designers

• More predictable requirements: following standards gives clear guidance and legal cover.
• Design process changes: include accessibility in requirements, prototypes, code, QA and content workflows.
• Increased testing burden: automated checks plus manual and user testing required to meet technical criteria.
• Broader audience and better usability for all users as a positive side effect.

Where to read more

• WCAG 2.1 and 2.2: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) — https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
• European Accessibility Act: European Commission — https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202

References

• European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882.
• W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and 2.2.

Keep accessible records and plans: maintain an accessibility statement, conformance evidence, and a remediation plan.

What to keep and why it matters

• Accessibility statement: a public summary saying what parts of your product meet accessibility requirements, what do not, and how users can get help or report barriers. This builds trust, guides users, and helps meet transparency obligations under the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
• Conformance evidence: objective records showing you tested and measured accessibility (e.g., test reports, automated scan results, manual test notes, user‑test transcripts, WCAG checkpoints or test matrices). This evidence demonstrates due diligence and can be decisive if a complaint or legal challenge arises.
• Remediation plan: a prioritized, time‑bound plan describing how and when you will fix identified accessibility problems, including responsibilities and resources. Regulators expect ongoing commitment to remove barriers, not just a one‑time statement.

Practical tips for designers

• Embed documentation into your workflow: include accessibility checkpoints in design reviews, handoffs, and sprint artifacts so evidence accumulates naturally.
• Use simple, consistent templates: standardized accessibility statements, test logs, and remediation templates save time and reduce errors.
• Prioritize user testing with people who have disabilities: evidence from real users carries more weight than automated tools alone.
• Version and store records centrally: keep dated copies of statements, test results, and remediation status to show progress over time.
• Coordinate with legal/product teams: align wording of public statements with actual conformance evidence and planned fixes to avoid misrepresentation.

Legal and business effects

• The EAA increases legal risk for non‑compliance; good documentation shows proactive compliance and can mitigate liability.
• Clear remediation plans help manage costs and timelines and support procurement and market access across the EU.
• Well‑maintained documentation improves customer trust and can be a competitive advantage.

References

• European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (W3C)

Short explanation: When your organization specifies or buys components (software, hardware, services), the European Accessibility Act (EAA) means you should include clear accessibility requirements in procurement documents and contracts. For designers this means asking suppliers to demonstrate compliance by providing evidence such as accessibility test results, conformance reports (e.g., WCAG test summaries), accessibility statements, or third‑party certifications. Requiring these clauses and proof helps ensure the parts you integrate meet accessibility needs, reduces risk of costly redesign later, and supports legal and ethical obligations to provide accessible products.

Practical actions for designers:

• Include explicit accessibility criteria in specifications (standards, success criteria, required levels).
• Require supplier evidence: test reports, VPAT/conformance statements, audit results, or certificates.
• Define acceptance tests and remediation obligations in contracts (who fixes issues, timelines).
• Prefer suppliers who follow recognized standards (WCAG, EN 301 549) and provide documentation upfront.
• Keep records of proofs for audits and procurement compliance.

Why it matters:

• Ensures end products are usable by people with disabilities.
• Prevents integration of inaccessible components that force redesign.
• Provides legal protection and shows due diligence under the EAA.

Reference: European Accessibility Act (EU) 2019/882; EN 301 549; WCAG 2.1/2.2.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires certain products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities. For designers this means accessibility isn’t a one-time checkbox — it’s an ongoing responsibility. Here’s what that looks like in simple terms:

• Design is iterative: New features, content updates, and design changes can introduce accessibility issues. Regularly review and update designs to keep them compliant with WCAG and EAA requirements.
• Continuous testing: Automated checks catch many problems, but manual testing (including keyboard-only, screen reader, and low-vision tests) must be done repeatedly — especially after each release.
• Real user feedback: People with disabilities reveal practical barriers that tests can miss. Build feedback channels and involve users in usability testing on an ongoing basis.
• Documentation and monitoring: Keep accessibility statements, conformance reports, and issue trackers up to date so you can demonstrate compliance and show progress.
• Training and culture: Make accessibility part of the team’s workflow — train designers, developers, and content authors so accessible practices persist over time.

Impact for designers: You’ll need processes (iterative design, regular audits, user testing with people with disabilities) built into the product lifecycle. This increases upfront and continuing effort but reduces legal risk, broadens market reach, and produces better user experiences for everyone.

