Accessibility in Product Teams: What It Means and Why to Implement It

Digital Accessibility: A European Regulation

Starting from June 28, 2025, all private companies operating in Europe will be required to place accessible digital products on the market.

But what exactly does accessibility mean in the digital space? And what are the implications for companies and product teams?

Let’s begin with a definition of accessibility:

“The ability of IT systems […] to deliver services and provide information in a way that is usable, without discrimination, even by individuals who, due to disabilities, require assistive technologies or specific configurations.”
Law of January 9, 2004, No. 4: “Provisions to support access for people with disabilities to information technologies”, also known as the “Stanca Act”.

In short, accessibility is the ability of a product or service to be used by everyone, without barriers or discrimination.

Why Release Accessible Products?

There are many compelling reasons to integrate accessibility into the development of digital products. The benefits impact every level of the organization — from decision-makers to development teams — and translate into concrete, measurable advantages.

1. For an Inclusive, Non-Discriminatory World

Making digital products accessible means breaking down barriers that limit access to essential services for millions of people. Including users with disabilities is not only an ethical responsibility but a concrete step towards a more equitable society, where everyone can participate in digital life without exclusion.

2. For Regulatory Compliance

Starting in 2025, with the enforcement of the European Accessibility Act, companies will need to comply with accessibility standards defined by the UNI CEI EN 301549:2021 regulation.

Adhering to these rules not only helps avoid fines and legal disputes but also allows businesses to anticipate market needs and position themselves as leaders in inclusive innovation.

3. To Protect Brand Reputation

A company that embraces accessibility as a core value stands out as socially responsible and attentive to the needs of all users.

Conversely, neglecting accessibility can lead to criticism, damage to the brand image, and loss of customer trust.

An inclusive brand communicates reliability and care for people, enhancing overall brand perception.

4. To Grow the Business

Accessibility is not just a requirement but also a major growth opportunity.

About 15% of the global population has some form of disability. Ensuring barrier-free access to these users means tapping into a large and often overlooked market.

Moreover, improving accessibility leads to a more intuitive and usable design for everyone, increasing engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty.

Accessibility is not only an ethical issue but a strategic factor impacting business, regulatory compliance, brand reputation, and user experience.

The European Accessibility Act Regulation

Starting June 2025, all private European companies must release accessible digital products that comply with established standards.

This requirement stems from the enforcement of the European Accessibility Act (EAA), formalized in Directive (EU) 2019/882, which sets specific accessibility requirements for websites, mobile applications, electronic devices, and e-commerce platforms.

These requirements must be met by following the guidelines outlined in UNI CEI EN 301549:2021, which refers to the WCAG standards.

WCAG: Guidelines for Web Accessibility

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the primary standard for creating accessible digital content.

Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), these guidelines ensure a fair and usable web experience for everyone, regardless of individual abilities.
The WCAG define three progressive levels of compliance: A (basic), AA (intermediate), and AAA (advanced).

The regulation requires digital products to meet at least level AA, thus guaranteeing an accessible experience for the majority of users.

Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust

The WCAG are based on four fundamental principles that every digital content must meet to be truly accessible:

• Perceivable: Information and interface components must be presented in a way that can be perceived by everyone, regardless of sensory abilities.
• Operable: Interface elements must be operable by all users, including those who use assistive technologies or alternative input methods.
• Understandable: The content and operation of the interface must be clear and unambiguous, avoiding confusion for users.
• Robust: Content must be compatible with a wide range of current and future technologies and tools to ensure proper interpretation.

What Changes for Product Teams?

Complying with accessibility regulations requires product teams to undergo a significant transformation, which is achievable for any company with the right approach.

The first step is understanding that accessibility must be “by design,” meaning it should be integrated from the earliest stages of both design and development.

The biggest mistake is treating accessibility as a secondary element to be addressed only in the final phases of a project.

Transforming the Way We Work

When we at Thanks Design began to systematically focus on accessibility, we realized this topic would change how we work and support development teams.

It was necessary to align skills and evolve the established approach of an eight-member UX/UI design team. From the start, we understood that change couldn’t be immediate: accessibility needed to be introduced gradually, starting with the basics.

Our journey developed in two main phases, which can serve as useful insights for any product team looking to undertake an accessible transformation.

The first step was to build the foundation, integrating accessibility within the team.

The second was to work on a real project, applying what we had learned and validating the new design approach.

Building the Foundations

Let’s now explore what this first step entailed. In the next issue, we will dive deeper into the experience of working on a real project.

Building the foundations required raising awareness within the company, training people, and defining a new approach.

Raising Awareness Within the Company

Although it may seem obvious, the first step is securing buy-in for training investment within the company.

In our case, we found openness and willingness. In other organizations, the enforcement of the European Accessibility Act serves as a key motivator.

It is effective to emphasize the need for regulatory compliance alongside the benefits related to inclusion, brand reputation, and business opportunities—all equally important aspects.

Training the Team

The topic of regulations and WCAG initially proved challenging to address.

For this reason, we decided to involve external consultants who provided us with clearer insights into such a complex subject.

The experts helped us define a structured training program covering several levels:

• regulations;
• accessibility principles and interface design;
• WCAG guidelines and best practices, both design and technical;
• creating accessible documents, a often underestimated but essential aspect, considering how much PDFs, Word documents, and presentations are part of our daily work.

Defining the Approach

The biggest challenge was integrating accessibility into our design process.

Through a series of internal meetings, we redefined the approach by addressing some key questions:

• What is the impact of accessibility during the discovery and user research phases?
• How can information be effectively shared with the development team?
• When and how should validation checkpoints be included?
• How can we ensure training for external people involved in the project?

Conclusion

As is probably already clear, accessibility is a complex topic that requires diverse skills: regulatory aspects, design methodologies, and technical choices.

In the next article, we will share a significant and challenging case study that demonstrates how we integrated these elements into our design process to create an accessible product.