Build in accessibility from the start
Build in accessibility from the start
On this page
What does it mean to build in accessibility from the start?
Building in accessibility from the start means making accessibility a requirement in every decision you make about a product.
Thinking, right from the start of a project, about how people will access your product will help you make sure that everyone can use them and that no one will encounter any barriers to using them.
Why is this important?
Accessibility isn’t just for people with disabilities. Users will always have different needs at different times and in different circumstances. Also, people don’t usually use a Government of Canada service because they want to; they use it because they have to, so you need make sure everyone who needs to use it can use it.
How to do it
Here are some suggestions for building in accessibly from the start. Depending on where you’re at in your process, you might not need to follow every step.
Discover
- Learn about accessibility. Learn about how different disabilities, impairments and functional limitations can affect how people use technology. Learn about assistive technologies and how they work.
- Know your obligations. Familiarize yourself with the Accessible Canada Act, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and National Standard of Canada EN 301 549:2024. This will help you understand your obligations for making sure that anyone can access and use your product.
- Budget for accessibility. Include the cost of software, training and tools your team might need to make your product accessible.
- Do user experience (UX) research. Include people with disabilities in your UX research. Find out what they need, what prevents them from accessing a product, what makes a product hard for them to use, and what they need or want fixed. Doing your research will help you avoid creating barriers early on and help you make sure you meet – or even exceed – accessibility standards.
- Work with people with different disabilities. Making a product accessible isn’t about finding a one-size-fits-all solution. Be sure that users who are participating in your UX research have different disabilities and needs.
Build
- Follow the “Nothing without us” principle. Involve people with disabilities when designing your product and when making decisions about it.
- Design with accessibility in mind. Before you do your product design, build your user personas, journey maps and service blueprints with accessibility in mind.
- Develop a product that meets accessibility standards. Make sure you meet the standards set out in the WCAG, the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) and National Standard of Canada EN 301 549:2024.
- Make feedback features and tools part of your product. Add design elements to your product that let users submit feedback.
Test
- Assess accessibility throughout the life of your product. At every stage of your product lifecycle – from concept to prototype to final product – do an accessibility assessment against National Standard of Canada EN 301 549:2024 and WCAG.
- Do user testing. Before you roll out your product, test it. Make sure people with different disabilities and people who use assistive technologies can access and use your product how, when and where they need it.
- Do automated accessibility testing. Build automated accessibility testing into your product so that, once you’ve rolled it out, you can see whether users are having trouble performing specific actions and can fix problems.
- Publish an accessibility statement with your product. In your accessibility statement, include the results from your accessibility assessment and your user testing.
Monitor and iterate
- Do user testing. Do user testing continuously to identify barriers in your product.
- Collect feedback. Collect feedback from users about accessibility and make improvements where needed.
- Iterate and improve. Iterate and improve your product as users’ needs change and as accessibility tools and standards evolve. Make sure any new features meet accessibility requirements.
Resources
Considerations
- Accessibility strategy for the public service of Canada
- Canada.ca content and information architecture specification
- Your department’s accessibility plan
Tools and resources
- Annex: Understanding disabilities
- Digital accessibility toolkit
- Accessibility playbook
- Accessibility in the public service
- Accessibility at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
- Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT)
- How can AAACT help you?
- Accessible Canada Act in plain language
Talent
- UX and accessibility researchers
- Content designer and plain-language experts
- Accessibility advisors
- Accessibility testers
- Developers who know how to code with accessibility in mind
- People with lived experience
GC policy instruments
Policies
Standards
- EN 301 549 (English only)
- WCAG standards (supplemental guidance)
- Accessibility Standards Canada
- Standard on web accessibility
Guidelines
GC Communities and Training
Communities of practice
Training
Help us improve
This work is iterative, and we will continue to improve on it based on your feedback.
Share your thoughts and suggestions by email: servicedigital-servicesnumerique@tbs-sct.gc.ca