References: European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA, 2019) is an EU law that makes many products and services—like ATMs, banking apps, e‑books, websites, public transport ticketing, and certain consumer devices—meet accessibility requirements so people with disabilities can use them independently.

What designers need to know (brief):

• Scope: Applies to a broad set of goods and digital services sold or used in the EU. Check whether your product category is covered.
• Usability focus: Requires real-world accessibility, not just technical compliance—people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments must be able to use the product or service.
• Standards and harmonization: The EAA points to harmonized European standards (often aligned with WCAG for digital content). Following these standards gives legal presumption of conformity.
• Design implications: Include accessibility from the start—user research with people with disabilities, accessible interaction patterns, clear content, keyboard and screen‑reader support, captions, and adaptable interfaces.
• Documentation and testing: Keep accessibility conformance documentation and perform testing with assistive technology and users with disabilities.
• Legal and market effects: Nonconforming products may be restricted from the EU market or face sanctions; accessible products reach more users and reduce redesign costs later.

Practical tip: Treat accessibility as a core UX requirement—design inclusively from concept, validate with standards like WCAG 2.1/2.2 and EN harmonized standards, and test with real users who have disabilities.

References: European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many digital products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities. For designers, this isn’t just a legal checklist — it improves usability for everyone and brings clear business benefits.

Key points (simple):

• Usability: Accessibility practices (clear headings, readable text, consistent layout, keyboard support, good contrast) make interfaces easier to understand and navigate for all users — not only people with disabilities but older adults, people on slow connections, and anyone in distracting environments. Better usability reduces errors, support requests, and increases task completion.

• SEO: Accessible sites tend to be better indexed by search engines. Semantic HTML, meaningful alt text for images, clear headings, and descriptive link text help crawlers understand content, improving discoverability and search rankings.

• Market reach: Compliance opens your product to a larger audience (an estimated 100+ million people in the EU with disabilities plus aging populations worldwide). That increases potential customers and reduces legal and procurement barriers when selling to public bodies and companies that require accessibility.

Design implications (practical priorities):

• Start with inclusive design: think about varied needs early.
• Use semantic structure and clear content hierarchy.
• Ensure color contrast and legible typography.
• Provide keyboard and screen-reader support.
• Test with real users, including people with disabilities.

References:

• European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) — W3C

In short: following the EAA leads to cleaner, clearer designs that perform better in usability and SEO, and expand your market while lowering legal risk.

Explanation: A design system is a shared library of UI patterns, components, and rules used across a product or organization. When those components are designed with accessibility in mind (semantic HTML, keyboard support, focus management, proper contrast, ARIA where needed, clear labels), they provide ready-made, compliant building blocks teams can reuse.

Why this matters under the European Accessibility Act (EAA):

• The EAA requires many digital products and services to meet accessibility standards. Consistently accessible components make it far easier to comply across all pages and features.
• Using accessible components reduces the need for last-minute, piecemeal fixes that are often inconsistent or insufficient and that can create legal and UX risk.

Practical benefits for designers:

• Saves time: designers don’t reinvent accessibility solutions for every screen.
• Ensures consistency: same keyboard interactions, focus behavior, and visual cues everywhere.
• Improves collaboration: engineers and QA can rely on vetted components, reducing rework.
• Lowers risk: fewer accessibility bugs and easier auditing against standards like WCAG (refer to WCAG 2.1) and EAA requirements.

Quick checklist for accessible design-system components:

• Use semantic elements or correct ARIA roles.
• Ensure keyboard operability and visible focus indicators.
• Provide perceivable text (labels, alt text) and sufficient color contrast.
• Support scalable text and responsive layouts.
• Document usage patterns and accessibility behaviors in the system.

References:

• European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (W3C)

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many goods and digital services to be accessible to people with disabilities and to older adults who face age-related limitations. For designers this means:

• Bigger market: Making products accessible lets people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments — and older users — use them, expanding your potential customers.
• Inclusive design = more customers, not just legal compliance: Accessible features (clear layout, larger targets, captions, screen-reader support) also help many non-disabled users, increasing adoption and satisfaction.
• Business advantages: Better accessibility can reduce support costs, lower return rates, and improve brand reputation — making products more attractive across demographics.
• Design implications: From the start, include accessibility in research, prototypes, and testing with diverse users. Follow EU accessibility standards and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) where relevant.
• Competitive edge: Early, well-implemented accessibility can differentiate your product in markets that are becoming legally and ethically driven to include accessibility.

