Choosing new software is rarely a straightforward decision. Whether an organization is investing in a customer portal, an internal business application, an e-commerce platform or another digital solution, the procurement process typically involves comparing features, pricing, security, scalability and vendor support.
Yet one critical factor is often overlooked until much later: how easy the software is for people with different needs and abilities to use.
This is where accessibility and user experience begin to overlap. A digital product may offer every required feature on paper, but if people struggle to use those features effectively, its overall value quickly diminishes.
Accessibility has become an increasingly important consideration for organizations operating in the European market. The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882), which became applicable across EU Member States on the 28th of June 2025, introduced common accessibility requirements for a range of products and services.
While the exact obligations depend on the type of product or service and the national legislation implementing the Directive, the overall direction is clear: accessibility should be considered from the earliest stages of designing, selecting and maintaining digital products.
Why the Accessibility Act is changing procurement conversations
The Accessibility Act has encouraged many organizations to rethink how accessibility fits into software procurement. While accessibility has long been recognized as an important aspect of digital design, the introduction of harmonized European requirements has increased awareness among procurement teams, legal departments, product owners and business leaders alike.
The Directive does not require organizations to purchase a particular type of software or work with specific suppliers. Instead, it establishes accessibility requirements for certain products and services within its scope, encouraging organizations to consider accessibility as part of the product lifecycle rather than as an afterthought. For a simple overview of the legal context, check ergomania.eu before turning accessibility into a product checklist.
Procurement conversations are also becoming more holistic. Rather than asking only whether a solution offers the necessary features, organizations are increasingly interested in understanding how those features can be accessed and used by different groups of people. This broader perspective helps ensure that software performs effectively under real-world conditions, where users have varying abilities, preferences and ways of interacting with digital products.
It also reflects a wider understanding that accessibility is closely linked to product quality. Digital tools that are easier to navigate, understand and operate are more likely to support efficient workflows and positive user experiences across diverse user groups.
For organizations purchasing complex software, these discussions often involve stakeholders from several disciplines. Procurement specialists may focus on commercial considerations, IT teams on technical compatibility, legal experts on regulatory obligations, and product or UX professionals on how well the solution supports the people who will ultimately use it. Looking at accessibility from these different perspectives can lead to more balanced purchasing decisions.
Why accessible UX matters before a contract is signed
When people hear the word “accessibility”, they often associate it with legal compliance or specialized technical requirements. In reality, accessibility is closely connected to user experience. A product that is difficult to navigate or understand rarely creates a positive experience for any user, regardless of whether they have a disability.
Accessible UX focuses on designing digital products that can be used by the widest possible range of people. This includes users with permanent disabilities, but also those with temporary or situational limitations. Someone recovering from an injury, working in poor lighting, using a mobile device with one hand, or watching a video without sound may all benefit from accessibility features that improve the overall experience.
Many of these improvements are surprisingly familiar. Clear navigation, descriptive page headings, readable typography, logical content hierarchy, sufficient color contrast, consistent interface patterns and meaningful error messages all contribute to software that feels easier to use. These design decisions help reduce confusion, shorten the time needed to complete tasks and make digital services more intuitive.
From a procurement perspective, this matters because software is a long-term investment. If users struggle to complete everyday tasks, organizations may experience increased support requests, lower employee productivity, dissatisfied customers or costly redesign projects. Identifying usability and accessibility concerns before purchasing software is therefore often far more effective than trying to resolve them once the product has already been rolled out.
NOTE: Not every accessibility issue is immediately visible during a software demonstration. A product may appear polished while still presenting barriers for keyboard users, screen reader users, or people with cognitive impairments. This is one reason why many organizations complement technical evaluations with broader UX and accessibility reviews before making procurement decisions.
How accessible UX design supports better software decisions
Good procurement decisions depend on asking the right questions. While accessibility standards and legal requirements provide an important framework, they should not be viewed as the only measure of software quality.
Accessible UX design begins much earlier than a compliance assessment. It influences how users complete tasks, how easily they understand information and how confidently they interact with a digital product. When accessibility is considered throughout research, design, development and testing, the resulting software is often more intuitive for everyone—not just for users who rely on assistive technologies.
This broader perspective benefits procurement teams because it shifts the discussion from checking technical boxes to evaluating the overall quality of the user experience.
For example, a supplier might state that its platform supports keyboard navigation. While this is an important accessibility feature, buyers should also consider whether users can move through workflows efficiently, whether interactive elements behave predictably, and whether essential information is presented clearly. Accessibility and usability often reinforce one another, making both important indicators of software quality.
Similarly, compatibility with screen readers is valuable, but it should be accompanied by well-structured content, meaningful labels, consistent navigation and logical page organization. These qualities contribute to a more reliable experience for users with disabilities while improving clarity for everyone else.
What to look for during accessible UX design in software procurement
The procurement process offers an important opportunity to evaluate how seriously a software vendor approaches accessibility. Asking a few carefully chosen questions can provide valuable insight into whether accessibility has been built into the product from the beginning or treated as a final compliance exercise.
One useful starting point is understanding how accessibility fits into the vendor’s overall design process. Was it considered during user research and interface design, or was it addressed only after development had been completed? Organizations that integrate accessibility throughout product development are generally better positioned to maintain it as their software evolves.
It is also worth asking whether the product has been evaluated against recognized accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which form the basis of many accessibility requirements worldwide.
Meeting WCAG is an important indicator of accessibility, but it should not be viewed as the finish line. A product can satisfy technical requirements while still frustrating users if navigation, workflows, or content are difficult to understand.
Alongside technical documentation, buyers can learn a great deal by asking vendors how accessibility is embedded in their day-to-day design and development practices.
Questions such as the following can help separate accessibility that is built into the product from accessibility that has been added later to satisfy compliance requirements:
- Has the product been tested using both automated accessibility tools and manual evaluation?
- Have people who use assistive technologies been involved in usability testing?
- Can essential functions be completed using only a keyboard?
- Does the software work reliably with commonly used screen readers?
- Are forms, notifications, and error messages designed to be clear and understandable?
- How does the vendor ensure that future updates do not introduce new accessibility barriers?
The answers often reveal far more than a simple statement of compliance. Vendors that have embedded accessibility into their development practices are usually able to explain how they test, monitor, and continuously improve the user experience.
Another useful consideration is documentation. Accessibility statements, audit reports or conformance documentation can help buyers understand not only where a product performs well, but also whether any known limitations have been identified and how they are being addressed. Transparent communication is often a good indicator that accessibility is treated as an ongoing responsibility rather than a marketing claim.
Final thoughts
Software procurement is ultimately about making investments that will continue to deliver value long after implementation. Alongside functionality, security and cost, accessibility deserves a place among the key criteria used to evaluate digital products.
Considering accessible UX from the outset can help organizations identify usability issues earlier, reduce future remediation costs, and provide better experiences for a wider range of users.
As accessibility expectations continue to evolve across Europe, asking informed questions during procurement is becoming an increasingly important part of selecting software that is both effective and future-ready.
