Digital accessibility has grown beyond technical checklists, yet many organizations remain stuck in a compliance-only mindset that misunderstands what inclusive design truly requires. WCAG standards are vital, as they set the technical foundations for accessibility, but they’re only one piece of a much larger puzzle. For users, technical compliance doesn’t guarantee usability, and the gap between what automated tools measure and what people actually experience highlights a key misconception: an accessible interface does not necessarily create an accessible – and, more importantly, a usable – experience.
This distinction has real-world consequences. It’s why global leaders such as the International Paralympic Committee, Portland International Airport, and Network Rail – the UK’s largest rail infrastructure manager – have chosen GoodMaps’ integrated, research-driven approach over traditional retrofitted solutions.
Global Standards: Beyond Checklists #
Accessibility frameworks worldwide are converging on a clear principle: compliance alone is not enough. The Americans with Disabilities Act references WCAG but requires broader usability for equal participation. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act demands “comparable access,” meaning people with disabilities must use services in ways equivalent to everyone else. Likewise, the European Accessibility Act, adopted in 2019 and fully enforceable since mid-2025, requires that digital products and services be usable “on an equal basis with others.”
Though structured differently, these regulations all emphasize the same point: true accessibility is functional, measured by whether people with disabilities can independently and confidently complete tasks. That focus is exactly why GoodMaps was built differently. Instead of starting with technical requirements and layering usability afterward, the platform was designed from the ground up through research with participants across disability groups. By uniting UX and UI from day one, GoodMaps ensures accessibility is never retrofitted – it’s inherent.
The Critical UI vs. UX Distinction #
User Interface accessibility addresses technical elements such as contrast ratios, text alternatives, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility. These are important foundations and many can be verified automatically.
User Experience accessibility, however, focuses on outcomes – lowering cognitive load, making navigation seamless, enabling efficient error recovery, and adapting flexibly to different modes of interaction. These qualities cannot be captured by checklists and demand thoughtful, journey-level design and iterative user testing, which are central to the GoodMaps approach.
This difference is backed by evidence. Studies using the Accessible Usability Scale show that screen reader users report an average usability score of just 55 out of 100 on technically compliant products – the equivalent of a “D” grade. In practice, nearly a third of users need assistance to complete tasks online. GoodMaps consistently bridges this gap, delivering more than compliance: it delivers usability.
The Compliance Trap in Practice #
Even fully compliant products frequently frustrate users:
- Technical vs. Functional: Buttons might meet contrast requirements but are positioned in ways that disrupt usability.
- Sequential vs. Intuitive: Screen readers announce information in order, yet poor architecture leaves users disoriented.
- Compliant vs. Practical: Interfaces may pass WCAG tests but still confuse or overwhelm by ignoring how people interact in real situations.
Many competitors audit and patch these issues after release, while GoodMaps avoids such traps by combining accessibility and usability at the design stage. Its camera-based positioning technology, for example, isn’t just compatible with screen readers – it’s designed so users intuitively understand and engage with it confidently.
Research-Driven Design: The GoodMaps Foundation #
Since its founding in 2019 by the American Printing House for the Blind, GoodMaps has built its platform on rigorous research. The team has tested with hundreds of participants across multiple disability groups – blind and low-vision users, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, wheelchair users, individuals with reduced mobility, and neurodiverse participants. These studies span airports, rail hubs, college campuses, libraries, and healthcare environments.
Again and again, barriers found are not about technical compliance, but lived experience: keeping the phone in position while navigating, adjusting voice speed for comfort, or recovering from instructions delivered too late. Automated tools can’t capture these nuances, but by observing real people in real contexts, GoodMaps has designed solutions that clarify complex technology, support individual preferences, and restore user confidence.
As ongoing research led by Dr. Jennifer Palilonis, Head of Human Factors Research at GoodMaps, shows, users’ sense of independence improves dramatically when their entire journey is designed inclusively, rather than focusing solely on individual interface steps.
Real-World Adoption #
This philosophy is already creating measurable change across industries.
In aviation, Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport became the first airport worldwide to launch GoodMaps, treating accessibility as a core part of passenger experience. Portland International Airport soon followed, with Director of Operations Steve Nagy summarizing their commitment: “We want everyone who passes through PDX to feel safe and have a positive experience while they’re here.”
In rail, Network Rail – the UK’s government-owned infrastructure manager – adopted GoodMaps for accessible navigation across 19 of the busiest stations in the world, including London’s Euston and Victoria. Their decision was anchored not in compliance alone, but in delivering usability for all travelers.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. rolled out GoodMaps to support navigation over hundreds of destinations on multiple floors, serving more than 650,000 annual visitors. The Assistive Technology Coordinator highlighted the benefit: “it has been received with wonder and excitement.”
And in the nonprofit sector, the International Paralympic Committee integrated GoodMaps into its Bonn headquarters, with CEO Mike Peters describing it as “cutting-edge technology” that demonstrates what is possible in accessible design.
Across transportation networks, cultural institutions, and public spaces, GoodMaps has become the solution of choice by turning accessibility theory into reliable, inclusive practice.
The GoodMaps Advantage: Designed, Not Retrofitted #
GoodMaps is unique because accessibility has never been an afterthought. From its earliest stages, usability was built alongside technical standards. That philosophy shines in the details users notice most. Instead of rigid, linear flows, GoodMaps offers contextual navigation that adapts naturally to how people move. Its information architecture focuses on cognitive load management, reducing the mental effort needed to process instructions. And when missteps happen, error recovery systems help users reorient smoothly, rather than leaving them with a sterile error message.
These principles confirm what accessibility researchers know: usability can’t be retrofitted – it must be part of the original design. This is why GoodMaps continues not just to meet standards, but to exceed them, delivering inclusive, practical, and empowering experiences that compliance-only tools cannot replicate.
Why “Good Enough” Has Never Been Enough #
Relying solely on UI-focused accessibility tools may create the impression that meeting technical requirements is sufficient. Yet many organizations discover that even compliant interfaces aren’t truly inclusive or fully usable for everyone. While automated testing and retrofitted features might satisfy certain standards, they don’t always remove real-world barriers.
Importantly, global standards now emphasize that legal requirements go beyond technical compliance – they call for genuine usability and equal access in real practice. Solutions that stop at UI compliance risk leaving organizations exposed, because true accessibility under the law means empowering all users to navigate, interact, and complete tasks independently.
GoodMaps takes a broader view. By prioritizing usability from the outset, the platform ensures accessibility runs through every stage of the user journey. This means clients benefit from solutions that are not only inclusive and legally robust, but also deliver lasting, practical value to all users.
Conclusion: Built Different from Day One #
Global accessibility standards have steadily advanced toward one expectation: equal experiences built on independence, dignity, and usability. The enforcement of the European Accessibility Act in 2025 may feel recent, but its adoption in 2019 made clear this future was coming. GoodMaps has embodied that approach from the beginning, never forcing a choice between UI and UX, but integrating both into every aspect of its design.
For organizations, the path forward is clear. You can choose compliance tools that tick boxes, or invest in a platform proven to deliver confidence, independence, and meaningful outcomes. GoodMaps is accessibility and usability working together – not as an afterthought, but as a foundation built from day one.