December 2025: Software Accessibility Gets Major Boost with ISO

December 2025: Software Accessibility Gets Major Boost with ISO 9241-171 Update

December 2025’s update to international standards for Environment, Health Protection, and Safety introduces a critical advancement: the revised ISO 9241-171:2025 – Ergonomics of human-system interaction – Software accessibility. This transformative standard sets new benchmarks to ensure that interactive software systems can be used by people of all abilities, addressing a wide spectrum of physical, sensory, and cognitive differences—including temporary or situational disabilities and aging populations. For organizations, engineers, quality managers, and procurement specialists, the implications are wide-reaching: from compliance risk management to inclusive design, this update is a pivotal tool for digital accessibility and corporate responsibility.

Overview / Introduction

In today’s digital world, software products and platforms underpin almost every facet of our lives—from commerce and education to healthcare and government services. The need for equitable access is universal, affecting not only those with disabilities, but also the elderly, temporarily injured, and users in challenging environments. Standards like ISO 9241-171:2025 provide essential frameworks so that the widest possible set of users can participate fully and safely.

Professionals in Environment, Health Protection, and Safety rely on robust standards to ensure risk mitigation, legal compliance, and social responsibility. This article provides a comprehensive examination of ISO 9241-171:2025, detailing its requirements, target audiences, and practical, actionable steps for compliance and best practices.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO 9241-171:2025 – Software Accessibility for All

Full Standard Title: Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 171: Software accessibility

ISO's latest update in the illustrious ISO 9241 series—ISO 9241-171:2025—redefines how organizations must approach software design for accessibility. Stemming from a tradition of ergonomic excellence, this standard now aligns with global accessibility benchmarks, including W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2), User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG 2.0), and ISO/IEC Guide 71's accessibility goals. It is designed for use by everyone involved in software lifecycle management: designers, developers, evaluators, procurement, and systems integrators.

What This Standard Covers & Scope

ISO 9241-171:2025 specifies detailed requirements and guidelines for designing accessible software. Its scope extends to software that forms part of interactive systems across a variety of domains—home, office, mobile, web, educational, and library systems. The aim is to promote increased usability and accessibility for people:

With permanent, temporary, or situational disabilities
Who are elderly and experiencing reduced physical or cognitive capacities
Who operate in environments with specific challenges (e.g., noisy workplaces)

It does not dictate requirements for assistive technologies themselves but recognizes the crucial need for standard software to work seamlessly alongside such technology. It is applicable both to platform-level software (e.g., operating systems) and application-level software (e.g., web browsers, productivity tools).

Key Requirements and Specifications

The core of ISO 9241-171:2025 is organized around major accessibility goals derived from ISO/IEC Guide 71 and harmonized with international best practices such as WCAG and UAAG. Requirements are mapped to these goals—making them actionable and structured around real-world user accessibility needs (UANs):

Suitability for the Widest Range of Users: Systems must document and offer accessibility features to meet diverse capabilities and needs, supported by accessible documentation, training, and feedback.
Conformity with User Expectations: Interactive elements and notifications must be consistent and predictable, avoiding surprise or confusion for users with varying backgrounds.
Support for Individualization: Users should be able to individualize input/output modalities, preferences, and configurations—without needing to restart the application or system. Choices should be persistent and easy to manage.
Approachability: Systems must be free of physical and psychological barriers, presenting clear interaction options and supporting privacy, security, and remote access.
Perceivability: Information should be presented through multiple modalities (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) and be adaptable to environmental or user-specific constraints.
Understandability: User interfaces must provide clear, comprehensible information and instructions, supporting multiple languages, cultural needs, and cognitive requirements.
Controllability: Input mechanisms (keyboard, mouse, voice, gesture) should be customizable and accessible through alternative means as needed.
Usability: The system should allow tasks to be completed efficiently with minimal exertion or error, regardless of a user’s abilities.
Error Tolerance: The software must help prevent errors, provide persistent error information, and offer straightforward recovery mechanisms.
Equitable Use: Where possible, users should be able to accomplish tasks identically; where not possible, an equivalent method must be provided.
Compatibility with Other Systems: Full interoperability with assistive technologies is required, making user-interface elements and feedback available through standard accessibility APIs and services.

Key features include requirements for:

Consistency in naming, ordering, and notifications
Ability to switch and personalize input/output options
Clear documentation and training materials in accessible formats
Support for screen readers, screen magnifiers, and keyboard emulation
Text alternatives for all non-text content (images, videos, graphics)
Avoidance of known accessibility barriers, such as color-only cues or seizure-inducing flash
Accessible feedback for system status, errors, and progress
Interoperability with assistive technology (AT), including seamless focus management and access to content

Who Needs to Comply?

