Designing for Everyone: Why ADA Compliance is the Future of Digital Products

Imagine a parent ordering groceries online while holding a toddler in one arm. Tiny buttons, confusing navigation, and unclear error messages make the task frustrating. Now imagine a student trying to read course material on a phone while commuting in bright sunlight, only to find the text barely visible.

Neither of these users has a disability, yet both struggle with accessibility barriers. This is why accessibility matters for everyone—not just a specific group.

At SHJ, we believe that ADA compliance is not a checkbox. It is the foundation of inclusive and innovative digital experiences.

What Does ADA Compliance Mean in the Digital World?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make their public spaces accessible. Today, websites and apps are also “public spaces.”

To meet accessibility standards, businesses follow WCAG 2.1 (AA level) guidelines, built around the POUR principles:

Perceivable → Content must be clear and visible. Alt text for images, captions for videos, and adjustable text sizes benefit users with low vision—and also those reading on a phone in sunlight.

Operable → Interfaces should work with keyboard, touch, and voice commands. This helps people with mobility challenges, but also anyone multitasking with one hand.

Understandable → Clear labels, predictable navigation, and simple instructions reduce confusion for all users.

Robust → Code should integrate seamlessly with assistive technologies like screen readers, and remain future-proof.

If your design only works for some people, it doesn’t really work at all. And yet, according to WebAIM’s 2024 report, 95.9% of home pages still have detectable WCAG 2 compliance errors, showing that most digital experiences are still leaving users behind.

How to Implement ADA?

The everyday situations shared earlier show that accessibility challenges affect everyone, not only people with permanent disabilities. ADA compliance is about making sure digital products work smoothly in all contexts, from a parent holding a child to a student scrolling on a phone in bright sunlight.

Step 1: Discovery and Research

Accessibility begins with understanding people in real life. During research, include accessibility personas alongside core users. For instance, someone relying on voice navigation may face challenges similar to a commuter who needs to complete a task hands-free. Identifying these overlaps early ensures inclusivity becomes part of the design foundation.

Step 2: Structure and Navigation

A clear structure reduces frustration for all users. Logical page hierarchy, consistent layouts, and multiple ways to find content make a product predictable and easy to move through. A parent shopping online with one hand benefits just as much as a screen-reader user navigating with keyboard commands.

Step 3: Visual Design and Contrast

Good design is not only about how something looks but also how it works in different environments. Strong contrast helps someone with low vision, but it also helps a student reading on a bright morning. Following WCAG contrast ratios and using scalable typography ensures text is always clear and legible.

Step 4: Interactive Elements and Forms

Interactive details often decide whether a task feels smooth or frustrating. A small button is difficult for users with motor challenges, but equally challenging for anyone with larger fingers using a mobile phone. Clear labels on form fields and descriptive error messages, such as “Password must include at least 8 characters,” make the experience easier for everyone.

Step 5: Navigation and Operability

Products should work with whichever input method a person chooses. A fully keyboard-operable form is essential for people with mobility limitations, but it also speeds up checkout for users who prefer keyboard shortcuts. Designing for operability creates efficiency as well as accessibility.

Step 6: Testing Early and Often

Accessibility testing should be part of the process, not a final checkbox. Designers can catch issues early with tools like contrast checkers inside Figma. Developers can run audits with tools such as Lighthouse or axe DevTools. Manual testing with screen readers or keyboard-only navigation confirms that the product feels usable in real scenarios.

Step 7: Continuous Improvement

Accessibility is not a one-time achievement. Devices, technologies, and standards keep evolving. Regular audits, automated scans, and feedback from real users keep products future-ready and prevent accessibility from slipping over time.

Why Businesses Should Care

Accessibility is not just ethical—it’s smart business.

• Legal risk → ADA lawsuits for inaccessible websites are increasing worldwide.
• SEO advantage → Search engines reward clean markup, structured content, and logical headings—all accessibility practices.
• Better UX → Larger touch targets, logical navigation, and structured content improve engagement for everyone.

Inaccessible design risks alienating customers. Accessible design builds loyalty.

A Few Tools That Can Help

There are plenty of tools available that make accessibility easier to check and improve.

• For Design: contrast checkers, color accessibility tools, and plugins that highlight readability issues
• For Development: browser extensions like WAVE, axe, and built-in accessibility audits such as Lighthouse
• For Testing: screen readers like NVDA or VoiceOver, and accessibility insights checkers

These tools are widely available and can support designers and developers in building inclusive products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What does ADA compliance mean for websites?
ADA compliance means making websites and apps accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, by following WCAG guidelines for clarity, usability, and compatibility with assistive technology.

Q2. Why is ADA compliance important in digital design?
It ensures inclusivity, reduces legal risks, improves SEO, and creates a better user experience for all users—not just those with disabilities.

Q3. What are the POUR principles of accessibility?
POUR stands for Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust—the four core guidelines of digital accessibility.

Q4. How do businesses benefit from ADA-compliant websites?
Businesses gain improved user engagement, reduced legal risks, higher SEO rankings, and stronger customer loyalty through accessible design.

Q5. What tools can help check website accessibility?
Popular tools include Lighthouse, axe DevTools, WAVE, NVDA screen reader, and contrast checkers for color accessibility.

Final Thought: Accessibility = Good Design

Accessibility isn’t a limitation. It’s clarity and inclusivity in action. The same practices that make a site accessible also make it easier for everyone: from reading text outdoors on a sunny day to quickly fixing errors in a form. It supports the parent juggling a toddler, the commuter scrolling in sunlight, the student using voice control, and the customer with a visual impairment.

At SHJ, accessibility is not an afterthought. It is the future of digital products. Because innovation that excludes isn’t innovation at all.