Open to all: Why every organisation needs an accessible website
Richard SaundersContensis product owner
25 min read
“The one argument for accessibility that doesn’t get made nearly often enough is how extraordinarily better it makes some people’s lives.
How many opportunities do we have to dramatically improve people’s lives just by doing our job a little better?”
– Steve Krug, UX expert
Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
1 in 4 people in the UK have a disability. Source: Scope.
Chapter 2: The case for accessibility
The four accessibility principles are known as POUR; Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Source: W3C.
Chapter 3: First-person perspective: Liam O'Dell
Liam O'Dell's personal bio. Source: Liam O'Dell.
"Technology is evolving at a considerable pace – but I think it’s important to step back and make sure everyone can access information. While it can take time to meet the accessibility requirements, it’s time well spent because accessibility benefits everyone."
Chapter 4: Navigating web accessibility standards
WCAG AA and AAA colour contrast explained. Source: W3C.
Chapter 5: Building accessible content
An example of accessible website navigation from the National Trust. Source: National Trust.What you should and should not include when writing alt text descriptions. Source: Contensis.A male presenting to a crowd using a laptop and projector screen. Source: Zengenti Velocity 2023.An example of accessible error messages displayed on a form. Source: Contensis.High colour contrast vs. low colour contrast. Source: Contensis.
Chapter 6: What does good look like?
How to display the focus states of buttons on a website. Source: Contensis.A visual representation of good and bad typography in practice on a website. Source: Contensis.Bad colour contrast vs. good colour contrast in practice. Source: Contensis.A comparison of inaccessible and accessible call-to-action buttons. Source: Contensis.
Chapter 7: Testing and evaluating accessibility
Manual testing vs. automated testing. Source: Contensis.
80% of customers with access needs will spend their money not on the website that is cheapest but where faced with the least barriers.
Chapter 8: Embracing an inclusive mindset
The iterative development loop. Source: Scrum.org.
Chapter 9: Resources and further reading
Richard SaundersContensis product owner
Richard is the product owner for Contensis – our CMS. He sets the direction and roadmap for the product. His background includes both user experience and front-end design.
9 out of 10 users recommend Contensis
According to G2, 91% of users who have reviewed Contensis would recommend it to others. Accurate as of July 2023.
