Accessible design is the practice of creating experiences that can be used, understood, and enjoyed by as many people as possible. It begins with the awareness that users have different abilities, devices, and contexts, and that design should adapt to this diversity rather than exclude it.
Inclusive design is a methodology that recognizes human variety and intentionally includes people with different perspectives and needs from the very start of the design process. By doing so, it transforms insights about real human experiences into concrete design decisions, in language, interfaces, materials, and services. It is not about designing for the “average” person, but about creating flexible systems that work for everyone.
Image: Example of an accessible design
In digital design, accessibility takes a more structured and measurable form. It is defined by specific criteria: the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2), which describe how to make websites and apps perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. These four principles, often summarized as POUR, guide designers and developers in making their work usable for people who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, or keyboard navigation.