Why Accessibility Should Be Part of Agile Development

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Organisations today rely on agile development to build and improve digital products at speed. The iterative approach helps teams deliver features quickly, gather feedback, and adapt to changing needs.

Accessibility, however, is still too often an afterthought. Many teams leave it until the end of the process instead of making it part of the agile workflow. That delay leads to expensive rework, legal risks, and products that exclude disabled users.

Embedding accessibility from the start ensures inclusivity is considered in every sprint, reducing barriers and creating better experiences for all users. Our article explains why accessibility belongs at the heart of agile practice and how to make it happen effectively.

1. Accessibility is Easier and More Cost-Effective When Built in

Many teams assume accessibility can be added at the end of a project. In reality, fixing issues after launch is far more expensive and time-consuming than addressing them from the outset.

When accessibility is considered early, it becomes a natural part of the agile development workflow, much like security or performance. Features such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and colour contrast can be designed and tested as part of each sprint instead of being rushed in as last-minute fixes.

A simple way to embed accessibility is by adding it to the definition of ‘done’ for user stories. No feature should be considered complete until it meets accessibility standards.

2. Accessibility Improves User Experience for Everyone

Good accessibility practices improve usability for all users, not only those with disabilities. Clear navigation, well-structured content, and intuitive design make digital products easier to use for everyone, including people on mobile devices, users in low-bandwidth environments, and older individuals with changing abilities.

Simple improvements have wide benefits, such as:

  • Providing text alternatives for images supports users with slow internet connections.

  • High-contrast colour schemes improve readability in bright light.

  • Keyboard-friendly navigation helps power users who prefer shortcuts.

When accessibility is prioritised as part of the agile methodology workflow, these practices become standard across sprints and improve the overall quality of the product.

3. Legal Compliance Cannot be Ignored

With regulations such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Equality Act 2010, businesses must ensure their digital products meet accessibility standards. Too often, organisations only address compliance after receiving complaints or facing legal challenges, which can be both costly and damaging to reputation.

Integrating accessibility into agile workflows makes compliance a built-in outcome rather than a last-minute fix. Adding accessibility as a non-negotiable part of the acceptance criteria for each sprint ensures digital services remain inclusive and legally compliant from the start.

4. Catch Accessibility Issues Early with a ‘Shift-Left’ Approach

Agile development thrives on early feedback and iteration. Applying the ‘shift-left’ approach to accessibility means testing for barriers as early as possible, rather than waiting until development is complete.

Steps to shift-left for accessibility:

  • In the design phase, conduct accessibility reviews of wireframes and prototypes.

  • During development, use automated accessibility testing tools alongside manual checks.

  • Throughout testing, ensure screen reader and keyboard navigation testing is included in every sprint.

  • Gather user feedback, including insights from disabled users, to confirm real-world accessibility.

Building accessibility checks into the agile workflow reduces technical debt and ensures potential issues are resolved long before they can affect users.

5. Accessibility is a Shared Responsibility

Agile development thrives on collaboration, and accessibility should never be left to a single person or team. Everyone involved in the process has a role to play:

  • Designers should ensure colour contrast, readable fonts, and clear layouts.

  • Developers must use semantic HTML, follow ARIA best practices, and implement keyboard-friendly interactions.

  • Testers should include accessibility checks in each sprint, using both automated and manual methods.

  • Product owners must make accessibility a priority in backlog grooming and sprint planning.

When accessibility responsibilities are clearly embedded within the agile development workflow, teams can deliver more inclusive products without relying on one “expert” to catch every issue. Having an accessibility champion within the team further strengthens this culture and ensures best practices are consistently followed.

For teams that want to build these skills effectively, role-based accessibility training can provide tailored guidance for designers, developers, testers, and product owners.

6. Integrating Accessibility Testing into Continuous Delivery

Many Agile teams use Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to automate quality checks. Adding accessibility testing to this process ensures that new code does not introduce barriers.

Automated tools such as axe, WAVE, or Pa11y can detect common accessibility issues, while manual testing is essential for identifying usability challenges that automation may miss. Including accessibility testing into CI/CD helps teams maintain inclusive standards across all agile workflows, preventing issues from becoming widespread.

Organisations looking to strengthen this process can explore our Workflow Efficiency solutions to integrate accessibility seamlessly into existing development practices.

7. A Design System Helps Standardise Accessibility

One of the biggest challenges in Agile development is maintaining consistency while iterating quickly. A design system with accessibility built in helps teams create accessible digital products efficiently and reduces the risk of introducing barriers.

An accessible design system should include:

  • Pre-tested UI components that meet accessibility standards (e.g., buttons, form elements, modals).

  • Clear guidance on colour contrast, typography, and spacing for readability.

  • ARIA best practices and keyboard navigation considerations.

  • Accessibility documentation for developers and designers to follow.

