Accessible website design is critical for any organization, but especially for government agencies and government contractors since accessibility falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
One thing that organizations worry about when creating an accessible website is sacrificing aesthetics. The good news is that a lot of current graphic design trends not only allow for better accessibility but actually improve it. If you are in the process of revamping your website, consider working with some of the design elements below!
1. Minimalism
Ever since Marie Kondo burst onto the scene, minimalist design has become increasingly popular, not only in homes but in graphic design, as well. Minimalism is characterized by simplicity. In design, it often means using a small color palette and few shapes or images.Â
Ultimately, minimalist design is about creating a product that is simple yet meaningful. It lends itself especially well to accessibility because it is generally high contrast and easily navigable by nature. The contrast makes it simple for people with low vision to read. The simple navigation is great for screen readers and is often easy to use for people of all education levels.Â
2. Visual Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy serves a few different purposes in website design. First, it improves search engine optimization (SEO) and can help websites inch closer to the coveted first page of Google. Second, it makes navigating the website simple for users, giving them a clear path to what they are looking for.
Third, it allows the organization to design the path that they want the user to go through on the website. Setting a website up with a clear visual hierarchy, from the website navigation bar to the design of the homepage, can allow more people to easily access a website.Â
In addition, visual hierarchy is nearly always aesthetically pleasing since it follows the psychology of how people prefer to consume information.Â
3. Large, Simple Typefaces
In the last few years, simple typefaces have become much more popular on websites. Most designers are moving away from scripts and otherwise difficult to read fonts, favoring large, bold, and inviting ones instead.Â
In the world of accessibility, the typeface a designer chooses is very important. Some websites offer different size fonts using a plugin – however, this may not be helpful at all if the font itself is difficult to read. These plugins can also break sometimes, rendering the website impossible to use.
Working with large, simple typefaces from the beginning can be a great way to improve accessibility from the jump.
Ensuring ADA Compliance to Improve Accessibility for Your Website
Do you know if your site is ADA compliant? It is important to check and to build a site that follows all the rules of accessibility to avoid a lawsuit and to ensure that you are creating a way for as many people as possible to be able to interact with your online presence.
If you are wondering if your website is ADA compliant or know you need to create an ADA compliant website with an appealing design, contact Applied Development today – we can help! You can reach us at 410.571.4016.