Amplifying User Abilities: The Behavior-Changing Magic of Digital Accessibility

The ability spectrum

Consider the spectrum of abilities that encompass our human experience, from visual and auditory capabilities to motor skills and cognitive functions. We all navigate life with different strengths and challenges. When we design with digital accessibility in mind, we create features and foster interactions that recognize and adapt to this dynamic spectrum of abilities accommodating both high capabilities and various ability impairments.¹

The crucial role of ability in behavior change

According to Fogg's Behavior model, a user's behavior change depends on 3 factors: whether the user is sufficiently motivated, has the ability to act, and whether an adequate prompt is provided.²  According to Fogg's model, even if a user has low motivation, we can still strive for behavior change if the ability is high (meaning it is easy to accomplish).³ Above all 3, as designers, we directly influence the user's ability. Essentially, when user experience (UX), user interface (UI), and product designers create features, they define their interaction complexity through affordances and visual cues. This means the more complex product features are the The greater range of ability we ask from the user.

The question then becomes: How can we guarantee that our users possess the necessary abilities to interact with our product? The answer is complex; we could opt for user training or provide them with tools. However, both solutions present challenges, as many people tend to resist learning new or overly complicated things.³ Instead, we turn to the only option that we can actually control: We amplify users' abilities by decreasing the system's complexity. Decreasing complexity means making things simple, but more importantly, easy to use,² with low time investment, and low physical and mental effort for the user. Meaning that users should be able to interact with the product with the abilities they already possess.

Oftentimes, when we look to design seamless interactions, we base our decisions on good usability practices and user testing. But, we fail to consider the ability spectrum. So, we assume everyone has the same type and level of ability, and fail to account for any deviation. As a result, we end up creating digital products that are intuitive for some but create a digital barrier for others. By failing to take into account various types of abilities, we inadvertently diminish the capabilities of certain users, hindering the potential for behavior change within a group.

Here is where accessibility plays a crucial role. At its core, Accessibility does not only focus on making products easy to use, (as usability does) it makes sure they are usable for everyone. Accessibility amplifies the diverse spectrum of abilities by providing flexibility. For example, it allows individuals to navigate a website according to their specific needs using features such as keyboard navigation and voice commands. This ensures an inclusive approach to behavior change, leaving no one behind.