Creating inclusive digital experiences

Accessibility of digital products is currently not taken into account by many providers. According to estimates, only one third of the web-based systems of Austrian providers and two thirds of the available paid native apps are accessible for persons with visual, auditive, cognitive or motoric disabilities. The EU Accessibility Act initiated in 2019, which was converted into national law and will come into force in 2025, will oblige public organizations as well as companies to make digital products accessible to all people.

This thesis examines the basic criteria of accessibility, with a focus on visual impairments and graphical interfaces. Through subsequent analysis of digital products, good practice examples were selected. In a next step, the design and development process of those products was investigated through qualitative interviews with responsible experts of these companies.