Making our work environment accessible and creating a culture of inclusion and belonging is everyone’s responsibility and benefits everyone. As content owners, it is on us to ensure that all content is consumable by every viewer, regardless of ability.

Why Is Accessibility Important in Communications? 

Inclusive and accessible communications play a pivotal role in ensuring that messages are available and comprehensible to all, including those with disabilities or limitations. The significance of accessibility in communications cannot be overstated, as it fosters equal participation and engagement.

People with disabilities currently represent about 15% of the world’s population.

Being mindful of the continuum from permanent disabilities to situational impairments helps rethink how designs can scale to more people in new ways. In the United States, 26,000 people a year suffer from loss of upper extremities. But when we include people with temporary and situational impairments, the number is greater than 20 million.*

Ask yourself, what is this experience like for people who can’t see, can’t hear, can’t use a mouse, can’t remember what they were doing, or can’t speak clearly, and is it usable?

Practical Tips to Enhance Web Accessibility for a Diverse Audience

Provide alternative text for images. Use to convey the image’s semantic meaning – not to explain what the image visually shows – and the context of the images to individuals who have limited vision, have only a limited field of sight, or use screen readers. This ensures they understand the semantic context even if they can’t see the images.

Use descriptive anchor text. Instead of using generic phrases like “click here” or “read more,” make link text descriptive and meaningful. It should clearly indicate the destination or purpose of the link, such as an action and to which object or instance the action takes effect. For example, use “download the accessibility guide” instead of “click here” or “download,” as it might not be obvious what will be downloaded. Learn more about .

Avoid lengthy URLs. Long and complex URLs can be confusing and difficult to read. This is especially important when links are generated and the reference contains so-called , which contain extremely long mixtures of digits and letters. Consider using link-shortening services or customizing the hyperlink text to make it more concise and user-friendly.

Format hyperlinks differently. Visually distinguish hyperlinks from regular text by underlining, bolding, or using a different color. This helps users easily identify and recognize clickable links. Different colors might not be helpful for individuals who have problems in perceiving colors or being able to distinguish a color from another. However, screen reader users can get the information that a link is a link, independent from its visualization. The screen reader can determine the link’s technical type. Additionally, a screen reader retrieves information if a link redirects to a spot on the same site or if the link has been visited before, indicating it as a visited link, when using a specific link navigation mode.

Ensure sufficient color contrast. Make sure there is enough contrast between the hyperlink color and the surrounding text to ensure readability for people with visual impairments. Avoid relying solely on color to convey the presence of a link. Use the to check the readability of your design and content.

Include context and purpose. When linking to external content, provide a brief description or context within the surrounding text. This helps users understand the purpose or relevance of the link before clicking on it.

Test accessibility with screen readers. Use screen reader software or tools to test the accessibility of hyperlinks. Screen readers should be able to accurately identify and read out the hyperlink text to ensure it is understandable and meaningful. Improve content for screen readers by using .

Avoid excessive use of hyperlinks. While hyperlinks are useful for providing additional information or references, avoid overloading your content with links. Too many links can be distracting and overwhelming for some readers, especially those with cognitive disabilities.

Test on different devices and platforms. Ensure that hyperlinks function correctly and are accessible across various devices, browsers, and operating systems. This helps guarantee a consistent and inclusive user experience.

Caption and transcribe multimedia content. Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio content. This is vital for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is also useful for international comprehension and for those who cannot play audio or video.

Sign it. Provide sign-language interpretation services for all live events and include this in the replay where possible. By default, �鶹ԭ�� uses American Sign Language (ASL), but may use other sign languages depending on the location of the audience.

By following these practices, you can make your content more accessible and ensure that all users can understand and interact with your content effectively.

*Source: United States Census Bureau, Limbs for Life Foundation, Amputee Coalition, MedicineHealth.com, CDC.gov, Disability Statistics Center at the UCSF

Alexander Kuban is UX designer and IT technology consultant for Accessibility at �鶹ԭ��.

