Shift-Left Accessibility

An approach to software development that moves accessibility considerations earlier in the development lifecycle — from testing and remediation phases to requirements gathering and design phases. The term borrows from the broader "shift-left" movement in software engineering, which advocates for catching defects as early as possible when they are cheaper and easier to fix. In accessibility, this means incorporating WCAG requirements into design systems, wireframes, and architectural decisions rather than auditing for compliance after implementation. Research has consistently shown that retrofitting accessibility into completed applications involves significant and costly redesign.