References: European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) creates a single set of accessibility rules across EU countries for many products and services. That means companies must make things accessible for people with disabilities — not just in one country but across the whole EU.

Key points for designers:

• Scope: Applies to websites and mobile apps, ATMs and ticketing machines, e‑commerce and banking services, smartphones, e‑books, and transport information systems, among others.
• Goal: Ensure equal access to information and essential services (e.g., purchasing tickets, banking online, reading e‑books).
• Consistency: One common standard reduces fragmentation — designers can follow a single set of requirements rather than many national rules.
• Practical impacts: design for keyboard navigation, screen readers, clear layouts and color contrast, accessible forms, captions/transcripts for media, and logical content structure.
• Compliance: Accessibility must be built into design and development processes early (not just added later), and documentation or conformity assessment may be required.
• Benefits: Better usability for everyone, reduced legal risk, and wider market access within the EU.

For more detail, see the EAA text and guidance from the European Commission: Directive (EU) 2019/882 and associated implementation materials.

What it is

• The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU law adopted in 2019 that sets common accessibility requirements for certain products and services sold across EU member states. Its goal is to make everyday digital and physical goods more accessible to people with disabilities.

Who and what it covers

• Applies to businesses and public sector organizations supplying covered products/services in the EU.
• Key product/service categories include: computers and operating systems, ATMs and ticketing machines, telephones and smartphones, consumer banking, e-commerce, audiovisual media services, transport services, e-books, and more.
• Small suppliers and some niche cases may have limited exemptions; member states implement the Directive into national law (deadline was 2025 for many provisions).

Main designer-relevant requirements

• Digital products and services must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users with disabilities — similar to WCAG principles used for web content.
• Non-digital products (e.g., self-service kiosks, ATMs) must be operable and usable by people with different abilities (clear controls, tactile/voice feedback, height/reach considerations).
• Documentation and product support (manuals, customer service) must also be accessible (easy-to-read formats, accessible communication channels).

Impact on designers

• Design earlier for accessibility: requirements apply to product features, interfaces, packaging, documentation, and support—so accessibility must be integrated from concept, not bolted on later.
• Use recognized standards: following standards like WCAG 2.1/2.2 for digital interfaces and EN accessibility norms helps ensure compliance.
• Broaden user research: include people with varied disabilities in testing (visual, auditory, motor, cognitive) to catch real-world barriers.
• Cross-discipline coordination: accessibility affects UX, UI, physical ergonomics, hardware layout, firmware, and customer service—designers must collaborate with engineers, product managers, and legal.
• Risk and cost: noncompliance can lead to market access blocks, fines, or required retrofitting—early design investment reduces risk and long-term costs.
• Competitive and ethical benefits: accessible products reach more users, improve usability for everyone, and fulfill social responsibility.

Practical starting points for designers

• Adopt WCAG for digital products (aim at least AA where applicable).
• Build accessibility checks into design reviews and QA.
• Include accessibility criteria in procurement and vendor evaluation.
• Create accessible documentation templates and train customer support.
• Conduct usability testing with people with disabilities.

Useful references

• Directive (EU) 2019/882 text: EUR-Lex — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj
• European Commission overview of the EAA: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

If you want, I can summarize concrete checklist items designers can use during product development.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many products and services to meet accessibility standards so people with disabilities can access them. For designers, QA and testing must confirm those requirements are met. Focus on three practical testing areas:

1. Integrate WCAG checks

• Use WCAG 2.1 (AA) as the baseline: check for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust criteria (contrast, text alternatives, headings, form labels, error identification, etc.).
• Automate what you can: run tools like axe, Lighthouse, or pa11y in CI to catch common issues early (missing alt text, color contrast, ARIA misuse). Automation finds many but not all problems.
• Add manual WCAG checklists to cover context-dependent rules (meaningful link text, reading order, time limits, error prevention). Reference: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W3C).

