Your team members don't see the value of web accessibility. How can you change their perspective?
If your team doesn't see the value of web accessibility, it's crucial to demonstrate how it enhances user experience and broadens your audience. Here are some strategies to help change their perspective:
How do you promote the importance of web accessibility in your team?
Your team members don't see the value of web accessibility. How can you change their perspective?
If your team doesn't see the value of web accessibility, it's crucial to demonstrate how it enhances user experience and broadens your audience. Here are some strategies to help change their perspective:
How do you promote the importance of web accessibility in your team?
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Host a coffee session. Make them experience the impact of inaccessible things. Give them content with poor colour contrast, have them use a product only with a keyboard, watch a video without audio etc. people will feel empathy when they experience frustration.
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To change your team's perspective on web accessibility, how accessible sites improve user experience for all, such as captions aiding non-native speakers. Highlight legal requirements like ADA, WCAG, or Section 508 to avoid lawsuits and penalties. Emphasize inclusivity by showing how accessibility empowers users with disabilities, fostering broader reach and loyalty. Use data to demonstrate the financial impact of tapping into underserved audiences. Share success stories of companies benefiting from accessible designs, and run empathy exercises, like navigating a site with screen readers, to help them understand its importance firsthand.
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# Emphasize the benefits 1. Wider audience reach 2. Improved user experience 3. Avoid legal issues and reputational damage - Mandatory for Government agencies 4. Search engine optimization 5. Easier navigation: Keyboard and Voiceover support # Highlight the moral and social responsibility 1. Inclusive design 2. Equal access to information 3. Developer responsibility # Provide education and training 1. Accessibility workshops 2. Accessibility resources 3. Pair programming # Lead by example 1. Demonstrate accessibility benefits 2. Share success stories & encourage feedback # Make accessibility a team effort 1. Involve team members in accessibility decisions 2. Assign accessibility tasks 3. Recognize and reward accessibility contributions
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Host a workshop and use an app they developed that lacks accessibility and give then a few challenges, for instance: No Mouse Challenge: Navigate a site using only the keyboard. This will immediately shows keyboard accessibility issues. Screen Reader Demo: Use VoiceOver, or another screen reader to reveals missing alt text, improper headings, etc. Color Blindness Simulation: Use a tool like “NoCoffee Vision Simulator.” To demonstrates why color contrast matters. In a few minutes, your team will discover why accessibility is essential for everyone.
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To change your team’s perspective on web accessibility: Share Success Stories: Highlight companies that have seen positive outcomes from accessible web apps, showing how it broadens their audience and market reach. Explain Legal Requirements: Emphasize the importance of complying with laws like the ADA to avoid legal risks. Promote Inclusivity: Focus on how accessibility benefits all users, not just those with disabilities, creating a better user experience overall.
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Inspiring a cultural shift to improve awareness of the importance of accessibility in technology solutions required here, below might help - - Lead by example and impact, like presenting data on business benefits and risks and outlining potential dangers of non-compliance, including lawsuits, penalties, and reputation damage. - Facilitate experiential learning and simulate accessibility barriers to foster empathy and deeper understanding. - Demonstrate value by implementing small, impactful changes. - Embed accessibility into development processes - Include accessibility checks in design reviews, code quality standards and automated CI/CD pipelines. - Treat accessibility as a core quality metric alongside performance and security.
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1. More clients can use your website. Around 40 million people are blind - it's a big market. 2. Impact on SEO. Google is labeling websites with good index accessibility. 3. Improve convenience. Usually, clients find websites affordable to use because AA and AAA standards are set for font size, contrast, etc., and the text can be read quickly, even by users without health problems.
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Developers often prioritize the core features of an application while placing less emphasis on non-functional requirements, such as web accessibility. It is crucial for teams to shift their perspective and recognize the significance of these aspects, as they play a vital role in enhancing the user experience, reaching a broader audience, and strengthening brand value. Once teams acknowledge the importance of these elements, their approach is likely to evolve accordingly.
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To convince your team about web accessibility, highlight how it: * Improves usability for everyone: Accessible websites are simply easier to use, with clear navigation and well-structured content. * Expands your audience: People with disabilities represent a significant market share. * Boosts your brand image: Demonstrates social responsibility and inclusivity. * Is a legal requirement in many places: Avoid potential lawsuits and fines. Morally, it's about creating an inclusive online experience where everyone feels welcome and can access information equally.
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- Show your team how web accessibility benefits everyone, from improved usability to a wider audience reach. - Share real-life examples, user feedback, and compliance benefits to inspire a change in perspective. - Accessibility is not just an obligation—it's an opportunity.
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