KG: Can “accessible” still be unusable?

Vibe Check – KG Asked: Can “Accessible” Still Be Unusable?

KG wrote in:

“Today at work a co-worker and I were talking about usability and accessibility. Our question is, can ‘accessible’ still be unusable, right?”

Short answer? Absolutely.
Long answer? Let’s dig into why—and what to do about it.

A personal story – the gold-standard fail

I once reviewed a government web app that looked great on paper. It passed WCAG 2.1 AA. It was fully Section 508 compliant. Every image had alt text. Every form field had a label. The tab order followed a logical path. ARIA roles were applied correctly. If you ran it through any accessibility checker, it came out squeaky clean.

But when I tested it with assistive tech? The experience fell apart.

Screen reader announcements came too late or in the wrong order. Important confirmation messages appeared visually but weren’t programmatically announced. Modals opened without moving focus. Links were labeled, sure—but with vague text like “Click here” and “Learn more,” which made it impossible to tell what anything actually did.

Technically, it was “accessible.”
But experientially? It was frustrating, disorienting, and exhausting.

That’s when I realized: compliance is not the same as quality.
You can check every box and still build something people hate to use.

Elevate the vibe – what’s the difference?

Accessibility is about whether someone can access and operate something.

Usability is about how easy, clear, and intuitive that experience is.

Something can meet WCAG guidelines and still be frustrating, confusing, or completely impractical. That’s where inclusive design comes in—it bridges the gap between access and ease.

Vibe boost – examples of accessible but unusable

Perfect tab order… in a chaotic layout

The keyboard focus moved logically—but the visual layout was so disconnected from the tab order that people lost track of where they were.

Alt text that added noise, not clarity

Every image had alt text, but it was generic or redundant: “decorative banner,” “blue background,” “company logo.” Nothing that added value or helped people understand the context.

Forms with labels… and zero guidance

Yes, every input had a label—but no real help text, no error prevention, and no explanation about what was required. It became a guessing game.

ARIA overload

ARIA roles were used—but overused or misused. Landmarks were nested inside each other, and live regions constantly announced status updates that didn’t matter. The result? Screen reader fatigue.

Self-reflection – check your usability vibes

Ask yourself:

Can someone understand what to do without guessing?

Are instructions clear, and is feedback timely?

Does the experience reduce cognitive load or add to it?

Have I tested the journey—not just the pieces—with real people?

If your design creates friction, confusion, or mental fatigue—it might be technically accessible, but it’s not practically usable.

Vibe in action – how to close the gap

Step 1: Go beyond compliance

WCAG and 508 are starting lines, not finish lines. Focus on actual experience, not just checklists.

Step 2: Test the flow, not just the features

A screen reader user can access a button—but do they know why they’re clicking it? Do the instructions and feedback make sense in real time?

Step 3: Name things with purpose

“Click here” is technically labeled, but contextless. Use descriptive, action-oriented labels that help people predict what will happen next.

Step 4: Don’t automate empathy

Automated tools can only see part of the picture. You need real human feedback to know if your product actually works for people.

Vibing out

KG, thank you for asking this—because it’s the kind of question more teams need to ask.

Yes, something can be “accessible” by the book and still be a terrible experience. That’s why we don’t stop at checklists—we push for experiences that are actually comfortable, clear, and empowering for everyone.

And if you’re reading this and you’ve got a question about accessibility, usability, or what it’s like to really design for people—head over to the A&Q question board and drop it in. That’s where these conversations start, and I’ll be here to break it down with you.

Accessible and usable. That’s the vibe.