Accessibility in mobile apps goes beyond merely meeting legal requirements. It opens doors for users with disabilities to interact with technology and fosters inclusivity.
In all our time in the outsourcing and staff augmentation industry, we have seen how ignoring accessibility can lead to a significant portion of your user base being unable to engage with your app, which can impact both your reputation and revenue.
Our developers have extensive experience helping clients keep digital accessibility in mind. If you want to help ensure anyone can use your app, reach out to us to find the person for collaborative software development.
Let’s look at the importance of accessibility in mobile app design, so that you can better understand how to make your mobile app more accessible.
What is mobile accessibility, and why does it matter?
Defining mobile accessibility
Mobile accessibility ensures that people with disabilities – whether they are visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive – can use websites and mobile apps effectively.
To do this, you need to implement certain techniques and best practices that make your app perceivable, operable, and understandable.
Some common things that our UX/UI experts recommend include integrating features like screen readers, adjustable font sizes, and alternative navigation methods.
For instance, Google and Apple provide built-in accessibility tools like TalkBack and VoiceOver, which empower users to navigate apps even without visual cues.
Impact on people with disabilities
For individuals with disabilities, an accessible mobile app could mean the difference between independence and exclusion.
Think about how a visually impaired user can benefit from screen readers to access financial services or how users with motor impairments can rely on voice commands instead of touch-based navigation.
When an app is accessible, especially apps related to critical parts of life rather than just entertainment, it gives users autonomy and enhances their quality of life.
Statistics on mobile app accessibility
More than 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability, according to the World Health Organization.
However, a study by WebAIM found that 95.9% of the top one million websites fail WCAG accessibility standards.
Although there has been some improvement in recent years, the gap between user needs and the availability of accessible apps is still significant, creating both challenges and opportunities when you design your mobile app.
How can you make your mobile application accessible?
Implementing accessibility features
Although there are various aspects of accessibility, we recommend that your developers start by focusing on features that improve usability for people with visual disabilities.
These tend to be the most common disabilities, but they are also some of the easiest to address when you develop mobile apps.
For example, integrating voice-over functionalities can make your app accessible to visually impaired users while offering dynamic font resizing, allowing those with limited vision to adjust text size.
Ensuring that the app works with screen readers like VoiceOver and TalkBack is essential, as is optimizing touch targets for users with limited dexterity so they can navigate the app easily.
Design principles for accessible mobile apps
Designing an accessible app starts with understanding the needs of users with disabilities.
A lot of this comes from having experience in the field, and understanding what features benefit accessibility when using mobile apps. But, there are some basic design principles that you should almost always include.
Your developers should ensure sufficient color contrast for visually impaired users and create navigation structures that don’t rely solely on visual cues, making the app operable through a range of methods like keyboards or voice commands.
Additionally, interactive elements like buttons should be large enough to accommodate users with motor impairments, allowing for easier interactions with the app.
If you are unsure that your team has the skills required for accessible, scalable mobile app development, we can help you find someone to add to your team.
Our thoroughly vetted collection of front-end developers with effective client communication will be able to help you in a cost-effective manner.
Utilizing accessibility testing tools
To identify and address accessibility issues early in the development process, we recommend that your developers use tools like WAVE, Google’s Lighthouse, and Axe.
These tools simulate the experiences of users with different disabilities, providing actionable insights into areas that may require improvement to improve web accessibility.
However, we also recommend that you carry out manual testing to make sure nothing is being missed.
By continuously testing your app with these tools, you can ensure that it meets accessibility guidelines before it’s released to the public, and can ensure that you pick up on any issues that may result from changes or updates very quickly.
What are the requirements and guidelines for mobile accessibility?
Overview of web content accessibility guidelines
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) serve as the international standard for ensuring content is accessible.
The WCAG 2.1 guidelines emphasize four key principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
These principles are designed to ensure that users, regardless of their abilities, can access and interact with your app.
Following these guidelines not only makes your app accessible but also helps you avoid common usability issues that affect all users. And, thanks to the effect that useability has on metrics like bounce rate, it is directly tied to SEO.
Legal implications of accessibility in mobile
Failing to meet accessibility standards can have serious legal consequences in some places.
Under laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act, your business is required to provide accessible digital services.
Non-compliance can result in lawsuits, fines, and damage to your company’s reputation. This can be a massive issue if you are a startup who has yet to establish your brand, and don’t have the funds to handle these issues.
