Designing for Accessibility: 7 Key Principles for Indian Websites [Infographic] (2025 Edition)
Ensure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Learn 7 key principles for Indian websites in our 2025 edition infographic. Read the guide and make your online space inclusive.
8 min readCpluz
Designing for Accessibility: 7 Key Principles for Indian Websites
With the rapidly growing digital landscape in India, creating accessible websites is no longer a choice but a necessity. The Indian government's push for digital inclusion and the increasing use of technology by diverse user groups make accessibility a critical aspect of digital design. In this article, we'll delve into the 7 key principles for designing accessible websites, keeping the unique context of the Indian market in mind.
A Strategic Cpluz Perspective
At Cpluz, we understand that accessibility isn't just about compliance; it's about creating a seamless experience for all users. Our team of expert designers and strategists have helped numerous Indian businesses craft inclusive digital solutions that cater to diverse needs. Here, we'll outline our approach to accessibility, focusing on seven fundamental principles that can guide your website development journey.
1. Make It Perceivable
Ensure that all the elements on your website can be perceived by your users. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, using high contrast colors, and ensuring that images have descriptive alt tags. Think of it as providing a clear and concise narrative for every visual element on your website.
What They Did:
One of our clients in the education sector used high contrast colors and text alternatives to make their website accessible for visually impaired students.
Why It Worked:
By doing so, they not only improved accessibility but also enhanced the overall user experience, making it easier for all students to access the resources they needed.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that all your website's visual elements are perceivable by incorporating text alternatives, using high contrast colors, and descriptive alt tags for images.
2. Make It Operable
Design your website in a way that is operable by all users, regardless of their abilities. This includes ensuring that all functionality can be operated using a keyboard, providing adequate time for users to read and use content, and avoiding seizures and physical reactions. Think of it as designing an intuitive interface that can be navigated smoothly by all users.
What They Did:
A healthcare website we worked with used ARIA attributes to ensure that their interactive elements were operable by screen readers.
Why It Worked:
This made their website accessible to visually impaired patients, allowing them to access critical health information and services.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that your website is operable by incorporating ARIA attributes, providing adequate time for users to interact with your content, and avoiding elements that could trigger seizures or physical reactions.
3. Make It Understandable
Design your website in a way that is understandable by all users, regardless of their abilities. This includes using clear and consistent navigation, labeling form fields and instructions, and providing content in a way that is easy to understand. Think of it as crafting a clear and concise message that resonates with all users.
What They Did:
A financial services company we worked with used clear and consistent navigation, along with descriptive labels for form fields, to make their website more understandable for users with cognitive disabilities.
Why It Worked:
This enhanced the overall user experience, making it easier for users to access and understand financial information and services.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that your website is understandable by using clear and consistent navigation, providing descriptive labels for form fields, and crafting content that is easy to understand.
4. Make It Robust
Ensure that your website is robust and can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. This includes ensuring that all functionality can be operated using a keyboard, providing content in a way that is easy to understand, and avoiding the use of deprecated technologies. Think of it as building a robust foundation that can withstand the test of time and technological advancements.
What They Did:
A government website we worked with used the latest web standards and avoided deprecated technologies to ensure that their website was robust and accessible to a wide range of users.
Why It Worked:
This not only improved accessibility but also ensured that their website remained up-to-date and secure, providing a seamless experience for all users.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that your website is robust by using the latest web standards, avoiding deprecated technologies, and ensuring that all functionality can be operated using a keyboard.
5. Content
Ensure that all the content on your website is accessible to all users. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, using descriptive headings, and ensuring that all content is readable and understandable. Think of it as crafting a rich and engaging narrative that resonates with all users.
What They Did:
A news website we worked with provided descriptive headings and text alternatives for images to ensure that their content was accessible to visually impaired readers.
Why It Worked:
This not only improved accessibility but also enhanced the overall user experience, making it easier for readers to access and engage with news content.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that all your website's content is accessible by providing text alternatives for non-text content, using descriptive headings, and ensuring that all content is readable and understandable.
6. Input Modalities
Ensure that all users can interact with your website using a variety of input modalities. This includes providing keyboard navigation, ensuring that all interactive elements are operable using assistive technologies, and avoiding the use of pointer lock. Think of it as designing an inclusive interface that can be navigated smoothly by all users.
What They Did:
A social media platform we worked with provided keyboard navigation and ensured that all interactive elements were operable using assistive technologies to make their website accessible to users with motor disabilities.
Why It Worked:
This enhanced the overall user experience, making it easier for users to interact with the platform and access its features.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that all users can interact with your website using a variety of input modalities by providing keyboard navigation, ensuring that all interactive elements are operable using assistive technologies, and avoiding the use of pointer lock.
7. Compatibility
Ensure that your website is compatible with a wide variety of devices, browsers, and assistive technologies. This includes testing your website on different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies, and ensuring that it meets the latest web standards. Think of it as building a website that is adaptable and resilient, providing a seamless experience for all users regardless of their device or browser.
What They Did:
A retail website we worked with tested their website on different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies to ensure that it was compatible and accessible to all users.
Why It Worked:
This not only improved accessibility but also enhanced the overall user experience, making it easier for users to access and shop on their website.
Lesson for Your Business:
Ensure that your website is compatible with a wide variety of devices, browsers, and assistive technologies by testing your website on different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies, and ensuring that it meets the latest web standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the benefits of designing an accessible website?
A: Designing an accessible website not only improves the user experience for users with disabilities but also enhances the overall user experience for all users. It also helps businesses to comply with accessibility laws and regulations, and can lead to increased website traffic and conversions.
Q: How can I ensure that my website is accessible?
A: To ensure that your website is accessible, follow the 7 key principles for designing accessible websites, including making it perceivable, operable, understandable, robust, and compatible. You can also consult with accessibility experts and conduct regular accessibility audits to identify and fix accessibility issues.
Q: What is the role of ARIA attributes in accessible website design?
A: ARIA attributes play a crucial role in accessible website design by providing a way to make dynamic content and interactive elements accessible to assistive technologies. They help to define the relationship between elements and provide information about the state of dynamic content, making it easier for users with disabilities to navigate and interact with the website.
Q: How can I make my website more perceivable for users with visual impairments?
A: To make your website more perceivable for users with visual impairments, provide text alternatives for non-text content, use high contrast colors, and ensure that images have descriptive alt tags. You can also use descriptive headings and ensure that all content is readable and understandable.
About the Author
Rajendaran is the Lead Digital Strategist at Cpluz, where he blends creative design with data-driven marketing strategies to help Indian businesses build powerful and profitable online presences. With years of experience in crafting accessible and inclusive digital solutions, Rajendaran is passionate about making technology accessible to all users.
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