Building inclusive digital services

Introduction

The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities / impairments.

At Storm ID, we believe accessibility must be a mindset, baked into the way we think, design, build and communicate. Too often, accessibility is treated as a tick-box exercise, like an audit at the end of a project to ensure a website meets WCAG guidelines. But true accessibility is far more holistic. It’s about making digital experiences understandable, usable and equitable for everyone, regardless of ability, circumstance or context. And it’s a continual process.

Beyond compliance. Designing for real people

Meeting accessibility standards like WCAG should be considered a foundation, not a finish line. While technical compliance is essential, we ask deeper questions:

• Can users understand this content clearly, including those with cognitive impairments?
• Can they navigate and interact with the service easily, whether using a keyboard, screen reader or voice command?
• Is our design intuitive for people with limited motor control or low vision?

We take a broad view of accessibility, considering dimensions like cognitive load, readability, motor accessibility, device diversity and situational challenges (like using a service on the go or in low-light conditions). Accessibility isn’t just about disability; it’s about inclusive design that works for all users.

The challenge. Why GAAD matters

Data from sources like accessibility.day highlights the importance of GAAD. Digital accessibility refers to the ability of people with disabilities / impairments to independently consume and / or interact with digital (e.g., web, mobile) applications and content.

Despite increasing awareness, many digital products still present significant barriers. This is why GAAD's focus on raising awareness and promoting digital inclusion is so vital.

Accessibility in the UK public sector

In the UK, the public sector has specific legal requirements to meet accessibility standards. However, accessibility is frequently approached with a tick-box mentality, focusing primarily on achieving minimum compliance rather than creating truly inclusive services. This can result in digital services that, while technically compliant, still present barriers to many citizens.

How We Fold Accessibility into Our Work

At Storm ID, accessibility is embedded in how we work from the outset:

• Inclusive research and co-design: We engage with diverse users and stakeholders early and often. We design with, not just for.
• Content design with clarity in mind: Our content specialists focus on readability, structure and plain language, supporting understanding for all.
• Accessible front-end development: Our developers apply semantic HTML, ARIA roles, keyboard navigability and robust testing to ensure inclusive interaction.
• Ongoing testing and iteration: We test with real users, using assistive technologies, and continuously refine based on insights and feedback.

We’ve worked across different aspects of the public sector to create accessible, inclusive digital services. Whether rebuilding websites, designing platforms or delivering transformation at scale, accessibility is always part of our approach, not an afterthought.

Five steps to creating more accessible digital services

Accessibility isn’t something that can be solved overnight, but every organisation can make progress. Here are five steps we think can be helpful to get started, with insight on where our team at Storm ID can provide support:

1. Embed accessibility in your culture

Make accessibility part of your organisation’s values and everyday language. Leadership buy-in, staff awareness and regular conversations about inclusion are essential.

Where Storm ID can help: We run workshops, training sessions and accessibility maturity assessments to help organisations build awareness and long-term capability.

2. Design with diverse users from the start

Bring accessibility considerations into discovery and design phases. Include people with lived experience of disability in user research and co-design activities.

Where Storm ID can help: We specialise in inclusive research and participatory design, ensuring a representative range of voices shape your service from the ground up.

3. Write for everyone

Content must be clear, concise and easy to understand. That means plain language, logical structure and content that supports users with cognitive or literacy challenges.

Where Storm ID can help: Our content designers are experts in accessibility, working closely with service teams to craft content that’s inclusive by default.

4. Test with real people and assistive tech

Don’t rely solely on automated checkers. Test your services with screen readers, keyboard navigation and real users with access needs throughout the design and development lifecycle.

Where Storm ID can help: We conduct in-depth accessibility audits, usability testing with assistive tech and iteratively refine based on real feedback.

5. Keep it going. Accessibility is never "done"

Accessibility needs ongoing attention as content is updated, services evolve and technology changes. Build it into your governance, quality assurance and continuous improvement processes.

Where Storm ID can help: We offer long-term support, propose accessibility roadmaps and design system development to ensure accessibility remains part of the journey, not just the launch.

Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day at Storm ID

To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we’re planning to take part in a few activities to further educate ourselves and reinforce our commitment to inclusive design. Here are a few examples of what we'll be doing on 15 May:

• Assistive Technology Showcase: We'll host a session where team members can experience using screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and other assistive technologies to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by users with particular access needs.
• Accessibility Audit Challenge: Small teams will conduct mini-audits of a selected website or digital service, identifying potential accessibility issues and proposing solutions. This will be a hands-on learning experience focused on applying WCAG principles.
• UMBRAAD Participation: As enthusiastic users of Umbraco, we'll be participating in UMBRAAD (Umbraco Accessibility Awareness Day). This free, one-day virtual event is designed for Umbraco developers. Some of our team will be participating sessions where they will explore accessibility in action, identifying what more we can do in our Umbraco projects to strengthen accessibility.

Let’s build a more inclusive digital world

Digital services should be usable by everyone. That’s not just a principle, it’s a responsibility. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day on 15 May, we’re reaffirming our commitment to accessible design that goes beyond compliance and delivers real value for all users.

If you're ready to take the next step in making your digital services more accessible, we’d love to help. Let’s work together to design with empathy, build with integrity, and serve all users, equally. Contact us if you'd like to know more.