These obstacles aren’t caused by individuals but by environments, products, and services that were not designed with everyone in mind.
One in six people worldwide live with a recognized disability. Many more encounter barriers related to age, illness, or everyday circumstances. These obstacles aren’t caused by individuals but by environments, products, and services that were not designed with everyone in mind. If your service isn’t accessible, you’re not just limiting your reach – you’re excluding a significant portion of potential users. While awareness is growing, many companies still respond reactively. Quick fixes like overlays may appear to make progress, but they fail to address the fundamental design flaws that hinder true usability.
Beyond beauty – why accessibility must be the default
Apple’s new Liquid Glass software design (AI takes backseat as Apple unveils software revamp and new apps, June 9), is yet another example of how digital design continues to prioritize the transparent, the invisible, and the barely perceptible as hallmarks of beauty. While there’s nothing wrong with valuing aesthetics – after all, it's natural for designers – it becomes problematic when visual elegance is prioritized over usability, especially in the digital tools we rely on daily.
“Digital design continues to prioritize the transparent, the invisible, and the barely perceptible as hallmarks of beauty.”
While it’s visually striking, Liquid Glass also introduces serious usability issues for people with motion sensitivity or low vision. Sure, it can be turned off in settings, but this “opt-out” approach shifts the burden to individuals. Surface fixes and retroactive tweaks don’t address the root issue: inaccessible defaults.
We need a mindset shift. Accessibility must be built in from the start, not added later. That doesn’t mean sacrificing simplicity or beauty. It means recognizing that inclusive design can be both elegant and functional. In 2025, people expect more. Design isn’t just about looking good, it’s about working for everyone.
Europe can set the global standard
The United States has had accessibility laws in place for over 30 years, but efforts to comply have often been surface-level, driven mainly by fear of lawsuits. In Europe, the risk of EU sanctions has motivated many companies, but these threats are often perceived as minor or unlikely to be enforced. As a result, European businesses have been slow and reactive rather than proactive – failing to integrate accessibility as a fundamental component of product quality from the earliest design stages. Now, both Europe and the US have a crucial opportunity to move beyond this passive approach and adopt a strategic, forward-thinking mindset toward accessibility.
The European Accessibility Act offers more than regulation. It provides a strategic framework for continuous, lasting improvement. When accessibility is embedded from the start, it simplifies development, expands your market, and results in a higher-quality experience for all users. This is not a constraint on innovation, but the foundation of resilient, future-ready products. In a competitive market, that is not just responsible – it is a mark of quality and long-term business success.
With the new directive, Europe is setting a new global standard for digital quality. Accessibility is no longer a differentiator – it’s the baseline standard. This isn’t about preparing for the future, it’s about meeting the expectations of a present where people won’t settle for products that leave them out.
