In the world of web accessibility, we often see organizations taking a reactive approach: they launch products, run accessibility audits, and then scramble to fix the issues found. While fixing accessibility problems is crucial, this reactive cycle creates a constant game of catch-up. There's a better way: shifting left.
What Does "Shifting Left" Mean?
The concept of "shifting left" comes from the software development lifecycle, where stages typically flow from left (planning) to right (production). Shifting left in accessibility means not only starting to care about accessibility after it's already in production, but moving accessibility considerations earlier in the development process—from reactive fixes to proactive prevention.
The Traditional Approach vs. Shifting Left
Traditional approaches to web accessibility often follow a pattern:
1. Build the product
2. Launch
3. Conduct accessibility audit
4. Fix issues
5. Repeat
This reactive cycle, while better than no accessibility consideration at all, creates several challenges. Teams find themselves constantly fixing similar issues across different products, spending significant resources on remediation, and potentially delivering subpar experiences to users with disabilities.
Benefits of Shifting Left in Accessibility
1. Cost-Effective Solutions
The earlier you address accessibility, the less expensive it becomes. Fixing an accessibility issue in production meaning dealing with legacy and changing the product for users who are already used to the how the it works. However, improving definitions in the Figma is much more simple. Furthermore, if you fix the problem at it's core, for example in the design system or the component library, you reduce the need to even think about this issue again in all future products and features, which will save even more time.
2. Higher Quality Accessibility Implementation
When accessibility is considered from the start, it becomes an integral part of the product rather than an afterthought. This results in:
- More elegant solutions that feel natural to users
- Better integration with existing workflows
- Reduced technical debt
- More consistent user experience across the product
3. Improved Development Efficiency
By building accessibility into your component libraries and design systems, you:
- Reduce redundant work
- Create reusable, accessible components
- Minimize the need for future remediation
- Speed up development cycles
- Reduce the amount of knowledge needed from all stakehoders
4. Enhanced Team Awareness
Shifting left cultivates accessibility awareness across all team members:
- Product managers think about all personas including those 17% with disabilities
- Designers learn to consider color, keyboard functionality, order, spacing and more
- Developers give more attention to semantics and correct implementation
- The entire team develops a accessibility-first mindset
How to Implement a Shift-Left Approach
1. Start with Design Systems
- Update your component libraries with accessible components
- Create clear accessibility guidelines for designers
- Include accessibility requirements in design reviews
- Document accessibility patterns and best practices
2. Enhance Development Processes
- Implement accessibility testing in your CI/CD pipeline
- Create automated accessibility checks for common issues
- Establish accessibility acceptance criteria for new features
- Include accessibility testing in your definition of done
3. Build Team Capability
- Provide accessibility training for all team members
- Include accessibility experts in planning sessions
- Create accessibility champions within each team
- Share knowledge and best practices across teams
But the best tip i can give regarding Shifting Left it to Close the Accessibility Loop - every time you do identify an accessibility issue in production, ask yourself 2 questions:
What is the source of this problem?
How can we make sure it will never happen again?
And then go and fix the problem in it's root in a way that it can never happen again. Gradually you are garnteed to have less issues, and better processes and infrastracture.
For example: Let's assume you found an icon with a missing alt text in your website.
What is the source of the problem?
Did the developer implemented it without alt attribute?
Did the designer or the content writer not provide a definition of what the alt text for the icon should be?
How can we make sure it will never happen again?
We can add automations that will verify alt attribute existence and that it has valid value (not file name for example).
We can add to the designers/content writers a checklist item that reminds them to add for every visual item (icon, image, chart...) an alt-text or a "decorative" indication.
If the icon is being used repeatedly throughout your website, you can add the alt text to your design system or as part of the component in the component library, that way this type of problem will never happen again.
The Long-Term Impact
Shifting left in accessibility isn't just about preventing issues—it's about creating a sustainable approach to digital inclusion. Organizations that successfully shift left often find that:
- Their products become more usable for everyone, not just users with disabilities
- Teams become more efficient and confident in delivering accessible solutions
- The organization builds a reputation for inclusive design
- Compliance becomes a natural outcome rather than a hurdle to overcome
Bottom Line
While fixing existing accessibility issues remains important, shifting left represents a strategic evolution in how organizations approach digital accessibility. By moving accessibility considerations earlier in the product lifecycle, organizations can create better products more efficiently, while building a culture of inclusion that benefits everyone.
Remember: the goal isn't just to fix accessibility issues—it's to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Shifting left is how we make that happen.
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