TABLE OF CONTENTS:
In the realm of accessibility, understanding the somewhat cryptic acronym WCAG and its purpose is crucial, as it represents a fundamental component of broader digital accessibility.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a set of guidelines, known as success criteria, organized into four main categories designed to assist designers in creating websites and applications that are accessible to end users.
The first version of WCAG was released in 1999. The current legislation on digital accessibility is based on the 2018 version of WCAG 2.1, which includes 78 success criteria. At the end of last year, WCAG 2.2 was published with 87 success criteria, addressing the needs of individuals with cognitive disabilities, low vision, and mobile device users. Work is ongoing on version 3.0.
The frequent updates to WCAG over recent years highlight a growing emphasis on content quality and addressing the needs of people facing various daily challenges.
The WCAG guidelines cover the entire scope of websites and applications, including all elements and functionalities—essentially, both code and content. Each of the four categories in the standard includes a specific number of success criteria, which are further organized within each guideline. These criteria have varying levels of compliance, and the extent to which you meet them determines your final accessibility level (or informs you of gaps that need addressing).
The WCAG guidelines are categorized as follows:
Perceivability refers to presenting information and interface components in a way that can be perceived by users’ senses. For example, a blind person should receive information about content on an image they cannot see in a manner suited to their capabilities.
To ensure this requirement, you can:
Functionality involves ensuring that all user interface components and navigation can be operated in such a way that users without a mouse can interact with the entire site using only a keyboard.
To meet this requirement, you should:
Understandability ensures that information is presented clearly and is easy for users to comprehend, as well as that the interface is user-friendly. This can be achieved by providing translations for complex terms or abbreviations and displaying clear error messages.
How can this requirement be met?
Robustness ensures that content is reliably and correctly interpreted by various user agents, including assistive technologies like screen readers.
How can this requirement be met?
As mentioned earlier, each success criterion in WCAG has a defined level of compliance. The standard specifies three levels:
Each level includes a different number of criteria that must be met. Furthermore, to achieve a specific level, such as AA, you must also meet all the criteria from the lower levels (in this case, Level A). Higher compliance levels mean that the content is better tailored to the needs of users.
According to the annual WebAIM Million report by the non-profit organization WebAIM, a significant number of websites face fundamental accessibility problems. A key factor contributing to the high error rate (56.8 issues per page) is undoubtedly the complexity of websites—more elements on a page translate to a greater challenge in meeting all accessibility requirements.
One of the most frequent problems on websites is inadequate contrast, making it difficult for individuals with visual impairments or color blindness (and likely many sighted users) to read text on the screen.
Another barrier is that one-third of images lack text alternatives, rendering them incomprehensible to users relying on screen readers. Additionally, some graphics are used as links, but assistive technologies cannot convey the purpose of these links if the only representation is an image.
Hyperlinks themselves are not always well-described; they often lead to other pages with vague text like “more” or “click here.” Additionally, some links may be broken or redirect users to incorrect locations.
Designers often overlook the critical role that headings play in aiding navigation for assistive technologies. Similarly, proper labeling of fields and clear error messaging are frequently neglected. For example, users may become frustrated if they submit a form and receive no feedback on whether their submission was successful or if any errors occurred.
The error categories shown in the chart above have remained consistent for the past five years. Addressing these issues could significantly improve the quality and accessibility of websites, not only for those tested.
The study used the automated WAVE analysis tool. However, it’s important to note that such tools detect only a portion of accessibility issues, and many WCAG success criteria still require manual evaluation. The persistent error rates since 2019, with no reduction of even 2%, are particularly concerning.
The primary reason to implement WCAG standards is to ensure that our website or application is accessible to everyone who wants to use it. Interest in accessibility is growing across various sectors and institutions, not just public ones, and legal requirements are evolving accordingly. More organizations will soon be obligated to comply with new regulations.
Following WCAG guidelines greatly enhances user experience, which directly improves SEO, offering better positioning and increased reach, and thereby attracting more visitors to our site. By adopting these principles, we positively shape our image through socially responsible actions, gaining trust and credibility in the market.
We should all be committed to enhancing the quality and usability of the websites we use. Addressing these issues not only reduces potential problems but also minimizes the costs and time required for future modifications. Most importantly, we contribute to the greater good. This is a compelling reason to integrate digital accessibility into our products.