When Coldplay started their Music Of The Spheres World Tour in 2022, the goal was clear: to make it their most sustainable and environmentally friendly tour yet by cutting their CO2 emissions by 50% compared to the 2016/17 world tour. �鶹ԭ�� supported this goal with the development of the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app which allows fans to not only enjoy exclusive tour content but also helps them visualize how their actions attending shows contribute to their carbon footprint so they can choose more sustainable transportation options.

The calculates the impact of fan travel to and from shows, providing rewards for fans who commit to low-carbon transportation options and enables Coldplay to understand the fans carbon footprint to offset emissions. As Coldplay launches year two of its tour, more than 350,000 fans in over 150 countries have downloaded the app, proving Coldplay’s vision right: armed with information and intent, every concert-going fan can make more sustainable travel choices.

Next Step: Making the App Accessible for Blind and Visually Impaired People

During the development process, both Coldplay and the �鶹ԭ�� team set the goal to make the app accessible for users with disabilities who rely on assistive technology like screen readers or magnifiers. As the �鶹ԭ�� team started to work on accessibility functionalities, a Coldplay fan from Mexico reached out to share her challenges as a blind person using the app.

The fan, who asked to remain anonymous, explains: “I’m blind since birth and I need screen readers for productivity and entertainment in my daily life. As a huge Coldplay fan, I tried to use the tour app and quickly noticed that the app was difficult to use for one who is blind or visually impaired. I’m very much driven to advocate for blind people to get equal opportunity, and to enjoy interactive content. That’s why I contacted �鶹ԭ�� to support in the areas of sound design, testing and providing ideas for software development to make the app more usable for blind fans.”

The Coldplay fan connected with Nicole Windmann, vice president for Accessibility and Inclusive Design at �鶹ԭ��. “With our �鶹ԭ�� products we aim to create a more sustainable and inclusive environment for people. Accessibility is a key driver of this vision. When we include insights from people with different backgrounds and acknowledge different ways of working, perception, and interaction with our designs, we can create the most enjoyable and efficient software.”

Working with three �鶹ԭ�� employees who are also blind, the development team worked to optimize accessibility functionalities for the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app. The team labeled items like screen buttons and described images, to enable screen readers to read out the functionality and provide helpful hints. Additionally, gestures such as swiping or double tapping are often used by blind people to navigate an app without having to look at the screen. To use this functionality, the team re-structured the code of the Coldplay app, providing a more suitable navigation for blind users.

In close contact with the �鶹ԭ�� team, the Coldplay fan volunteered to test the app usability for blind users and give her feedback. “Working with �鶹ԭ�� has been great!” she says. “My feedback helped the developers understand the blindness point of view. In a world where the capabilities of people with disabilities are often underestimated or assumed without getting to know the person first, I’m inspired every day to work on a more inclusive world.”

“At �鶹ԭ��, we believe that diversity drives innovation and better experiences for our employees, customers, and partners alike,” Christian Klein, CEO and member of the Executive Board of �鶹ԭ�� SE, says. “The fans feedback on the Coldplay app is a great example of the vital role user feedback plays in shaping our applications and the importance of having products and services that are inclusive and accessible to all.”

After an extensive testing and development phase, we’re now ready to provide blind and visually impaired people an even greater app experience – just in time for Coldplay’s 2023 Music Of The Spheres World Tour stops in Latin America, Europe, and North America.

To experience it all for yourself, the Coldplay #MusicOfTheSpheresWorldTour app is available for download on �����Ի���.

“Our fans worldwide are our biggest inspiration. They have enabled us with their feedback to make the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app as useful and accessible as possible. We’re proud of the collaboration with our partner �鶹ԭ��, who has created an impactful app that can now also be used by fans who are blind or visually impaired,” Coldplay states.

The Coldplay fan from Mexico is wishfully looking forward to the 2023 tour. “I will be attending Coldplay’s San Diego show and I am already thrilled about it. And of course I will make sure to check the app for sustainable travel options,” she says with a smile on her face.

Isabelle Schuhmacher is senior director of Global Sponsorships at �鶹ԭ��.

Top image via Robert Mallows