Customization and equivalent experiences
Conflicting access needs
While digital accessibility improvements can be helpful for lots of people, not everyone will find every accessibility improvement useful. Some accessibility improvements are actually mutually exclusive; what may help one person may make things difficult for another person. These situations are often called “conflicting access needs”, and they illustrate the importance of allowing users to customize their experiences. We should provide as many options as possible, and allow the user to choose which ones works best for them.
Equivalent experiences
The concept of an “equivalent experience” is an implicit and fundamental part of a lot of accessibility design, but it’s important to mention it explicitly as a framing device for how we can make improvements to a digital interface. Equivalent experiences are the way we can provide the same actions, activities, and information in different formats (or with adjustments) to allow users to interact with websites and applications.
Some ways to facilitate customization
- Light & dark modes
- Dark mode can help some users with eyestrain and light sensitivity, but a “light mode” theme should also be provided, as it is often a better alternative for users with astigmatism and similar vision conditions.
- High contrast mode
- Providing light & dark high contrast modes can be helpful for low vision or photosensitivity.
- Graph and chart alternatives
- We can convey graphed data through a table or other means. Think about the intent of the data you’re presenting, and how to convey its meaning appropriately in other formats!
- Reduced motion toggle
- Provide a minimal or no-motion interface option for users.
Accessibility includes customized experiences
Providing multiple ways of interacting with websites and apps is an important aspect of user interface and user experience design. Think about some of the digital interfaces you’ve worked on, and how they could be made more accessible by providing customization options to your users!