What is accessibility?

Imagine living in a world where you couldn't buy a present for a friend because the online shopping cart didn't work on your device. Or you had to ask a coworker to help you understand a sales chart because the colours were hard to differentiate. Picture not being able to enjoy the latest show everyone's been talking about because the captions are missing or not accurate.

For some people, this is an everyday reality. But it doesn't have to be this way. You can help change this reality by making digital accessibility a priority. Digital accessibility, often called a11y, is about creating digital products so that everyone, regardless of their disability, can interact with the product in a meaningful and equivalent way.

In addition to the usual leadership buy-in, time, effort, and budget required for any project, building digital products with inclusivity in mind also calls for:

• Having expertise in various accessibility standards

• Understanding the basics of accessible designs and code

• Recognizing the importance of using multiple testing techniques and tools

Most importantly, true inclusivity can only be achieved when people with disabilities and accessibility best practices are included in the entire product lifecycle—from planning to design to coding and beyond.