I came across an article in Design Week on 11th Dec 2008 regarding the new BSI draft standard on web design and accessibility. What was interesting was a reference to a microsite design for Save the Children which couldn’t be made completely accessible because “the client wanted a design that conveyed its message powerfully, rather than a completely accessible one”. And the Strategy Director at the agency responsible was also quoted saying how restrictive accessibility guidelines are from a design point of view.

Having had a look at the microsite what seems clear is that the one of the biggest problems with designing accessible websites are the agencies & designers working on these projects.

There are a huge number of online resources about the most effective way to design a website.

Research by Jacob Neilsen and Steve Krug into usability has undoubtedly influenced many of today’s web designers. A recent post by Smashing Magazine entitled “10 Principles Of Effective Web Design” suggests that the “usability and the utility, not the visual design, determine the success or failure of a website”.

Usability principles are important but our experience would suggest that a website’s credibility is arguably more influential. The Web Credibility Project at Stanford University has published some useful information about how to boost a website’s credibility, all of which we would agree with.

Our experience though suggests that there is one thing above all others that is all important in ensuring a websites success…