Elevating the User Experience and Fostering Loyalty: Accessible Design for Travel-Booking User Interfaces

Accessible Design for Travel-Booking User Interfaces

First, any modern Web site should be built on a foundation of semantic HTML and abide by the ARIA specifications. This provides meaningful structure and context for content and ensures that screen readers and other assistive technologies can interpret and convey the user interface’s hierarchy effectively. However, while these technologies are fantastic for those who want to and can use them, implementing them does not always ensure a good user experience for people with disabilities.

Consider aging people whose vision is failing. They might not know how to use a screen reader. Nor would they necessarily have someone in their community who can help them navigate this technology. Designing with contrast in mind—reducing the use of light-gray text in forms for instance and avoiding small fonts—is the most effective way of accommodating visual impairments and enhancing usability for those with various vision challenges. These design choices also benefit customers in other challenging situations such as trying to book excursions on their phone when in a bright, sunny environment.

Forms, which are integral to travel booking, require particular attention. Travel forms might ask for extensive information such as the traveler’s passport number, country of birth, and emergency contact information. For someone struggling with ADHD, early-onset dementia, or even temporary memory loss, having to answer all these questions can feel overwhelming. Splitting complex forms across multiple pages can be a good way to help reduce the user’s anxiety and increase the likelihood of the successful completion of a form. Also, consider allowing users to return to their forms later, without requiring them to re-enter their information, in case they become distracted or are unable to complete the entire process in one session. Integrating digital-wallet options such as Apple and Google Pay can further streamline the booking process and be particularly helpful for those who frequently make errors when entering their credit-card information online.

Forms should also provide users with clear, consistent feedback, using visual cues to signal errors or explain prompts such as Enter your credit-card security code. Often, designers use color to communicate feedback, which is ineffective for users with color-deficient vision. Instead, consider highlighting errors by enlarging fields, adding highly visible ToolTips, or even using pop-up chatbots when users are experiencing difficulties.

Speaking of chatbots, developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are further streamlining the travel-booking process by enabling the use of natural-language processing (NLP) to find travel options more efficiently than using traditional search filters. This improvement could be beneficial for neurodivergent individuals and those with mobility or vision impairments.

As more and more commercial platforms start exploring the power of AI in delivering a superior user experience to all customers, including those with disabilities, one thing for Web designers and developers to keep in mind is the importance of integrating native applications into your products rather than creating custom widgets. There was a time when custom widgets were necessary to help businesses accomplish their digital-experience vision. However, recent improvements in native iterations have changed this dynamic. Native options often preserve brand cohesion, which was previously a key sticking point, are accessible out of the box, and come at no extra cost.

The Intersection of Accessibility and Loyalty

Customer loyalty is important to all businesses. After all, acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining one. For businesses that rely on digital user interfaces when engaging and transacting with their customers, the user experience is integral to customer retention and loyalty. Imagine being a long-time member of a loyalty program and suddenly finding that you can no longer fully utilize it because the user interface has become difficult to navigate with your declining vision. First, you’ll likely be disappointed and frustrated, then you might go elsewhere. Multiply that disappointment across hundreds or even thousands of customers and the cost of investing in accessibility features seems minor in comparison.

Prioritizing accessibility features from the beginning of the design process ultimately results in long-term cost savings. To be sure your product is on the right track, consider hiring UX specialists who have disabilities. Their lived experiences and expertise can significantly and meaningfully contribute to the development of accessibility-first digital products. Plus, inviting a group of people with disabilities to evaluate your plans and test initial prototypes can be eye opening.

Embracing advanced accessibility goes beyond simply adhering to current standards; it’s about setting the stage for future developments. As technology advances and users’ expectations change, inclusive design principles will become the norm. They’ll not only serve as a guiding light but also as a strategic imperative with far-reaching implications for business success.