Ensure maximum compatibility with current and future assistive technologies.
We have reached the end of our series on the POUR principles with the exploration of the final pillar: Robust. After ensuring a site is Perceivable, Operable, and Understandable, we must guarantee that it can function reliably across a wide range of technologies, browsers, and devices, both now and in the future.
What Does It Mean for a Site to Be Robust?
The principle of robustness requires that content can be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies (like screen readers). Essentially, a robust site is built according to web standards. This means using valid, clean HTML and CSS code that avoids structural errors and ensures that elements like start/end tags, duplicate attributes, and unique IDs are implemented correctly. Robust code minimizes the risk of the site "breaking" on different browsers or being incompatible with the assistive technologies that people with disabilities rely on.
Detailed Technical Guide for the Principle of Robustness
Here are the specific rules and practical tips to ensure your site's robustness, taken directly from the official guide:
1.13. Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies
- 1.13.1. [A] Parsing: In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique.
- Tip: W3C provides a content validator: http://validator.w3.org
- Tip: W3C provides a content validator: http://validator.w3.org
- 1.13.2. [A] Name, Role, Value: For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links, and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies.
How Wawsome Ensures Robustness
Robustness is a technical but fundamental principle. Wawsome is designed to strengthen your site's code without requiring a developer's intervention. By automatically applying ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes, Wawsome ensures that interactive elements are correctly identified by assistive technologies. Our widget validates and corrects common structural errors, ensuring your site is interpreted correctly by a wide range of browsers and screen readers. This keeps the user experience consistent and functional, regardless of the technology used.
General Conclusions and Next Steps
We have journeyed together through the four pillars of web accessibility: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Each principle is essential, but only together do they create a truly inclusive experience.
Given the existing legal framework that has long mandated web accessibility for public institutions, as well as recent EU Directives, we strongly recommend initiating accessibility procedures in accordance with the national and international standards detailed in this series. Making web pages accessible is a critical first step in developing an inclusive information and communication framework. More than a technical obligation, it guarantees the fundamental right of people with disabilities to have unrestricted access to information and to actively participate in public policy-making.
Implementing these standards is a strategic business decision and a testament to ethical practice. An accessible site opens doors to a wider audience, improves SEO, strengthens brand reputation, and, most importantly, demonstrates a commitment to equal opportunity in the digital world.
With Wawsome, this process becomes simple and efficient, allowing you to build a digital future where no one is left behind.
Explore all our powerful features and many more perks by starting a 7-day free trial today!