Accessibility-first design
We design the interface with accessibility in mind: so people with different abilities can use it — vision, hearing, motor impairments, keyboard and screen-reader navigation. By WCAG standards. Honestly upfront: accessibility is real and important work (it is about real users and often about requirements), but it is a process, not a one-off checkbox; the realistic target is WCAG level AA, not '100% accessible to everyone everywhere'; automated checks catch only part of the issues — manual checking and testing on real assistive technologies are needed; and we do not give legal guarantees of compliance with a specific law.
Accessibility-first design — overview
Accessibility (a11y) is designing so the product can be used by people with different abilities: low-vision and blind (screen readers), hard-of-hearing (captions/alternatives), people with motor impairments (keyboard navigation), cognitive specifics. It includes sufficient color contrast, keyboard navigation, semantic markup and ARIA, alt texts, focus states, readability, checking by WCAG standards (usually target level AA). Honestly about 'this is real and important': unlike trendy but debatable tricks, accessibility is about real people for whom the product is otherwise unusable, and often about requirements (mandatory in some fields/countries). We take it seriously. Honestly about 'a process, not a checkbox': accessibility cannot be 'done once and closed' — every new screen and component can break it. It is a design and maintenance principle, not a one-off audit. We build accessibility into the design (accessibility-first), but maintaining it is on the team's side. Honestly about the realistic target: a reasonable and achievable bar is WCAG level AA. Promising '100% accessible to absolutely everyone and AAA everywhere' would be dishonest — AAA is not always achievable or needed. We honestly aim for AA and explain what it means. Honestly about checking, this matters: automated tools (validators) catch only part of the issues (roughly a third to a half) — much (focus logic, screen-reader meaningfulness, real convenience) is checked only manually and by testing on real assistive technologies. 'Ran an autotest — so it is accessible' is untrue. Honestly about the legal side: we design by WCAG standards but do NOT give legal guarantees of compliance with a specific law of your country/industry — this is not legal advice. If formal legal compliance is needed — that is for specialized lawyers. Honestly about the effect: accessibility widens the audience and removes barriers (and often improves UX for everyone), but by itself it does not guarantee conversion growth. Honestly about access: design/product is needed. An important boundary: this is accessibility; a general UX audit is separate; responsiveness — 966. Picture this: instead of 'some users cannot use it at all' — an interface accessible to people with different abilities. The base price starts from 45,000 ₽ (depends on interface volume).
Problems we solve
- Blind/low-vision users cannot use the product (screen reader fails).
- Key flows cannot be completed with a keyboard.
- Low contrast and unreadable text for some users.
- Accessibility is not built in and breaks on new screens.
What's included in the Accessibility-first design service
- Accessibility-first design (target WCAG AA)
- Contrast, keyboard navigation, focus states
- Semantic markup and ARIA, alt texts
- Manual checking + testing on real assistive technologies
- Honest boundaries (a process not a checkbox; target AA not 100%; autotests catch part; not a legal guarantee)
- A link with responsiveness (966) and UX
- Recommendations for maintaining accessibility by the team
- Handover and review with you
What you get
- The interface is accessible to people with different abilities (target WCAG AA)
- Key flows can be completed with keyboard and screen reader
- Sufficient contrast and readability
- Honest boundaries (a process; AA not 100%; not a legal guarantee)
How the work goes: steps
- We assess the product, aim for WCAG AA; design accessibly
- Contrast, keyboard, semantics/ARIA, alt texts
- Manual checking + testing on real AT, honestly set boundaries with you
Why PDV Expert
- Fixed price and timeline — no surprises on the invoice.
- Report and recommendations in plain language — clear without a technical background.
- In touch at every step and answering questions about the result.
FAQ
Can a site be made '100% accessible to everyone'?
Honestly — there is no such realistic bar. A reasonable and achievable target is WCAG level AA, which covers most needs. Promising '100% for absolutely everyone and AAA everywhere' would be dishonest: AAA is not always achievable or needed. We honestly aim for AA, explain what it means, and do not pass off the unachievable as the norm.
Ran an accessibility autotest — so it is all accessible?
No, honestly: automated tools catch only part of the issues (roughly a third to a half). Focus order logic, screen-reader meaningfulness, real navigation convenience are checked only manually and by testing on real assistive technologies. A 'green autotest' does not equal 'really accessible' — we check by hand, not only with a validator.
Do you guarantee compliance with accessibility law?
No legal guarantees, honestly. We design by WCAG standards (the international accessibility base), but this is not legal advice or a guarantee of compliance with a specific law of your country/industry. If formal legal compliance is needed — that is for specialized lawyers. We make the product genuinely more accessible by standards rather than issue a legal opinion.
About the provider
The «Accessibility-first design» service is provided by PDV Expert — a team specialising in «Site quality». We work under contract and deliver a written report with recommendations.