Accessibility design

Accessibility Design

Build accessibility into applications from the start. Accessibility is not a feature — it's a quality attribute, like performance or security. Retrofitting it is 10x harder than building it in.

Core Principle

Use semantic HTML first, ARIA second, custom JavaScript last. A native <button> gives you keyboard support, focus management, and screen reader announcement for free. A <div onClick> gives you none of that and requires manual reimplementation of every behavior the browser provides natively.

Workflow

Step 1: Understand the Requirements

Determine the target compliance level:

• WCAG 2.1 Level A: Minimum baseline (avoid lawsuits, but still inaccessible)
• WCAG 2.1 Level AA: Industry standard (recommended minimum for all projects)
• WCAG 2.2 Level AA: Current standard, adds mobile and cognitive accessibility
• WCAG Level AAA: Aspirational — few sites achieve this fully

For most projects, target WCAG 2.1 AA as the minimum. Level AAA for specific features where feasible.

Step 2: Apply Semantic HTML

Before reaching for ARIA, use the right HTML element:

Instead of...	Use...	You get for free...
<div onClick>	<button>	Focus, Enter/Space activation, role announcement
<div> for navigation	<nav>	Landmark for screen reader navigation
<span> for heading	<h1>-<h6>	Document outline, heading navigation
<div> for list	<ul>/<ol>	List count announcement, list navigation
<div> for input	<input> + <label>	Label association, auto-focus, form submission
<div> for table	<table>	Row/column navigation, header association
Custom dropdown	<select> or <details>	Keyboard navigation, screen reader support

See references/accessibility-patterns.md for comprehensive patterns.

Step 3: Design Keyboard Navigation

Every interactive element must be operable by keyboard alone:

Tab order: Interactive elements should follow a logical reading order. Don't use tabindex values > 0 (they override the natural order). Use tabindex="0" to add non-interactive elements to the tab order when needed, and tabindex="-1" to make elements focusable programmatically but not in the tab sequence.

Focus visibility: Focused elements must have a visible indicator. Never outline: none without providing an alternative. Use :focus-visible (shows focus ring only for keyboard users, not mouse clicks).

Keyboard shortcuts for common patterns:

Pattern	Keys
Buttons	Enter or Space to activate
Links	Enter to follow
Menus	Arrow keys to navigate, Enter to select, Escape to close
Tabs	Arrow keys between tabs, Tab to move focus into panel
Modals	Tab cycles within modal (focus trap), Escape to close
Autocomplete	Arrow keys to navigate suggestions, Enter to select

Step 4: Design Focus Management

Focus management is critical for dynamic content. When the page changes without a full reload, focus must move to the right place:

Scenario	Focus should go to...
Modal opens	First focusable element inside the modal
Modal closes	The element that triggered the modal
Item deleted from list	Next item in list, or previous if last was deleted
Error after form submit	First field with an error
Page/route change	Main content area or page heading
Toast notification	Do NOT move focus (announce with aria-live instead)

Step 5: Handle Dynamic Content

When content changes without page reload, screen readers need to be notified:

aria-live regions:

• aria-live="polite" — Announce when the screen reader is idle (status messages, search results count)
• aria-live="assertive" — Interrupt immediately (errors, critical alerts)

Common announcements:

• Form errors: "3 errors found. First error: Email is required."
• Search results: "24 results found for 'react'."
• Toast: "Settings saved successfully."
• Loading: "Loading your dashboard..." → "Dashboard loaded."

Step 6: Ensure Visual Accessibility

Color contrast:

• Normal text: 4.5:1 ratio minimum (AA)
• Large text (18px+ or 14px+ bold): 3:1 ratio minimum (AA)
• UI components and graphical objects: 3:1 ratio minimum
• Don't convey information by color alone — use icons, patterns, or text labels alongside color

Typography and spacing:

• Body text: minimum 16px (1rem)
• Line height: at least 1.5 for body text
• Paragraph spacing: at least 2x font size
• Users must be able to zoom to 200% without horizontal scrolling

Step 7: Validate

Automated testing catches ~30% of accessibility issues. Manual testing catches the rest.

Automated:

• Run axe-core or Lighthouse accessibility audit
• Add eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y to catch common React issues at build time
• Include @axe-core/react in development mode for runtime warnings

Manual:

• Navigate the entire flow using only keyboard (no mouse)
• Test with a screen reader (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA on Windows)
• Verify all images have meaningful alt text (or alt="" for decorative)
• Verify color contrast with a contrast checker tool
• Test at 200% zoom — no horizontal scroll, no overlapping text
• Verify all form fields have associated labels
• Verify error messages are announced to screen readers

Principles Applied

• KISS: Use native HTML first. Every custom ARIA widget is code you have to maintain and test.
• Progressive enhancement: Build the accessible version first, then enhance for visual design. Not the other way around.
• DRY: Accessible patterns in shared components (Button, Input, Modal) mean every consumer gets accessibility for free.
• Defense in depth: Automated linting + automated testing + manual testing. No single method catches everything.