2. Keyboard tests

• Verify full keyboard operability: every interactive control (links, buttons, form fields, menus, dialogs, custom widgets) must be reachable, operable, and visible via Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter/Space, Arrow keys, and Esc as applicable.
• Ensure focus indicators are clear and logical focus order matches visual order. Test keyboard-only workflows (login, navigation, form submission, modal dialogs).
• Include automated keyboard smoke tests when possible (scripts that tab through pages) but rely mainly on manual sessions to catch focus traps and ordering issues.

3. Screen‑reader testing

• Test with at least one popular screen reader (NVDA or JAWS on Windows; VoiceOver on macOS/iOS) and a browser combo representative of your users.
• Check semantic structure (headings, lists), ARIA roles/states only when needed, correct labeling of form fields, announcements for dynamic updates, and logical reading order.
• Record common user tasks (navigate to content, complete a form, use widgets) and confirm the experience is understandable and efficient. Avoid over-reliance on automated ARIA validators — actual screen-readers reveal real-world issues.

Practical workflow suggestions

• Add accessibility checks early: design handoff should include accessible components and specs.
• Include automated WCAG scanning in CI to prevent regressions.
• Schedule regular manual keyboard and screen-reader tests as part of release QA (ideally by someone experienced with assistive tech).
• Log issues with clear reproduction steps and assistive-technology context so developers can fix them.

Why this matters The EAA raises legal and market expectations for accessible products. Combining automated WCAG checks with thorough manual keyboard and screen-reader testing helps designers deliver compliant, usable experiences for people with disabilities and reduces legal and remediation costs.

Key references

• European Accessibility Act (official texts via EU portals)
• W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)
• Deque axe, Lighthouse, pa11y (popular accessibility tools)

Short explanation: Under the European Accessibility Act (EAA), accessibility is a legal requirement for many products and services sold in the EU. For designers, this means accessibility must be treated as an essential product requirement from the start — not as an afterthought. Gathering accessibility requirements early means:

• Define target user needs: identify disabilities (visual, hearing, motor, cognitive) and real-world scenarios your product must support.
• Include clear, testable criteria: map requirements to standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 for digital content, EN standards for devices) so they can be validated.
• Integrate into specs and workflows: put accessibility goals into product specs, user stories, acceptance criteria, and design briefs.
• Plan for testing and remediation: schedule usability tests with people with disabilities and include time/budget for fixes.
• Cross-functional ownership: ensure designers, developers, product managers, and QA share responsibility for meeting requirements.

Why it matters: Gathering accessibility requirements early reduces costly rework, improves usability for all users, and helps ensure legal compliance under the EAA.

References:

• European Accessibility Act (EU) 2019/882
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (W3C)

Explanation: Meeting the European Accessibility Act (EAA) requirements helps organizations avoid legal and financial consequences. The EAA sets mandatory accessibility standards for many products and services across the EU — for example, websites, apps, e‑books, banking kiosks, and ticketing machines. If a product or service fails to comply, businesses can face administrative fines, forced remediation orders, and private lawsuits from consumers or advocacy groups.

For designers, this means that building accessibility in from the start — following EAA rules and recognized standards like EN 301 549 or WCAG 2.1/2.2 — reduces the chance that a product will later be judged non‑compliant. Early compliance lowers the cost and disruption of fixes, decreases legal exposure, and protects the organization’s reputation.

Sources: European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); EN 301 549; WCAG 2.1 (W3C).

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) sets common accessibility requirements for certain products and services (e.g., computers, ATMs, e‑commerce, banking services). Two key points for designers:

• Member states must apply the rules to suppliers and service providers

  • What this means: National governments are required to make sure businesses within their borders (manufacturers, retailers, digital service providers, public and private service providers covered by the Act) follow EAA accessibility rules. Designers working for or with these organizations must design products and services to meet the required accessibility criteria so their employers or clients comply with the law.
  • Practical effect for designers: Accessibility becomes a legal requirement, not just best practice. Designers should integrate accessibility from the start (inclusive user research, accessible interaction patterns, semantic markup, keyboard and screen‑reader support, captioning, clear contrast, etc.) to avoid noncompliance.

