Digital accessibility is one of the key aspects we strive for when developing our products. We aim to ensure that our solutions can be used equally by everyone, regardless of whether they encounter disabilities in their lives. We recognize different forms of disabilities. These can be sensory, motor, or cognitive. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or situational.
Whenever we talk about accessibility, we must understand that a person does not necessarily need to have official disability status to face barriers. We are addressing very diverse user groups with different needs for adjustments.
Types of Disabilities
Microsoft emphasizes that disability is not merely a physical limitation but rather a mismatch in human interactions.¹ To ensure accessibility, we must first understand whom we want to help.
Here we distinguish several groups of users:
Blind and visually impaired
Blind users often rely on screen readers when working with computers. For screen readers to function properly, we must provide alternative text. These are used to describe images, graphics, and more complex diagrams–essentially anything that other users can see.
For visually impaired users, we must ensure appropriate contrast and the possibility of enlargements without content loss.
People with situational and temporary impairments
Here too, we are addressing a wide range of people we want to help. This includes older users who may see less well and need larger buttons. Another large group are users with injuries, for whom a keyboard may make tasks easier. Or users who, due to situational factors, need subtitles–such as a student watching a video in a library. This also includes users who have only 5% battery left on their phone and therefore need stronger contrast.
Deaf and hard of hearing
For them, subtitles in videos, transcripts of audio content, and in some cases an interpreter for Slovenian Sign Language are essential.
People with neurological or cognitive impairments
This is a very diverse group that requires simple and consistent navigation, clear language, and the avoidance of distracting elements such as rapidly flashing animations.
People with mobility impairments
To navigate digital content, they need the option to operate everything solely with a keyboard.
Why is Accessibility Important?
According to European estimates, as many as 10–15% of people have some form of disability. Around 20% of the elderly are not even included in these statistics. In Slovenia, 13.1% of people face disabilities.² Looking at these numbers, it is clear that this is a significant share of users whose experience we can improve through accessibility.
Our Philosophy: No Plugins, Built from the Ground Up
Every project of an accessible digital solution at our company starts with the client. Together, we define goals, scope, and timeline. Depending on the project, we also conduct an assessment of how accessible the existing solution is and whether it is reasonable to renovate it or start from scratch. Such an analysis ensures a solid foundation, directing the project from the beginning towards the users and simple maintenance and scalability in the future.
We often encounter the misconception that ensuring accessibility can be solved with a simple plugin. In reality, that only fixes surface-level problems, while most key barriers arise already in design and development – where plugins have no effect. At our company, accessibility is built from the ground up. This means it is integrated already in the planning, design, and coding stages – not as an afterthought. In this way, we effectively reduce technical debt that would otherwise accumulate if accessibility were ignored.
From Concept to Accessible Solution
The development of accessible digital solutions involves everyone–designers, developers, testers, managers, and decision–makers.
Planning and Design
According to research by the A11y organization, as much as 67% of accessibility-related issues originate from design.³ This includes font choices, adherence to contrast ratios, designing functionalities so that they can be operated with a keyboard, and accounting for multimedia accessibility. It also includes setting alternative texts, structuring content so that screen reader users can efficiently navigate, ensuring responsiveness at various zoom levels, handling focus states, and in general, how to optimally structure content.
Development and Testing
In the development phase, developers support and adapt all of these aspects so that content can be operated via keyboard or screen reader. The product is thoroughly tested, bugs are fixed, and it is handed over to end managers.
Content Management and Entry
Once this stage is ready, training is provided to the managers. They will enter the final content and, in the long run, ensure the accuracy of alternative texts, clarity of links, and readability of prepared texts and similar content.
It is important for all stakeholders to understand when an element must have alternative text and when it is better hidden from screen readers, so the user only hears the information truly relevant to them. The same applies to transparency, where the end user must know where a link will lead, even without full context.
Together, we can create products that are accessible and user-friendly for all, while also scalable and not bringing long-term technical debt with high maintenance costs.
Let’s build products that are accessible, user-friendly, scalable, and future-ready. This is the essence of our philosophy and the reason why clients choose to return to us.
Standards and Legal Aspects of Digital Accessibility
In the field of digital accessibility, several standards apply, which are legally binding. These include the WCAG standard, the European standard SIST EN 301 549 (EN 301 549 – Harmonised European standard on accessibility), and ZDSMA at the level of Slovenian legislation.
At the AA level, the following are legally obliged to comply:4
- State authorities of the Republic of Slovenia;
- Local self-government authorities;
- Other public law entities.⁵
We believe it is worthwhile to work on accessibility even if we are not directly obliged to do so.
Requirements under ZDSMA (Article 5):
- PERCEIVABILITY– content must be presented in such a way that users can perceive it.
- OPERABILITY– user interfaces must allow interactions that users can perform.
- UNDERSTANDABILITY– content and user interfaces must be understandable for users.
- ROBUSTNESS– with the development of technologies and user interfaces, content must remain accessible.
Accessibility Statement (Article 7)
The accessibility statement is a key document in the field of accessibility and must be an integral part of all our digital products. The obligated party must prepare the accessibility statement in detail, thoroughly, and clearly, and must update it regularly – at least once a year.
The accessibility statement must include:
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An explanation of which parts of the content are not accessible, the reasons for such inaccessibility, and a description of alternative solutions;
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A description of the feedback mechanism under Article 8 of this Act and a link to it;
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Information on inspection oversight under Article 10 of this Act and a link to the website of the competent supervisory authority.
Accessibility for a Friendlier Tomorrow
Accessibility is not something distant – we all encounter it, every day. When our phone battery runs out and we need stronger contrast. When our parents appreciate larger buttons on the screen. Or when we break an arm and discover how valuable keyboard navigation really is. This is the reality people with disabilities face every single day. User groups are very diverse, and so are their needs.
Even small adjustments can make a huge difference – for people with disabilities as well as for other users. The key to accessibility lies in empathy and understanding of how to improve someone’s user experience.
At Solve-X, we see accessibility as an opportunity, not a burden. Together with our clients, we create digital products that we strive to make as accessible, scalable, and user-friendly as possible.
1 Inclusive 101 Guidebook, p 12, https://inclusive.microsoft.design/tools-and-activities/Inclusive101Guidebook.pdf
2 Conference Presentation “Opportunities in the Field of Digital Accessibility”, p 12, https://digitalnadostopnost.si/gradiva/240409_PODD_Predstavitev_Objava.pdf
3 Conference Presentation “Opportunities in the Field of Digital Accessibility”, p 26, https://digitalnadostopnost.si/gradiva/240409_PODD_Predstavitev_Objava.pdf
4 Conference Presentation “Opportunities in the Field of Digital Accessibility”, p 41, https://digitalnadostopnost.si/gradiva/240409_PODD_Predstavitev_Objava.pdf
5 The definition of another public law entity is set out in the third paragraph of Article 9 of the Public Procurement Act and stipulates that a public law entity must be established with the specific purpose of meeting needs of general interest that are not of an industrial or commercial nature. Needs are considered to be of an industrial or commercial nature if an entity, operating under conditions of free competition on the market alongside other entities, carries out economic activities aimed at supplying goods or services to private or public economic operators. Such an entity must be a legal person and be financed in more than 50 percent by state or local authorities or other public law entities, or be under the managerial supervision of such authorities or entities, or have an administrative, management, or supervisory body in which more than half of the members are appointed by state or local authorities or other public law entities.
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