Yesterday at the Berlin Product Designers Meetup, Guillaume Vaslin made a compelling case for taking the new Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (Accessibility Strengthening Act) seriously – especially since it goes into effect next week.
Beyond the obvious (don’t be a jerk), there’s a simple truth: With the BFSG barrier-free design is becoming the new normal. Digital products that neglect accessibility won’t just face legal risks – they’ll look outdated as the digital landscape evolves and with it the expectations of users.
(Which is why we specifically trained our designers at my agency long ago and baked accessibility deep into our process)
A few key insights:
🔹 The AI boom is quietly pushing accessibility forward—because websites built with clear structure, semantic markup, and alt-text aren’t just more inclusive; they’re also easier for LLMs to crawl and interpret. Suddenly, accessibility aligns with the AI gold rush.
🔹 Design complexity is increasing—we’re already juggling user-centricity, brand alignment, conversion optimization, SEO, and more. Now, accessibility joins that list as a core requirement, not an afterthought. The solution? Bake it in from day one.
🔹 Tech can help reduce the effort—AI can now generate meaningful alt-text, auto-caption videos, and flag contrast issues. The tools are getting smarter, let’s use them.
But here’s the catch: accessibility only works if everyone commits. Designers, developers, content teams on the one hand, but also clients who see the value and potential. Not just as compliance, but as better design: one that reaches more people and simply works better.
Let’s make it happen. 💡
#DigitalDesign hashtag#Accessibility #AI #InclusiveDesign