• Enforcement and deadlines vary by country (Directive/Regulation implemented 2019–2025 range)

  • What this means: The EAA is an EU directive implemented into national law, so each member state set up enforcement mechanisms, sanctions, and timelines within the EU implementation window (transposition deadlines and phased application generally fell between 2019 and 2025). This results in differences: some countries may have earlier enforcement dates, stricter penalties, or different authorities in charge.
  • Practical effect for designers: Check the specific national rules and enforcement timelines where your product or service will be offered. If you work across multiple EU countries, design to the strictest applicable national implementation and follow EU-wide criteria referenced by the EAA (and referenced standards) to reduce legal risk.

Quick takeaway: Treat accessibility as a legal design requirement in the EU. Know the relevant national deadlines and enforcement practices and build accessibility into product lifecycles from the start.

References: European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882); European Commission guidance on EAA implementation.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many products and services sold in the EU to meet accessibility standards so people with disabilities can use them. For designers this means building accessibility into products from the start (“shift left”) rather than as an afterthought.

What “Design for broad accessibility” means (simple terms)

• Consider the main disability domains early: vision, hearing, mobility, cognition, and speech.
• Vision: support screen readers, high-contrast color schemes, scalable text, clear focus indicators, and non-reliance on color alone.
• Hearing: provide captions/transcripts, visual alerts for audio cues, and alternatives to sound-based interaction.
• Mobility: make controls reachable and operable via keyboard and simple gestures; avoid tiny targets; support assistive input devices.
• Cognitive: simplify language and layouts, provide clear navigation and instructions, predictable interactions, and options to reduce distractions.
• Speech: allow alternative input methods (keyboard, switch control, text entry) and avoid requiring precise voice input.

Practical design implications

• Shift-left: include accessibility in research, wireframes, prototypes, and design reviews so fixes are cheap and natural.
• Use standards: follow WCAG principles and relevant EAA-mandated requirements.
• Test with users: include people with diverse disabilities in usability testing.
• Provide documentation: declare accessibility features and known limitations for transparency and procurement.

Why this matters

• Legal compliance under the EAA for many digital and physical products.
• Better user experience for everyone (e.g., older users, low-bandwidth situations).
• Reduces redesign costs and reputational risk when accessibility is built in from the start.

References

• European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2 (W3C)

What the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is (simple):

• A EU law requiring many digital products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities across member states.
• It covers things like websites, mobile apps, e‑commerce, ATMs, ticketing machines, e‑books and some hardware/software combinations.
• The goal: remove barriers so people with disabilities can use digital services independently.

Impact for designers (practical):

• Accessibility must be part of the design process from the start, not an afterthought. Non‑compliant products can be legally restricted or face penalties in the EU.
• Designers will work more closely with developers, content creators, and user researchers to meet accessibility requirements and to document compliance.
• Emphasis on user testing with people who have disabilities to ensure real-world usability, not just checklist compliance.

Short explanation of each required UI practice (what to do and why):

1. Clear structure

• Use a logical layout, clear headings, and consistent navigation so users (including screen reader users) can understand and move through content easily.
• Why: improves comprehension and orientation.

2. Keyboard operability

• Ensure all interactive elements (menus, buttons, forms) can be reached and used with a keyboard alone (tab order, Enter/Space activation).
• Why: essential for users who cannot use a mouse.

3. Readable text

• Use plain language, short sentences, clear labels and descriptive link text.
• Why: helps people with cognitive or reading disabilities and improves overall comprehension.

4. Sufficient contrast

• Provide adequate color contrast between text and background (follow WCAG contrast ratios).
• Why: critical for users with low vision or color deficiencies.

5. Scalable text

• Allow text to be resized (e.g., 200% zoom) without loss of content or functionality; avoid fixed‑size/layouts that break when text is enlarged.
• Why: lets users with low vision increase text size.

6. Captions / transcripts

• Provide synchronized captions for video and transcripts for audio.
• Why: necessary for deaf or hard‑of‑hearing users and useful for many others (noisy environments, searchability).

7. Focus indicators

• Make keyboard focus visible (outline or clear highlight) and logical when navigating interactive elements.
• Why: ensures keyboard users know where they are on the page.

8. Error identification and recovery

• Clearly identify form errors, explain what went wrong in plain language, and provide suggestions or steps to fix them; preserve user input where possible.
• Why: helps users successfully complete tasks, reducing frustration and abandonment.

