Proactive accessibility

From reactive to proactive: Building a predictive organization-wide accessibility strategy

Organizational accessibility transformation

Image by Chase Turberville

In the world of digital transformation, accessibility serves as the key to unlocking a universally inclusive user experience. It stands as the lighthouse guiding the IT industry toward the shores of innovation and inclusion. However, in the vast expanse of organizations, having an effective accessibility strategy is not merely about the ethical obligation to make digital content accessible to all or just a compliance matter. It goes much beyond.

A well-rounded accessibility strategy, especially one that is proactive and predictive, can become a cornerstone for organizational growth, customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and legal compliance. It not only opens up the digital landscape to a broader user base, including the billion-plus people worldwide with disabilities, but it also influences the bottom-line results by reducing remediation costs and enhancing customer loyalty.

A reactive approach to accessibility, wherein issues are resolved as and when they arise, can lead to hasty, last-minute patches, thereby possibly impairing the user experience and leading to resource inefficiencies. Therefore, the need for a strategic shift towards a predictive accessibility approach is more than apparent. This change would mean embedding accessibility considerations right from the conceptualization stage of a project to predicting and mitigating potential issues before they occur.

In this article, we explore how organizations can facilitate this transformative shift from a reactive to a proactive and predictive accessibility strategy.

A paradigm shift: Understanding the reactive approach

A reactive approach to accessibility primarily involves responding to issues post-development or post-launch. While this might solve immediate problems, it can lead to resource-intensive redesigns, potential legal implications, and more importantly, impaired user experiences. In organizations, the sheer scale and complexity of operations can exacerbate these challenges. A proactive strategy, wherein accessibility is integrated from the inception of a project, can offset these challenges and build a more robust digital ecosystem.

The transition to a proactive accessibility strategy: A necessity, not a luxury

The shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to accessibility is a transition from firefighting to fire prevention. Proactive accessibility means integrating accessibility considerations from the onset of a project, rather than retroactively applying them. This is especially crucial for organizations where the sheer scale of operations can often make retroactive changes costly and complex.

Research suggests that the cost of fixing an error after development is up to 100 times more than it is during the design phase. By incorporating accessibility from the design phase, you not only create an inclusive user experience but also ensure a significantly higher return on investment.

Catalyzing the shift: Building a proactive accessibility strategy

The cornerstone of a proactive accessibility strategy lies in developing an accessibility-first culture, fostering user engagement, and establishing clear accessibility standards. Here’s how:

1. Accessibility-first culture: Instilling an accessibility-first mindset requires educating every member of the organization about the importance of digital accessibility. Regular training sessions and workshops can help build awareness and skills around accessibility norms.
2. Engage users early: A strategy is only as good as its execution. To ensure that the accessibility features meet the needs of all users, conduct user testing involving people with a diverse range of abilities early and throughout the product development process.
3. Establish clear standards: Define and implement clear accessibility standards based on globally recognized guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)[1]. Having these standards in place not only ensures compliance but also provides a clear framework for developers and designers to follow.

The dawn of predictive accessibility

With a proactive accessibility strategy in place, the next phase of the journey is to advance toward predictive accessibility — the practice of foreseeing and mitigating potential accessibility challenges before they occur. Predictive accessibility leverages data analytics and AI to identify trends and patterns in past and present accessibility issues, allowing you to predict potential challenges and address them even before they impact the user experience.

Predictive accessibility has multiple advantages. First, it further reduces the costs and resources involved in addressing accessibility issues. Second, it enhances user experience by ensuring a seamless interaction for all users right from the launch of the product or service.

In a 2019 research report [6], Accenture found that companies that championed persons with disabilities outperformed others, delivering, on average, higher revenue and net income. As such, predictive accessibility, by fostering an inclusive user experience, can not only improve brand image but also contribute significantly to the organization’s bottom line.

Summing up

The transition from reactive to proactive and predictive accessibility strategies marks a crucial evolution in the organization’s approach to digital accessibility. As we advance further into the digital era, such a transition becomes not just a desirable change but a critical business necessity. By taking the steps to integrate accessibility from the design phase and predict potential issues before they occur, organizations can ensure a universally inclusive user experience, thus enhancing user satisfaction, compliance, brand reputation, and ultimately, business success.

References:

1. W3C (2021) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Available at: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/.
2. Horton, S. and Quesenbery, W. (2014) A Web for Everyone: Designing Accessible User Experiences. Brooklyn, NY: Rosenfeld Media.
3. Gilbert, R.M. (2019) Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind. Berkeley, CA: Apress.
4. Kline, J. (2011) Strategic IT Accessibility: Enabling the Organization. Austin, TX: ITAccessibility.Com.
5. W3C (2021) The Business Case for Digital Accessibility. Available at: https://www.w3.org/WAI/business-case/.
6. Accenture, Disability: IN & AAPD. (2018). Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage. Retrieved from: https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-89/accenture-disability-inclusion-research-report.pdf

Have a story of your own? Write with us! Our community thrives on diverse voices — let’s hear yours.