Accessibility Statement

At John Wilson Design, I believe that the internet should be a place where everyone, regardless of ability or circumstance, can access content, navigate pages, and engage meaningfully with digital experiences. Accessibility is not an afterthought—it’s a fundamental aspect of good design.

This statement outlines my ongoing commitment to accessibility, the actions I take to ensure inclusivity in my own website and in client projects, and the steps I’m taking to continuously improve.

Why Accessibility Matters

As a designer, educator, and advocate for thoughtful digital experiences, I understand that accessibility is about more than just ticking boxes. It’s about empathy, responsibility, and functionality.

People interact with the web in different ways—using screen readers, voice commands, keyboard-only navigation, high contrast settings, and more. Whether someone has a permanent disability, a temporary impairment, or situational limitations, they deserve a seamless, respectful, and usable experience.

Designing with accessibility in mind makes the internet better for everyone. It improves usability, SEO, mobile performance, and general readability—benefits that extend to all users, not just those with disabilities.

My Commitment to Accessibility

For This Website

The John Wilson Design website has been created with accessibility as a core value from the very beginning. I’ve taken the following steps to support accessibility:

• Semantic HTML structure: All pages use proper headings, landmarks, and elements that allow screen readers and other assistive technologies to parse content correctly.

• Keyboard navigability: The site is usable via keyboard without relying on a mouse or gestures.

• Readable typography: Font choices, sizes, and spacing are selected for maximum clarity.

• Colour contrast: I follow minimum WCAG 2.1 AA standards for colour contrast to ensure text is legible against its background.

• Alt text for images: Images are described with meaningful alternative text, or marked as decorative when appropriate.

• Responsive layout: The site is mobile-friendly and designed to work across a range of screen sizes and devices.

I regularly audit the site using tools such as WAVE, Lighthouse, and axe DevTools to identify and fix potential issues.

For Client Work

Accessibility is not just something I apply to my own site—it’s part of every design I create for clients. Whether I’m working on a brand identity, website, or digital product, I consider accessibility from day one.

Here’s how:

• Consultation and education: I advise clients on the importance of inclusive design and how it benefits their users and business.

• WCAG-aligned design: I follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and 2.2 to ensure designs meet industry standards.

• Design systems that scale: I create design systems that include accessible colour palettes, button styles, and typography rules.

• Use of accessibility checklists: Every web project is reviewed against a tailored checklist to cover common issues such as keyboard traps, missing labels, or poor contrast.

• Flexible content structures: Layouts are built to accommodate user needs such as zooming, reflow, and text resizing.

• Third-party integrations: I assess plugins or integrations for accessibility where possible and recommend better alternatives if needed.

Accessibility is a conversation, not a checkbox. In every project, I encourage clients to see inclusivity not as a constraint—but as a creative opportunity to serve more people, more meaningfully.

Tools and Standards I Use

I aim to follow the WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 guidelines at AA level as a baseline. These standards are widely recognized as the benchmark for web accessibility. I also stay up-to-date with developments in:

• Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) standards

• Best practices for screen reader support

• Keyboard interaction patterns

• Color and contrast tools (including Adobe Accessibility tools and Stark in Figma)

In addition, I use the following tools to assess and support accessibility:

• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

• axe Accessibility Scanner (Chrome/Firefox)

• Lighthouse (Google Chrome DevTools)

• VoiceOver (Mac) and NVDA (Windows) testing

• Figma accessibility plugins (for colour, text contrast, focus order)

I also welcome feedback and real-user input as a key part of improving over time.

Limitations and Work in Progress

Despite my commitment, no digital product is ever perfectly accessible, and this website is no exception. While I strive to meet accessibility guidelines and test my site regularly, there may be areas for improvement. Limitations can include:

• Third-party tools or widgets: Elements such as embedded video players, forms, or social feeds may not always meet the same level of accessibility.

• Dynamic content: While I aim to make interactive features accessible, real-time updates or animations may cause unexpected issues for some users.

• PDFs and downloadable documents: I work to ensure documents are tagged and structured for screen reader use, but older PDFs may not yet meet full accessibility standards.

I am actively working to identify and fix these areas. Accessibility is an ongoing process, and I treat it as such—through continual learning, feedback, and refinement.

Accessibility in Practice: Design Philosophy

Accessibility isn’t just about code. It starts with design thinking—making sure interfaces are clear, content is structured, and choices are intuitive.

Here’s how that philosophy shows up in my work:

• Clarity over cleverness: I favour simple layouts, clear language, and intuitive navigation. Fancy design is pointless if it gets in the way of comprehension.

• Inclusive visuals: I avoid relying on colour alone to convey meaning. Visual cues, patterns, or labels are always added.

• Content hierarchy: Headings, lists, and tables are used meaningfully—not just styled to look good.

• Testing with real humans: Whenever possible, I invite feedback from users with different abilities and devices.

This approach results in work that’s more accessible, scalable, and usable by default.

Feedback and Support

If you encounter any issues while using this site—whether it’s a missing label, poor contrast, or something that doesn’t work well with your assistive technology—I want to know.

Please get in touch using the contact page or email me at hello@johnwilsondesign.co.uk. I will aim to respond within 3 working days and work to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Your feedback is valuable. Not only does it help me improve this website, it also informs how I approach future projects.

Moving Forward

Accessibility is not a fixed state—it’s a journey of ongoing improvement. As technology evolves and new standards emerge, I’ll continue to update this site and my design practices to stay aligned with best practices.

I believe that inclusive design is good design. It reflects respect for your audience, professionalism in your craft, and a desire to build a better web for everyone.

If you’re a client or collaborator interested in bringing accessibility into your next project, I’d love to help. Together, we can build experiences that work beautifully—for everyone.

Last updated: 18th May 2025