Relevant standard and guidance:

• The EAA aligns with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2 for many digital items. Follow WCAG as a practical checklist and test baseline. (See W3C WCAG: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/)
• For legal specifics of the EAA, see European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202

Quick practical steps for designers:

• Integrate accessibility requirements into briefs and design systems (accessible UI components).
• Use semantic HTML, ARIA where needed, and maintain strong design tokens for contrast and spacing.
• Run keyboard-only and screen-reader tests and include people with disabilities in usability testing.
• Document accessibility decisions and testing evidence for compliance.

If you want, I can produce a short checklist you can attach to your design system for quick reference.

What WCAG is

• WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are recommendations from the W3C that explain how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities (visual, auditory, cognitive, motor).
• Versions: 2.1 and 2.2 build on 2.0 by adding criteria for gaps identified since 2.0.

Why it matters for designers

• Legal and ethical: Many laws and standards (including the European Accessibility Act) reference WCAG; following it reduces legal risk and makes products usable by more people.
• Usability: Accessibility improvements often improve overall usability (better navigation, clearer content).
• Market reach: Accessible design expands your audience (older users, people with temporary impairments, low-bandwidth situations).

Key changes in WCAG 2.1 (important for designers)

• Addresses mobile, low-vision, and cognitive/accessibility needs beyond 2.0.
• Notable criteria:
  • 1.3.4 (Info and Relationships): ensure semantic structure (headings, lists) so content is understandable and usable with assistive tech.
  • 1.4.10 (Reflow) and 1.4.11 (Non-text Contrast): designs must work when content is reflowed and provide sufficient contrast around UI components and states.
  • 2.5.1–2.5.4 (Pointer gestures, target size, label in name): make touch targets large enough, avoid complex gestures, and ensure visible labels match accessible names.

Key changes in WCAG 2.2 (newer additions designers should note)

• Focuses more on cognitive and mobile interactions and small-target accessibility.
• Notable criteria:
  • 2.5.7 (Dragging Movements): provide alternatives to drag gestures.
  • 2.5.8 (Target Size) and 2.5.9 (Accessible Authentication): stricter requirements for target size and accessible sign-in flows (e.g., avoid tests that harm accessibility).
  • 3.2.6 (Consistent Help): make help and error assistance consistently available.

Practical design implications (concrete actions)

• Use semantic HTML and ARIA where necessary to expose structure and controls.
• Ensure color contrast for text and UI components; don’t rely on color alone to convey information.
• Make touch targets large (recommended minimums) and provide spacing.
• Avoid complex gestures as the only means of action; provide alternatives (buttons, keyboard access).
• Design forms with clear labels, visible error messages, and accessible authentication/verification flows.
• Test with keyboard-only navigation, screen readers, and on mobile; include users with disabilities in usability testing.

Standards and compliance levels

• WCAG has conformance levels A, AA, and AAA. Most legal requirements and procurement reference Level AA.
• Designers should aim for AA as a practical baseline.

References

• W3C WCAG Overview: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
• WCAG 2.1: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/
• WCAG 2.2: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/

Keep it simple: design with clear structure, sufficient contrast, easy-to-hit controls, and alternatives for nonstandard interactions. These steps make interfaces both more inclusive and more usable.

Explanation: Designers must make digital products work reliably with assistive technologies and be verifiable. Practically, this means:

• Provide clear documentation: Publish technical and user-facing documentation that explains how accessibility is implemented and how users can use features with assistive tools (e.g., keyboard shortcuts, ARIA usage).
• Publish accessibility statements: Include an accessibility statement that states the product’s level of conformance, known limitations, supported assistive technologies, and a contact for reporting issues or requesting accessible alternatives.
• Enable interoperability with assistive technologies: Build interfaces and semantic markup so screen readers, voice input, switch control, and other aids can interact predictably (proper headings, labels, focus order, role/ARIA where needed).
• Make outcomes testable: Supply test artifacts (test cases, expected behaviors, steps to reproduce) and support programmatic checks and manual testing. This helps assessors and automated tools verify compliance.
• Design for graceful fallback: When a feature can’t be fully accessible, document alternatives and ensure core tasks remain achievable through standard OS accessibility APIs.

Why it matters: These steps let people using assistive technologies actually use your product and let organizations and regulators confirm compliance with the European Accessibility Act. They reduce exclusion, lower support costs, and improve legal and market access.

Further reading:

• European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882)
• W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1/2.2