Accessibility in technical communication is no longer a niche topic – thankfully. Technical information is rarely read at a desk. Much more often, it is used in noisy production halls, on construction sites, out in the field or in situations where concentration and visibility are limited. And it is precisely in these moments that it becomes clear whether information can be understood or whether it remains difficult to access.
Julia Herrmann, Product Manager at EC Systems and guest in episode 2.03 of our podcast “kothes trifft …”, even describes accessibility in the episode as a “democracy enabler”. (Note: Lars and Julia are speaking German in this episode.)
Accessibility is therefore increasingly becoming a key indicator of quality in technical communication. It enhances the clarity of information and has a direct impact on safety and customer satisfaction. And it is becoming ever more relevant due to new legal requirements, such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the German Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG).
What does European Accessibility Act compliance mean for technical information?
Accessibility means that content can be perceived and used equally by all people. In practice, the focus is often first placed on people with visual impairments. However, barriers also arise when texts are overly complex, when contrast is insufficient or when people wear safety gear that limits mobility. Noise, fatigue or an unfamiliar language can also make information harder to use.
For technical communicators, this means:
Information must be clearly structured, linguistically accessible, logically organised – and it must function reliably across all media.
Who benefits from accessible information?
Accessible information supports far more than people with permanent disabilities. It helps everyone who relies on clear, easy-to-use information in their daily work.
This includes:
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People with temporary impairments (e.g. eye irritation, muscle injury)
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Production staff working with gloves, safety goggles or under time pressure
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Service teams using documents in poor lighting conditions
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People with neurodivergence or low literacy
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Older users with reduced vision or motor skills
Accessibility is therefore a core component of good usability – and contributes to safer, more efficient interactions with products.
Which legal requirements apply to accessible technical documentation?
The central legal framework for accessible digital content is the European Accessibility Act (EAA). It defines EU-wide requirements to ensure that consumers can use digital products and services regardless of individual limitations. In Germany, the EAA was implemented in June 2025 via the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG).
The scope is tightly defined:
The BFSG applies only to consumer products and consumer-facing services, such as telecommunications devices, banking services, operating systems, e-commerce, e-books and certain media services. Products used exclusively in B2B contexts are currently excluded.
There is also an economic component: Compliance is required only for companies above a certain size and turnover. Micro‑enterprises are exempt in many areas.
For public-sector products, the BITV (Barrierefreie Informationstechnik-Verordnung) applies.
In practice, this means: Most traditional industrial and machinery documentation is not yet affected. However, kothes Managing Director Lars Kothes and Julia Herrmann agree in the podcast: This legislation is a strong signal. Like data protection or cybersecurity, accessibility requirements will likely expand to further product groups over time. Many companies are therefore preparing early to avoid last‑minute compliance pressure.
What guidelines and standards matter?
Even if the legal requirements apply only to specific types of documentation, the underlying principles are relevant for all digital content.
The key framework are the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). They define how digital content must be structured to be barrier-free and easy to use.
For PDF documents, the PDF/UA standard applies, defining requirements for tagging, structure, reading order and screen reader compatibility.
Core principles of European Accessibility Act Compliance for technical content
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Readability: Text must be clear and understandable – even in challenging conditions.
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Contrast: Colour choices must ensure that content is legible regardless of screen, lighting or vision.
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Screen reader compatibility: Documents require proper semantic tagging so that screen readers can recognise and read out content correctly.
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Consistent structure: Heading hierarchies (H1, H2, etc.) must be logical and correct.
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Keyboard navigation: Especially relevant for HTML-based content and portals.
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Alternative text: Important images must include meaningful alt text that conveys the necessary information.
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Avoid purely visual constructs: Elements that rely solely on visual formatting (e.g. visually indented “pseudo-lists”) lead to misunderstandings.
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Avoid unnecessary decoration: Decorative icons or images must be marked so that screen readers skip them.
A crucial insight: Accessibility is not just visual design – it is structural. Screen readers rely on correct tagging, not on visual indentations, colours, or graphic elements.
Common pitfalls include nested tables, improvised layouts and pseudo-lists. These may “look” right but cannot reliably be interpreted by assistive technologies.
Everyday examples:
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An arrow symbol “>” may be read out as “greater than”.
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An image without alternative text is “invisible” to screen readers.
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A nested table results in an endless, ambiguous output.
Visual appearance alone must never be the standard. What counts is semantic quality.
How to test accessibility properly
Automated checking tools such as the PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) are helpful but insufficient. They verify technical criteria – not actual comprehensibility. Meaningful testing therefore requires the use of screen readers, ideally by people who rely on assistive technologies in everyday life. Accessibility experts can help identify typical issues early.Editing teams must understand how screen readers work and how they interpret content.
Many improvements are simple to implement and immediately increase usability:
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Larger font sizes
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Higher contrast (e.g. for red-green deficiency)
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Icons differentiated by shape, not only colour
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Clear navigation (especially for web content)
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Straightforward, plain language
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Alt text for all relevant images
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Consideration of real‑world usage conditions (noise, gloves, fatigue, etc.)
European Accessibility Act Compliance is therefore a key component of modern information design. It supports people in many different situations, improves safety and enhances product usability. Even though legal requirements are still limited, their importance will continue to grow.
In short: Accessibility is good UX – and good UX is good documentation.
What we do for you
Creating accessible documents and digital information products requires a clear plan. We help analyse your needs, develop a practical concept and create user‑centred content, from structured technical documentation to high‑quality videos.
Feel free to get in touch!
FAQ
The BFSG applies exclusively to consumer products and consumer-facing services. These include telecommunications devices, e-commerce platforms, banking services, e-books, operating systems and certain media services. Classic B2B machinery and industrial equipment are currently excluded.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is the EU directive defining digital accessibility requirements for consumer products. The BFSG is the German law that implements these requirements and defines when and to whom they apply.
Currently, the BFSG applies only to consumer products and consumer-oriented digital services, such as telecommunications, banking, e-books, or e-commerce. Traditional industrial and machinery documentation is not yet included – though future expansion is likely.
The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the central reference. For PDFs, the PDF/UA standard applies, covering tagging, structure, reading sequence and screen reader compatibility.
A thorough accessibility test includes:
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Screen reader testing (e.g. NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
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Testing by people who rely on assistive technologies
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Reviews by accessibility specialists
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Editorial quality checks (structure, language, alt text)
