Background.

As digital services become increasingly essential, elderly users risk exclusion if digital interfaces are not designed with accessibility in mind. Aging-related challenges such as declining vision, motor control, or cognitive processing can reduce usability unless properly addressed.

Objectives.

This study aims to evaluate how accessibility-focused UX design, guided by WCAG 2.1 Level AAA, affects usability for elderly users. It investigates both the benefits and the limitations of relying on accessibility standards without user involvement during the design phase.

Methods.

A between-subjects experimental design was used to compare two versions of a news website: one standard version and one adapted according to WCAG guidelines. Ten elderly participants performed predefined tasks and completed structured surveys measuring satisfaction, clarity, navigation ease, and frustration levels.

Results.

Participants using the accessibility-enhanced version completed tasks more quickly, made fewer clicks, and reported higher satisfaction. However, some barriers remained—such as difficulty locating information—indicating that guideline compliance alone may not ensure full usability.

Conclusions.

Accessibility-driven design improves task performance and user satisfaction among elderly users. Still, the findings emphasize the value of combining technical standards with user-centered evaluation. Future research should explore personalization, adaptive interfaces, and participatory design to further improve digital inclusion.