Accessibility Testing & WCAG 2.1: A Design Perspective
Accessibility in design means creating interfaces that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities — visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive. Under the UK Accessibility Regulations 2018, public sector bodies are legally required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. For private sector organisations, accessibility is a legal risk (under the Equality Act 2010) and a commercial opportunity.
WCAG 2.1 AA Key Design Requirements
- Colour contrast: Text must have at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background (3:1 for large text)
- Colour not as sole indicator: Do not rely on colour alone to convey information (e.g. a form error should not be shown only by turning a field red)
- Focus indicators: Interactive elements must have a visible focus state for keyboard navigation
- Touch target size: Interactive elements must be at least 44×44px on mobile
- Text spacing: Content must remain readable when users adjust text spacing
- Non-text content: Images must have appropriate alt text
- Motion: Animations that can cause problems for users with vestibular disorders must be suppressible
Tools We Use
- Colour contrast checkers (Figma plugins, WebAIM)
- Screen reader testing (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
- Automated accessibility audits (axe, Lighthouse)
- Keyboard-only navigation testing