Choose the appropriate WCAG for the industry.
Not every industry needs AAA, but stopping at A is almost certainly not enough.
The practical level for most industries is WCAG 2.2 level AA, which is also the level that most international legal frameworks use as a reference standard (in foreign frameworks such as EN 301 549, Section 508). Level A is the minimum and often insufficient; level AAA is very stringent and not all criteria can be applied to every interface, so it should not be set as a goal for the entire system. Sensitive industries such as banking, finance, and public services should set AA as a hard baseline and consider adding a few AAA criteria at the most critical points.
- Products serving the majority, especially public services and finance.
- serving a specific user group that requires high support
- industry with legal constraints on accessibility
- Small internal products, not for public use (still should gradually progress to AA).
- targeting AAA for everything, many criteria cannot be applied
When building a design system, one of the most fundamental decisions is to choose the level of accessibility to achieve. If chosen incorrectly, you will either over-invest in criteria that no one requires or accumulate technical debt by missing minimum requirements. The short answer: for most industries, WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.2 level AA is a reasonable target.
How do the three WCAG levels differ?
WCAG has three progressively increasing compliance levels: A, AA, and AAA. Level A is the minimum, meeting only the most basic requirements but often insufficient for adequately serving users with special needs. Level AA strikes a balance between implementation costs and actual support levels, and it is also the level that most international legal frameworks use as a reference standard (in foreign frameworks such as EN 301 549, Section 508). Level AAA is very stringent, and not all criteria can be applied to every interface, and W3C WAI recommends not to set AAA as a goal for the entire system.
You shouldn't set AAA as the goal for the entire system because not every criterion applies to all content.
W3C WAI, WCAG 2 Overview
Which industry needs what level
Set AA as a hard floor when digital products serve the masses and are open to the public: banking, finance, public services, education, e-commerce. This is the sector with the clearest legal risks and the most diverse user base, including the elderly, visually impaired, and physically disabled.
Consider adding AAA criteria at critical points when serving specific groups that require high support, such as healthcare platforms, special education, or when you want to lead in accessibility within the industry. There is no need for AAA across the board, only selectively applied to the most important flows.
Only level A may be temporarily acceptable for small internal products that do not serve the public. But even in this case, a gradual roadmap towards AA should be established, as the team may also have members who need accessibility support.
Legal constraints: need to be checked directly.
Most international legal frameworks use level AA as the reference standard for digital accessibility. The specific version of WCAG cited by each framework, such as EN 301 549 in Europe or Section 508 in the United States, may differ and change over time. Therefore, if your product targets the international market or has binding foreign partners, you need to refer to the original documents of that legal framework instead of relying on general summaries. This article does not replace legal advice; the technical requirements here may help you discuss with the legal department or auditing partners.
Common mistakes when setting goals
- Seeing accessibility as a final check at the end of the project, rather than integrating it from the token layer and component level, such as color contrast, minimum touch areas, and focus states.
- Targeting AAA for the entire system then getting bogged down due to many criteria that cannot be applied, resulting in achieving nothing.
- Ignoring accessibility because no one has complained, while the legal and reputational risks with users with disabilities are real and accumulate over time.
- Confusing "meeting AA level according to the checklist" with "actually easy to use for those needing support," these two do not automatically equate.
How to integrate accessibility into the system
The most sustainable approach is to set WCAG 2.2 level AA as the foundation for the design system, and incorporate accessibility requirements right from the token and component layers: color contrast ratios, touch area sizes, and clear focus states. This way, all interfaces built from the inherited standards do not need to be patched after the design is completed, and accessibility is not an additional cost but a default attribute of the system. For industries with higher requirements, it is advisable to identify key touchpoints and selectively add AAA criteria, rather than applying them uniformly.
Decision checklist
Topic: What level of WCAG compliance is necessary for your industry. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Tick each item that applies or that you can already answer, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
This article provides general information according to the documents in effect as of October 6, 2026. This is not legal advice and does not substitute for a lawyer's opinion for your specific case. Rights and obligations between Sinh Vũ and clients arise only according to the signed contract.
References
W3C WAI, WCAG 2 Overview; EN 301 549 and the European Accessibility Act (interpretation by Level Access); Sinh Vũ's practical experience through digital interface design projects.
Frequently asked questions
Does Vietnam have laws mandating WCAG yet?
According to the reference section of the Handbook, Vietnam has issued Circular 26/2020/TT-BTTTT applying the WCAG 2.0 standards for the portals and electronic information pages of government agencies and some groups of information and communication service providers; private enterprises are generally not seen as being required to comply with a specific level; you should check the current documents or consult a lawyer as regulations may change. Nevertheless, the risks to reputation and actual accessibility for users with disabilities are still sufficient reasons to set AA as the baseline. If the product targets the international market or has foreign partners, the legal requirements there will directly bind you.
Once you achieve AA, should you worry about AAA?
It doesn't need to set AAA as the goal for the entire system because many AAA criteria cannot be applied to all types of content. A more reasonable approach is to first achieve a solid AA, then selectively choose some AAA criteria for the most critical flows, such as the payment screen or registration form, especially if your user base has a high proportion of elderly or disabled individuals.
This article is for reference. The scope, pricing, and specific commitments of Sinh Vũ are detailed in the proposal and signed contract.