On the other hand, ensuring accessibility can expand your audience, improve public perception, and mitigate legal risks. It can also lead to more clients in the long term, making it a very cost-effective investment.
Best practices for app developers
To ensure accessibility, we have seen that developers should start by implementing semantic HTML and ARIA roles to enhance compatibility with assistive technologies.
We’ve also mentioned how navigation should also be operable through multiple methods, including keyboards and voice commands.
Additionally, visual elements should have sufficient contrast to be readable by users with vision impairments, as we discussed above.
What is the importance of mobile accessibility growing?
Trends in mobile usage among people with disabilities
As smartphone usage becomes more widespread, so too does the reliance on mobile apps for everyday tasks.
This is particularly true for people with disabilities, who increasingly use mobile devices for services ranging from banking to healthcare.
A Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities study found that 88% of individuals with disabilities used smartphones in 2018.
This figure underscores the need for accessible mobile app design that meets their needs and enhances their digital experiences.
Business benefits of accessible mobile apps
There are numerous business advantages to creating accessible mobile apps.
In addition to expanding your user base by making your app usable by a wider range of people, accessibility improves customer satisfaction and retention.
Often, brands that prioritize inclusivity see enhanced reputations and customer loyalty, particularly among socially conscious consumers.
We have already discussed how this can lead to an increase in revenue in the long-term, making it especially critical for custom mobile app development.
Case studies on app accessibility
Leading companies like Microsoft and Uber have made significant strides in app accessibility.
Microsoft’s focus on inclusive design across its product ecosystem has made it a leader in accessibility, while Uber has introduced features like voice commands and wheelchair-accessible ride options.
What are common accessibility issues in mobile applications?
Identifying accessibility issues in app design
Despite the growing awareness of accessibility, many apps still fall short in key areas.
Common issues that we recommend you look out for if you are unsure whether your app is accessible include poor color contrast, small touch targets, and the failure to provide text alternatives for images.
Inconsistent navigation and reliance on visual cues can also create barriers for users with disabilities, making it difficult for them to engage with the app effectively.
Challenges faced by mobile app developers
Developers often struggle to balance design aesthetics with functionality, particularly when accessibility is treated as an afterthought.
We have also seen that time constraints and a lack of awareness about accessibility best practices can result in apps that are difficult for people with disabilities to use.
Additionally, without proper training, developers may overlook accessibility features or implement them incorrectly, leading to poor user experiences.
Solutions to overcome accessibility issues
To avoid these challenges, developers should adopt an accessibility-first approach from the beginning of the project.
We’ve seen how ensuring accessibility is a priority throughout the design and development process will prevent issues from arising later.
It might be a good idea to hire someone temporarily, as you create the first itterations of yur mobile apps and websites, to ensure that you have a good foundation. A common way to do this is through a model like staff augmentation here at Trio.
Regular testing with accessibility tools and gathering user feedback will also help to identify and fix problems before they become major barriers.
If you do not have the resources to do this on hand, consider building trust in software partnerships with some of our experienced developers.
How can you ensure your mobile app meets accessibility standards?
Steps to verify accessibility in mobile app development
As we’ve briefly discussed above, verifying your app’s accessibility involves a combination of automated testing and manual checks.
Tools like Lighthouse can help you identify accessibility issues, while manual testing allows you to assess how the app functions with assistive technologies.
Testing should be done throughout the development process to ensure that accessibility features are working as intended and that no new issues have been introduced.
Using feedback from users with disabilities
Incorporating feedback from users with disabilities is one of the best ways to ensure your app meets their needs.
By conducting user testing sessions with individuals who have a range of disabilities, you can gather valuable insights that may not be apparent from automated tests.
This feedback will help you identify pain points and areas for improvement, allowing you to create a more inclusive app.
Continuous improvement of accessible mobile applications
Accessibility is not a one-time effort. We cannot emphasize this enough. As technology evolves and new user needs emerge, it’s important to continue refining your app’s accessibility features.
Regularly updating the app to reflect changes in WCAG guidelines and industry best practices will help ensure that your app remains accessible to all users, even as their needs change.
The importance of accessibility in mobile app design is unignorable. Not paying attention to it can be highly detrimental to your business, especially if you are just starting out.
To make sure you get it right in the most cost-effective manner possible, reach out to us here at Trio to schedule a call. We can help you find the most cost-effective mobile development option for you.
