Digital Customer Experience
'Accessibility can’t be tested with just a tool, you need people for that!' Wim Nieuwenhuize…
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‘Everyone benefits from an accessible website!’
Dionne de Vries works as a digital accessibility consultant and UX researcher at Capgemini. Thanks to her extensive experience in testing and designing digital user experiences, she knows how important it is to take all users into consideration, preferably from the beginning. Attention to this topic is also increasing at Capgemini Academy, with training courses and workshops on accessible design and testing. ‘Accessibility is a way of thinking that you preferably include from the beginning.’
Forms without clear field names, buttons without descriptive text and videos without subtitles – these are common accessibility problems Dionne encounters daily on websites and in apps. ‘These are not minor details, these elements decide who can and cannot participate.’
In her work, Dionne views digital products through the eyes of people with various disabilities and advises organizations on how to improve – not just to prevent exclusion, but also because accessible digital services demonstrably reach more users and provide a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
In this interview, Dionne talks about why accessibility is still often neglected, how new legislation is forcing organizations to take action, and why good design starts with listening.
‘Accessibility is a way of thinking that you preferably include from the beginning.’
How did you end up in your role as a digital accessibility consultant at Capgemini?
“I started my career as a test engineer, testing software and digital products for functionality and reliability. But I had already encountered digital accessibility during my studies. It really struck me – the idea that not everyone can automatically participate, even if a website is technically ‘finished’. So, I started looking into this topic and now I work as a digital accessibility consultant.”
“I help Capgemini clients make their websites and applications more accessible and user-friendly. Sometimes I do this through technical audits, but often through user research: we work with real users to see how they navigate a digital environment and where things go wrong. That provides us with valuable insights, because we are looking beyond the rules and really focus on the user experience.”
How do you define digital accessibility?
“Digital accessibility means that digital products – such as websites, apps, but also self-scan checkouts in grocery stores for example – can be used by everyone. Including people with disabilities like vision, hearing, motor skills or cognition impairments.”
“But it gets much broader than that. Even people without disabilities benefit from clear navigation, more readable content and, for example, videos with subtitles. It makes a digital environment easier to understand and more enjoyable for all users.”
Visual, cognitive, hearing impairments and more – are we talking about one set of solutions?
“No, that’s where things get complicated. While the WCAG guidelines set the standard for digital accessibility, they do not cover everything. Every disability requires specific attention. A user who is visually impaired has different needs than someone who is deaf, or someone with a motor or cognitive impairment. For the visually impaired, for example, it is important to have high contrast between text and background so that the information can be easily seen. For people with hearing impairments, it is essential that audio elements are also readable through explanations or subtitles, so they don’t miss out on anything.”
“And then there are also temporary impairments – like someone with a broken arm – that you must consider. There is no set toolkit that you can use for everything.”
“Including accessibility in design and development processes from the very beginning is helpful. Not just following standard guidelines, but really thinking about ease of use for different types of users.”
“If you use an accessible design from the start – for example, with a clear structure, sufficient contrast, good navigation and accessible components – you avoid having to fix a design later that is actually fundamentally flawed.”
You’re saying it’s not easy to repair?
“Early testing with a diverse group of users reveals where your choices do or do not work. It’s a good foundation for quality.”
You also said that many organizations still tend to initially overlook web accessibility. If you didn’t think of it at the beginning – do you still have a chance to fix it?
“Absolutely. It may not be ideal, but a lot can still be done afterward the app or website is ‘finished’. It’s never too late to start! For example, you can add alternative text to images so that screen readers – software that reads websites aloud – can convey the content.”
“Color contrasts can be improved so that text is easier for people with impaired vision to read. You can also rewrite buttons and links to make clear what they do – for example use “submit form” instead of “click here.” Keyboard navigation is something you can test and improve relatively easily, and the structure of your HTML – a logical heading order, for instance – also makes a big difference.”
“Bottom line: if you didn’t include accessibility from the start, it’s certainly not too late. You can still improve, especially if you involve different users to discover what elements cause issues.”
Can you share any tips that can be applied immediately?
“Absolutely. I already mentioned a few. Provide alternative text for images for people with visual impairments, so they can ‘read the images’, so to speak. Provide a clear heading structure and descriptive buttons and links. For hearing-impaired or deaf users: subtitle videos and use visual cues as an alternative to audio. For motor limitations, it is important that all functions can be operated via the keyboard.”
“It helps tremendously if you limit distracting elements, use simple language and provide a clear, predictable structure for people with a cognitive disability. These are all relatively small adjustments, but they really make a difference.”
You mentioned the WCAG earlier. Can you explain what that is, and how you feel about it?
“The WCAG – which stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – contains international guidelines for digital accessibility. They are built around four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. There are three levels: A, AA and AAA. Most organizations must satisfy at least level AA, altogether that is about 50 criteria – to move on to the next phase, you must achieve 55 criteria.”
You mean this is mandatory?
“Those guidelines are already being applied in government projects, but as of June 28, 2025, they will also become mandatory for many businesses, via the European Accessibility Act. That law applies to digital products and services such as websites, apps, e-commerce and even ticket machines. The Netherlands is adopting that requirement into national legislation.”
So, starting this summer, the web accessibility of a lot of websites will be improving?
“It’s worth noting that small businesses, with fewer than 10 employees and less than 2 million euros in turnover, are excluded from these new regulations. But yes, I think the WCAG is very valuable – it’s a good starting point. However, it is not a checklist. You can be technically compliant and still deliver an inaccessible experience. That’s why I always say: use the WCAG as a guideline but test your design with people from different target audiences. That’s the only way to really know if it works.”
So how many people are helped by this?
“Depending on the definition, based on figures from Statistics Netherlands, between 15 and 30 percent of Dutch citizens are living with some form of disability. That’s millions of people who directly benefit from accessible websites and apps.”
“But as I said earlier, it goes even further than that. People without disabilities also experience benefits, such as clearer navigation or improved readability. Accessibility is not only a social responsibility, but also a business case: you reach more users, prevent people giving up on your website and build a stronger brand.”
Earlier, we talked about how web accessibility is often a neglected topic. Why is that?
“Deadlines, budgets and lack of knowledge all play a role, as does the idea that accessibility is just an add-on. When in fact it is simply a quality criterion – just like safety or user friendliness. You must incorporate it into your thinking, design and development.”
Finally, how can organizations ensure that accessibility is no longer an afterthought but becomes a structural part of their processes?
“It starts with awareness and knowledge. Accessibility should not just be the domain of a few specialists; it should be something the entire team feels responsible for – from design to development to testing. It helps when accessibility is part of the culture: a natural part of every project.”
“Capgemini Academy also offers training courses. These are not just about the technical guidelines like the WCAG, but also about how to include accessibility in the design process, and how to test with real users. This enables professionals to not only gain knowledge, but also a shared awareness throughout their organization.”
Want to see what digital accessibility means in practice – even if your website is already live?
The personal story of Wim Nieuwenhuize, coach at Capgeminim is a great read. He shows how experience and smart adjustments to existing websites can make big impact, provided you test with real users.
Discover all the training courses on digital accessibility offered by Capgemini Academy and learn how to develop inclusive digital solutions. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Please note that from June 28, 2025, the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) will monitor the digital accessibility of e-commerce services. Want to make sure your website or app meets the new requirements? We’re happy to help out starting by testing your application.
