Concept
02.04 Part of the concept phase

Accessibility

Setting the level and writing it into the acceptance criteria, while it still costs nothing.

  • WCAG 2.1
  • Screen readers
  • Accessibility Act

How it works

Accessibility is not an audit at the end but a set of small decisions at the start. Almost all of them are free while nothing has been built.

Which level you need

Not every product needs the same. An internal tool has different obligations from a consumer offering, which in Germany has fallen under the Accessibility Strengthening Act since June 2025. We settle that first, because the effort depends on it.

What we fix during the concept phase

Contrast values for text and controls. A sensible order when tabbing through. Labels for everything that appears only as an icon. Hit areas that can be hit with an unsteady hand. States that do not rely on colour alone — red and green are the same thing for a portion of your users.

Into acceptance, not into intentions

These points go into the acceptance criteria from requirements engineering. That makes them testable. Accessibility that exists only as an intention is the first thing dropped under deadline pressure.

What we do not promise

We do not claim a certification comes along with it. We set a level, test against it, and tell you what is missing if you want to go higher.

What we need from you
  • Whether your product falls under the German Accessibility Act — consumer business, e-commerce, banking services.
  • Your brand, in case contrast values need adjusting. That happens more often than people expect.
What you get

An agreed level with testable criteria, reflected in the design and priced into the quote.

If you skip this

Retrofitting means touching colours, structure and interaction paths again — on a product that is already finished. If you fall under the Accessibility Act and do not meet it, you additionally have a legal problem rather than a design one.

Questions about this step?

A conversation costs nothing and takes half an hour. Afterwards you will know whether we are a fit.