WCAG 2.2 Handbook
Why Target Designers?
Designers want to change the world. But accessibility is too often treated as a testing concern — not a design one. Here's why that needs to change.
The estimated cost of fixing accessibility after production, compared to addressing it during the design phase.
The Problem with "Fix It Later"
Globally, accessibility considerations are put on the back burner because corporations feel that tackling accessibility is expensive. And it is — but only when it's done too late.
The typical process: an application is tested against WCAG after it's ready to ship. "Auditors" are called in. They do a sample test. The total cost of fixing accessibility increases exponentially with the number of issues found during the sample — making the whole process look expensive. But this is a false economy.
Shifting Left
Shifting left means pushing a process toward the beginning of the product lifecycle. If designers understand accessibility considerations, the end product will have far fewer issues — and the cost of remediation drops dramatically.
The Legal & Ethical Imperative
Designers are supposed to craft experiences for the maximum possible users. Laws like Section 508 (USA), ADA, and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) make it clear — designers can't leave behind people with disabilities.
Another important consideration: designers are very close to the problem space. If they understand accessibility, the end product will result in fewer issues at audit time — and the cost of making the entire app accessible will be dramatically reduced.
A study found that when teams considered accessibility right from the design stage, they saw a 67% drop in compliance issues found during testing.
The Bottom Line
Long story short: if designers consider accessibility right from the beginning, that will result in accessibility being taken care of in the right way, right from the beginning of the product lifecycle.
And that's the way it should be.