Are You Throwing Money Away?

OutSystems is built for speed—delivering apps faster than ever. But if accessibility isn't embedded from the start, that speed turns into a costly headache. Refactoring for accessibility later can mean reworking entire components, disrupting user experience, and increasing costs.

DISCOVER THE RISKS
Hero Outsystems

Build Smart, Save More

By integrating accessibility best practices into your OutSystems development workflow, you avoid technical debt, ensure compliance, and create inclusive experiences without increasing costs or slowing down your delivery.

Cost of fixing accessibility at the end

The Hidden Cost of Exclusion

Inaccessibility isn’t just a compliance risk — it alienates the very communities that drive innovation and growth. Here’s what’s at stake:

Balance

Shared Success

Accessibility is more than a checkbox. It's a commitment to the users you serve. Ignoring it damages trust, reduces engagement, and impacts long-term loyalty.

Opened Door

Missed Connections

Over 1 billion people worldwide live with disabilities. Each barrier is a missed opportunity for innovation, collaboration, and growth.

Host

Visibility & Growth

Accessibility makes your platform discoverable, usable, and valuable to more users. It also improves SEO and increases reach in regulated sectors.

Groups

Trust & Reputation

Users care about ethics. Accessible platforms are a signal of quality, inclusion, and reliability, and that builds lasting relationships.

OUTSYSTEMS & ACCESSIBILITY:

What Could Go Wrong?

OutSystems UI is built with accessibility in mind and follows WCAG 2.1 AA standards. But in real projects, customization, branding, and additional components introduce risks that aren’t automatically covered. Here’s where teams often struggle:

  1. Branding & Custom Styles Can Break Accessibility

    Out-of-the-box widgets are partially compliant, but custom themes, color palettes, and typography tweaks often lead to contrast issues or poor readability, affecting both usability and compliance.

  2. Custom Code Can Introduce Barriers

    OutSystems UI covers 80% of typical project needs, but there’s always custom logic, UI patterns, or third-party integrations. If accessibility isn’t a core consideration, new components may lack proper focus management, keyboard support, or assistive tech compatibility.

  3. No UX Input? Usability Takes a Hit

    Many OutSystems projects lack a dedicated UX designer, leaving UI/UX decisions to the development team. If an interface isn’t intuitive for general users, imagine the friction it creates for people with disabilities.

  4. Accessibility Specialists Are Rare

    Even experienced OutSystems developers struggle with accessibility best practices—ensuring ARIA attributes, using built-in properties effectively, and maintaining usability across all devices. An OutSystems accessibility specialist helps teams get it right from the start, train developers, and continuously evolve apps without accessibility debt.

Alexandre Santos

Making OutSystems Accessibility Easy

Accessibility Audit

We assess your platform to uncover accessibility gaps:

Cleanup & Repair

Resolve accessibility issues efficiently:

Accessibility Training

Empower your team to maintain accessibility long-term:

Frequently Asked Questions

Digital accessibility ensures that websites, applications, and digital content can be used by people with disabilities. It’s not just about compliance—it improves usability for all users, enhances engagement, and helps businesses reach a wider audience. By making your platform accessible, you create a better experience for everyone while also protecting your brand from legal and reputational risks.

Several laws and guidelines establish digital accessibility requirements across different regions. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates accessibility for digital platforms, with lawsuits increasing every year. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) will enforce strict accessibility standards across the EU from 2025. In Canada, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets similar requirements. While the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are not legally binding on their own, they serve as the global standard referenced by most regulations.

The consequences of non-compliance vary by country, but they can include significant fines, lawsuits, and reputational damage. In the US, organizations have faced lawsuits resulting in costly settlements for failing to meet ADA requirements. In the EU, businesses that do not comply with the EAA will face fines and potential restrictions starting in 2025. Beyond legal risks, an inaccessible platform can harm customer trust and limit your market reach, as millions of users rely on inclusive digital experiences.

There are automated tools like Google Lighthouse, WAVE, and Axe DevTools that scan for common accessibility issues, but these tools only detect part of the problem. Many barriers can only be identified through manual testing, ideally involving users with disabilities to get a real-world understanding of accessibility gaps. Our Accessibility Audit provides a detailed evaluation of your platform by combining automated scanning with manual testing. The audit delivers a structured report outlining the current status, identified issues, and actionable recommendations. We typically complete an audit of 10 key screens within 5 days, but this timeline may be adjusted based on the complexity and size of your application.

The time required to fix accessibility issues depends on their complexity. In general, we aim to resolve the most critical barriers within 10 days, focusing on high-priority issues first. After that, we provide an estimate for addressing remaining issues. While accessibility fixes do not typically impact the design of your platform, they can present an opportunity to improve other aspects of user experience. A structured approach ensures that compliance is achieved without disrupting your existing workflows.

Yes, because accessibility is an ongoing effort. Even after fixing existing issues, future updates and new features must remain compliant. Without internal knowledge, accessibility problems can resurface over time. Our Accessibility Training helps teams integrate accessibility into their development and design processes. We provide tailored workshops that cover best practices, practical implementation, and strategies to ensure long-term compliance. This allows your team to take ownership of accessibility and reduces reliance on external audits and fixes.

Accessibility compliance is crucial for many industries, particularly those serving large audiences or handling essential services. Government agencies, educational institutions, and financial services are often legally required to meet strict accessibility standards. E-commerce, SaaS platforms, and healthcare organizations also face increasing expectations to ensure inclusivity. Regardless of legal requirements, accessibility improves customer experience and expands business opportunities across all industries.

Don’t Risk Non-Compliance, Act Now!

Avoid risks, build trust, and open doors to new opportunities.

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Still Have Questions? Let's Discuss Your Accessibility Needs