UX Caffè

Accessible Web Design: The Basic Rules (That No One Follows)

Inclusive Design in 2025: What It Really Means and Why (Almost) Everyone Still Gets It Wrong

2025-05-23

In 2025, talking about web accessibility should no longer be considered an “extra,” but rather an essential part of any digital project. Yet, too many interfaces still ignore basic rules, making websites and apps unusable for millions of people. This article is a simple and practical guide to understanding what accessible web design really means today — with real-world examples, visual patterns, and tools that can make a difference.

Accessibility: Not Just for Users with Disabilities

Web accessibility is often seen as something only for people with visual or motor impairments. In reality, it’s a matter of usability for everyone — from a parent using their phone with one hand, to a worker in a noisy environment, to someone browsing with a slow connection or outdated device.

Creating accessible design means crafting inclusive, intuitive, and robust experiences. It all starts with a few fundamental principles that — despite being well documented (hello WCAG!) — are constantly ignored.

The Basic Rules (Almost) No One Follows

1. Insufficient Color Contrast

Many designers still favor “soft” aesthetics with grey text on grey backgrounds, often to give a modern or minimal look. The problem? Content becomes unreadable for people with even mild visual impairments. According to WCAG 2.2, the minimum contrast should be 4.5:1 for regular text. And no, beige on white doesn't cut it.

Useful tool: WebAIM Contrast Checker

2. Missing Accessible Labels (Label and Alt Text)

A visually clean interface isn’t enough: screen readers and assistive technologies need to interpret every element. A button with a magnifying glass icon should have an aria-label="Search" or equivalent. Decorative images should have alt="", while informative ones need clear descriptions.

Recommended tool: axe DevTools

3. No or Chaotic Keyboard Navigation

All interactive elements must be accessible and usable via keyboard — not just mouse or touch. Yet many menus, sliders, and modals are still not keyboard-friendly. Focus should follow a logical, visible order. And don’t forget: “Tab” is your best friend.

Try this: Press Tab on your site. Can you navigate everything?

4. Tiny Fonts with No Breathing Room

By 2025, 12px fonts should be a thing of the past. Guidelines recommend at least 16px, with adequate spacing (a line-height of 1.5x) and clear visual hierarchies. And no, “pinch to zoom” is not a valid solution.

Positive Examples (and Inspiration)

• GOV.UK is a classic example of extreme accessibility: simple interfaces, strong contrast, and logical flows.
• Apple Accessibility Hub shows how advanced features (voiceover, high contrast, zoom) can be elegantly integrated.
• Dropbox improved its form UX for keyboard navigation after user feedback.

Accessibility and Design Systems

More and more design systems — from Google’s Material Design to IBM’s Carbon — offer components already built with accessibility in mind. Using them helps reduce the risk of errors and saves time in testing.

Quick Checklist for Designers

• Minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1
• Keyboard navigation test
• label and aria-* on every interactive component
• Responsive design with up to 200% zoom
• Avoid “mouse-only” interactions and complex gestures