What is accessibility in design, video and animation?
This is the part we’re most interested in. Up until a few years ago, accessibility was not a term that you heard mentioned much in creative studios. It has always been part of our process (and good design practice) to ensure that all materials we create are clear, legible and easily understood: but really, that was where the process of ‘accessibility’ ended. Times have changed, dramatically.
In 2025, accessibility is one of the first considerations when we begin a new piece of work. Accessibility in design is a rigorous process that aims to ensure that a document, animation or video can be properly digested by everyone, including those with sight loss/impairment, neurodiversity, deafness, dyslexia…the list goes on.
Depending on the standards of accessibility you want to meet, there is a checklist of criteria that the creative asset must meet: but as a baseline it must adhere to the four core principles, known as POUR:
P- Perceivable
The content must be digestible by those who have challenges with their perception e.g. sight/hearing: therefore:
all images must have alt text (descriptions)
video and animation content must have captions or transcripts
colour contrast must be acceptable (you can use online tools to check)
content can be resized or zoomed into, without things ‘breaking’
O - Operable
This rule requires that:
the interface be navigable using only the keyboard with no mouse
there be no flashing content on video or animations
documents should have a logical tab order
any onscreen graphics or text should hold onscreen long enough to be read with ease
U - Understandable
This criteria applies both to the content and the user journey, and dictates that:
language be plain and readable
navigation and layout should be consistent and intuitive
clear instructions and error alerts be given
forms are labelled logically
R - Robust
This rule considers the longevity and future-proofing of content, and outlines that:
Content be compatible with screen readers, voice input etc across the widest range of devices
HTML be clean and semantic
If you’re totally new to accessibility and how it relates to creative work, the above list alone can feel intimidating. But like any other process, it’s a learning curve to master accessibility, and there are lots of fantastic training courses and learning resources available to get you started and guide you into new ways of thinking about how you create materials that are accessible to all. You can also speak to Whitenoise, and we’ll be delighted to advise and support!
We apply accessibility standards across all of our services, and our staff have been trained in the latest processes and best practices to ensure content adheres to the necessary criteria: our commitment to advocating for accessibility does go one step further though.
In January 2025, Whitenoise nominated the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) as our agency’s charity of the year. RNIB have been a Whitenoise client for over a decade, and this charitable partnership really cements our commitment to understanding and supporting their mission: to offer practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers. We’ve been doubling down to understand the lived experience and practicalities for those living with sight impairment - as highly visual individuals, our staff have found it transformative to consider things from the point of view of those who do not use sight as one of their key senses. It has been enriching to think laterally about how we ensure that creative content can be appreciated by those living with different needs and requirements, and as accessibility becomes an industry watchword, we are excited to be part of the movement.
You can look out for our upcoming brand awareness campaign for RNIB, as we seek to highlight the importance of using alt-text: an easy adjustment that anyone can make to ensure that everyone can join the conversation online. Coming to a billboard near you in May 2025!