ISO 9241-171:2025 applies broadly across sectors:

Software developers and UX/UI designers
Quality managers and compliance officers
Procurement specialists evaluating software for accessibility
IT departments and system integrators tasked with system-wide accessibility
Public and private organizations delivering digital products/services in line with accessibility laws and regulations (e.g., ADA, EN 301 549)

Practical Implications for Implementation

Realizing compliance with ISO 9241-171:2025 means embedding accessibility requirements throughout the entire software lifecycle—from initial design and specification through development, testing, procurement, and evaluation. This standard supports a proactive, rather than reactive, approach, emphasizing:

Early integration of accessibility to minimize remediation costs
Inclusive design processes and user testing with diverse participants
Documentation and reporting methods that explicate how and why recommendations are applied (or not applicable)
Mapping conformance claims to recognized frameworks (e.g., WCAG, UAAG)
Training staff and support personnel in accessibility features

Notable Changes from Previous Versions

The 2025 edition introduces substantial enhancements and technical revisions, including:

Alignment with ISO/IEC 29138-1’s user accessibility needs
Cross-references to WCAG 2.2, UAAG 2.0, and ISO/IEC Guide 71 accessibility goals
New annexes mapping requirements to other standards and past versions
Expanded sections on interoperability and error tolerance
Emphasis on documentation, individualization, and lifelong usability

Key highlights:

Focus on user accessibility needs (UAN) across software lifecycle
Enhanced compatibility with global assistive technology standards
Robust mapping to web and software accessibility guidelines

Access the full standard:View ISO 9241-171:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The updated ISO 9241-171 standard is more than a set of technical rules — it is a strategic imperative for organizations striving for digital inclusion and compliance. Here’s how the standard impacts the industry:

Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Many jurisdictions (such as the EU, US, Canada, Australia) mandate accessible software in the public and private sector. ISO 9241-171:2025 provides a global framework for meeting both legal and market access requirements.
Risk Mitigation: Non-compliance can result in lawsuits, fines, brand damage, and loss of market opportunities. Early adoption helps organizations avoid costly retrofits and legal exposure.
Competitive Advantage: Demonstrating conformance can unlock new markets, enhance procurement outcomes, and solidify brand reputation—especially in government and public sector contracts where accessibility is a prerequisite.
User Satisfaction and Retention: Inclusive design increases satisfaction for all users, not just those with disabilities, leading to improved uptake, retention, and positive feedback.
Corporate Social Responsibility: Adopting accessibility standards aligns with global sustainability and equity goals, bolstering ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) credentials.

Compliance Considerations and Timelines:

Assess current products, platforms, and procurement guidelines against ISO 9241-171:2025’s requirements
Plan for accessible design training and internal awareness
Update conformance claims in product literature and proposals
Transition existing systems through phased remediation strategies, prioritizing critical and public-facing assets

Technical Insights

Organizations implementing ISO 9241-171:2025 should consider several best practices and technical requirements common across compliant systems:

Requirements Engineering: Integrate accessibility into requirements capture and project documentation. Ensure traceability of UANs throughout design and test cases.
Design and Prototyping: Use human-centered design, including personas with diverse accessibility needs. Prototype key workflows for keyboard-only, screen reader, and alternate input/output use.
User Interface Consistency: Maintain consistent navigation patterns, terminology, and feedback to support memory, learning, and error prevention.
Multiple Modalities: Support visual, auditory, and tactile options for presenting content and receiving input, ensuring redundancy and user choice.
Accessible Support Materials: Provide help, documentation, and training in accessible electronic formats; ensure support personnel are trained in assisting users with varying ability levels.
Testing and Certification: Employ automated and manual accessibility testing tools (for WCAG/UAAG conformance, for instance), conduct usability testing with users with disabilities, and document findings. Seek third-party certification where appropriate.
Change Management: Implement accessible configuration management, allowing user preferences to persist across updates and sessions; document accessibility features and updates for end-users.
Procurement & Supply Chain: Require suppliers to demonstrate conformance; use ISO 9241-171 clauses in RFPs and contracts; monitor conformance through supplier audits.

Implementation Best Practices:

Start early—embed accessibility in project kickoff and requirements
Use iterative testing with real users representing a range of abilities
Engage accessibility experts and user representatives during design reviews
Foster an organizational culture of inclusivity and ongoing accessibility improvement

Testing and Certification Considerations:

Leverage international accessibility tools and conformance reports
Document all decision points regarding applicability and interpretations of the standard
Maintain clear version control and update records as systems evolve

Conclusion / Next Steps

ISO 9241-171:2025 marks a transformative milestone in making digital systems and platforms accessible, inclusive, and effective for everyone. For organizations committed to leadership in Environment, Health Protection, and Safety, compliance is no longer optional; it is a key element of long-term sustainability, innovation, and market trust.

Key Takeaways:

ISO 9241-171:2025 sets a new global benchmark for software accessibility and usability
Compliance is essential for legal, ethical, and competitive reasons
Early integration of the standard into design and procurement processes reduces risk and costs
Adopting this standard strengthens brand, market access, and public value

Recommendations for Organizations:

Review the full text of ISO 9241-171:2025 and map your current systems’ conformance
Establish cross-functional teams—including designers, developers, quality managers, and support staff—to oversee accessibility integration
Update documentation, procurement templates, and corporate policies to align with ISO 9241-171:2025
Invest in training, user engagement, and ongoing improvement cycles

Stay ahead in accessibility and compliance—Explore ISO 9241-171:2025 and other leading standards on iTeh Standards.

For quality managers, IT leaders, and design professionals, this is the moment to embrace accessible innovation. Equip your teams with authoritative standards, remain compliant, and set new benchmarks in digital equity.