Product Managers are central to the new way of building products. As their name implies they are responsible for the product as a whole, and responsible for the people on their team who are helping them execute the overall vision.
Why does Accessibility matter?
Accessibility must be a priority from the start of any project. Addressing it during initial development ensures smoother workflows and avoids the extra effort required to fix inaccessible code later. Retrofitting accessibility into a product not only doubles the work but also risks delays and missed compliance requirements and exposes the company to legal actions in any country with accessibility laws where the product is used
Collaborating for accessible products
Accessibility is a team effort. Design and Development must work together to create an inclusive user experience, while user feedback is vital for refining accessibility to meet real-world needs. As a Product Manager, you can ensure accessibility is baked into your project roadmap and foster collaboration across teams. This collaboration is constant and ongoing.
Key development practices
Accessible code begins with writing semantically compliant HTML5. Proper use of section elements—such as headers, navigation, main content areas, and footers—allow screen readers to interpret and navigate the app effectively. Encourage developers to prioritize clean, semantic code that works well without JavaScript or CSS enhancements. And don’t forget to include page landmarks so users can quickly browse for what they are looking for. Don’t make your users read all the content on the page.
Design considerations that support Development
From a design standpoint, accessibility starts with basics like colour contrast, element spacing, and clear hierarchy. These aren’t just visual improvements; they also ensure content is navigable for assistive technologies like screen readers. Product Managers should align design priorities with accessibility standards to reduce friction for developers later in the process. Key here is if it’s been designed well then it’s much easier to implement.
Testing and Tools
Testing is critical to accessibility success. Tools like Deque’s Selenium Axe plugin allows developers to detect and resolve up to 50% of accessibility errors directly. For the remaining issues, manual testing with the Axe Browser Plugin and screen readers and user feedback is essential. As Product Managers, you can support your developers by allocating resources for proper testing and by prioritising feedback loops with users. (There are other well regarded tools out there, I mention Axe because I’ve used it before.)
Regulatory compliance and forward planning
Accessibility regulations are constantly evolving, and their enforcement is becoming more strict over time. The European Accessibility Act, for instance, mandates that all products and services meet accessibility standards—going beyond the public-facing website focus of regulations like Section 508 in the U.S. By embedding accessibility into our product strategy, we not only meet legal obligations but also expand our user base and build more resilient products.
Serving the users of your application is top priority, and you can reinforce this by embedding it in your team culture. Being inclusive ensures no one is left out of the value your application provides. It’s not only good for people—it’s great for business too.