Code for Everyone: Why Inclusive Design Systems are the Developer’s Secret Weapon for Quality

  • Kata Torok, Product Manager, Design System
  • Raphael Clegg-Vinell, Lead Accessibility Expert

January 21, 2026

Building accessible products is often framed as a compliance hurdle or a technical chore. But for developers deep in the codebase, accessibility is something more fundamental. It is a direct measure of code quality. It forces us to apply logic, clarity, and simplicity to every aspect of our digital architecture.

In December, we published a three-part series, The Accessibility Imperative, which explored the foundational and cultural shifts required for inclusive design systems. This article takes a developer-focused approach to build on those insights. You can catch up on the full series here: Part 1: Foundations, Part 2: Practical Approach, and Part 3: Fostering Culture.

When we ignore these principles, we don’t just block users with disabilities. We introduce friction for everyone. Think about every frustrating app you’ve used on a mobile device. That friction is often a symptom of ignoring the very foundations of speed and ease of use. By treating accessibility as an imperative, we ensure that our digital environments are usable by the broadest possible audience. This includes an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide who experience significant disability (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023).

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The foundation: design systems as the engine of inclusivity

A mature design system is more than a UI kit. It is a foundational toolkit that helps teams build consistent, high-quality user interfaces efficiently. In reality, many systems fail not because of poor assets. They fail because they lack the operational backbone to make accessibility sustainable and scalable (Clegg-Vinell & Torok, 2025).

By embedding accessibility into the very DNA of our design systems through tokens, patterns, and guidelines, we free our teams to solve complex problems instead of reinventing the wheel. This shift prioritizes consistent user journeys over costly and unscalable custom work.

Technical rigor: operationalizing WCAG 2.2

For a system to be truly inclusive, we must align with the latest international standards. Specifically, we look to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. This is not about checking boxes for keyboard navigation or contrast ratios. It is about ensuring logic is baked into our components.

Consider these critical development checkpoints:

  • Keyboard navigation: ensure every interactive element has a visible focus indicator and logical Tab sequence
  • Color contrast: standard library components are pre-configured to meet 4.5:1 or 3:1 ratios. However, a manual contrast check is mandatory whenever a component is modified or customized.
  • Form logic: explicitly associate labels with controls and provide textual error notifications that do not rely solely on color
  • Responsive layouts: design for reflow so content works at a 320px width without losing functionality

Efficiency for our teams increases when we use proven, accessible patterns. This is especially relevant since millions of software professionals report having a disability that impacts how they work with digital environments. According to Stack Overflow (2024), approximately 15% of professional developers report being neurodivergent or having a physical disability. Accessible internal tools are not just a courtesy. They are a necessity for our own peers.

Governance and the role of AI

As we integrate artificial intelligence into our workflows, the design system becomes even more vital. For AI to generate coherent and high-quality user experiences, it requires a robust design system to draw from. Whether a UI is built by a human or a machine, the fundamentals of human-centric design remain identical.

We protect the integrity of our work through clear governance. This means establishing an accessibility guild or advocacy group to provide cross-functional reviews and mitigate risks.

Action plan: next steps for Guidewire developers

Moving from theory to production requires a structured approach. Here is how you can begin operationalizing these principles within your current sprint and development workflow:

  1. Conduct accessible design reviews early.
    Do not wait for the QA phase to discover accessibility defects. Perform reviews during the design phase to catch potential issues before any code is written. This proactive approach reduces the resource-heavy task of fixing bugs later. Discuss problems and solutions with your team to ensure a shared understanding of the user journey.
  2. Audit component specifications at the design system level.
    When a new component (for example, an accordion) is added to the design system, the design system team—specifically the design system developer in collaboration with system designers—normally defines and implements all expected accessibility behaviors upfront. This includes keyboard interactions, focus management, and all required roles, properties, and states (such as aria-expanded). These behaviors are implemented directly in the design system library before the component is consumed by product teams. Once published, non–design system developers can run audits, test real-world usage, and provide feedback—but accessibility correctness is owned and enforced at the system layer.
  3. Implement semi-automated testing tools.
    Integrate tools like Axe DevTools by Deque or ARC by TPGi into your development environment to automatically identify "low-hanging fruit" such as missing alternative text or improper color contrast. Use these tools to pinpoint violations immediately within your code.
  4. Execute manual and usability testing.
    Automated tools are not foolproof and cannot check every WCAG success criterion. You must perform thorough manual testing using a range of assistive technologies, including screen readers and different browsers. If possible, include people with disabilities in your testing process to uncover usability issues you might not have considered yourself.

Conclusion: the time to invest is now

Fostering a culture of accessibility with a design system as its foundation is not a cost. It is an investment in a better business. It allows us to gain a competitive advantage by increasing market share, enhancing reputation, and mitigating legal risks. By investing now, we do more than the right thing. We build a resilient foundation for the future of digital insurance.

References

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