When supported by an accessible design system, teams can work faster within the agile methodology workflow. Instead of solving the same problems repeatedly, they can focus on innovation while maintaining accessibility across all digital products.

What is Agile Accessibility?

Agile accessibility means building accessibility into every stage of an Agile project rather than treating it as something to add at the end. It involves applying inclusivity during design, in development, and throughout testing in every sprint.

Core practices include:

  • Early accessibility integration: embedding criteria in initial designs so issues are prevented, not patched.

  • Ongoing validation: using automated tools and hands-on checks to catch accessibility gaps as the product evolves.

  • Shared ownership and support: ensuring each team member understands their part and using tools or processes that make accessibility part of everyone’s role.

Integrating accessibility into the agile workflow lets teams identify issues early, enhance experiences for all users, and maintain compliance with legal standards as development progresses.

Conclusion: Accessibility and Agile Go Hand in Hand

Agile development is centred on continuous improvement, iteration, and user-focused design. Accessibility fits naturally within these principles, ensuring digital products are inclusive from the ground up.

Integrating accessibility into the agile workflow means:

  • Saving time and money by addressing issues early

  • Improving user experience for all users

  • Reducing legal and reputational risks

  • Minimising technical debt by catching problems before they escalate

  • Delivering products that are genuinely inclusive

Accessibility in Agile is both a practical necessity and a commitment to creating better digital experiences for everyone.

Ready to level up your agile accessibility? Get in touch with us here at Arc Inclusion and let’s make your digital products inclusive from day one.

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FAQs

An Agile workflow is the step-by-step process teams follow to deliver work in short, iterative cycles known as sprints. It typically includes planning, designing, developing, testing, and reviewing tasks, with regular feedback guiding improvements. The goal of an agile workflow is to stay flexible, adapt quickly to change, and deliver value to users continuously.

An Agile process helps teams deliver work in smaller, manageable increments, which makes it easier to respond to feedback and adapt to change. The main benefits include faster delivery, greater flexibility, and a stronger focus on user needs. When accessibility is built into the agile workflow, the process also ensures inclusivity, reduces rework, and creates products that work well for all users.

For more on how digital accessibility can benefit your business, see our article The benefits of digital accessibility for your business.

Accessibility should be considered from the very beginning of a project. Including it in design, development, and testing phases ensures barriers are caught early and prevents costly fixes later. Making accessibility part of each sprint also keeps it aligned with the goals of agile development.

User accessibility ensures that digital products can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. It improves overall usability, supports legal compliance, and creates a more inclusive experience for all users. Prioritising accessibility strengthens both the quality and reach of a project.

See more FAQs

Website accessibility monitoring is the fundamental process of scanning your website to detect any issues that could prevent users with disabilities from using it. Automated web accessibility monitoring tools continuously check for accessibility issues across your site, providing instant alerts for new and updated content, as well as your overall site health.

 

They track compliance with standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and show you how accessible your site is, where it should be, and what improvements should be made to deliver a better experience for all users.

 

In addition to measuring your compliance, they also provide a clear picture of your progress over time, so you can track the impact of your improvements and maintain ongoing accessibility.

The two main types are automated and manual monitoring. Together, they provide you with a comprehensive view of how accessible your site is and where improvements are needed.

 

  • Automated monitoring uses specialised web accessibility monitoring tools to scan your website for non-compliant features and common issues, such as missing alt text, poor colour contrast, or keyword navigability issues. These tools can also provide instant alerts for when site elements present accessibility risks and site health reports so you can prioritise any issues.

  • Manual monitoring is where accessibility experts and testers come in to review your site as a real user would, often using assistive technologies like screen readers. They will usually check how easy it is to navigate through pages, interact with content, and understand messages or instructions. The aim is to identify any areas which may present barriers for individuals with disabilities.

Accessibility monitoring is crucial for ensuring that everyone can use and experience your site in the same way, regardless of ability. It is also essential for staying compliant with standards like WCAG and with laws like The European Accessibility Act 2025.

 

Without regular monitoring, accessibility issues can easily appear when new pages are added, content is updated, or designs are changed.

 

Continuous website accessibility monitoring gives you a framework to:

  • Stay compliant

  • Improve user experience

  • Respond to issues quickly

  • Track progress over time

Accessibility monitoring should be integrated into your process rather than a one-time check. Websites can change frequently, with new pages, designs, and content changes, but each update can introduce accessibility issues.

 

Continuous monitoring, both manual and through an automated website monitor, is recommended to catch any issues as soon as they appear, particularly after any big changes, such as adding interactive elements, redesigns, and when legal or accessibility guidelines are updated.

 

Even without significant changes, monitoring should be a consistent part of your organisations website maintenance.

 

The more you test the better, but for those looking for an exact amount, ideally once a month is a good starting point to catch any emerging issues.

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