How can you ensure your digital strategy is inclusive of people with disabilities?

As cliche as it sounds, representation matters. This applies not only to inclusive, more thoughtful targeting but also to the folks invited to the proverbial table. To make truly accessible content, you must represent the perspectives and lived experiences of individuals whose opportunity to engage online is beholden to their initial ability to consume digital content and experiences. Of course, it's not possible to represent every audience on every team, but we can work harder to pressure test our strategies and ideas with those who do represent more perspectives and abilities. tl;dr -> get a bigger table. maybe it's not even a table!

It is advised to also study the United Nations’ enable guidelines: “The term persons with disabilities is used to apply to all persons with disabilities including those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various attitudinal and environmental barriers, hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.” From an accessibility stand point of view, the perspective of ‘hinders the participation in society’ has to be the key tasks to solve. Accessibility means enablement.

Navigating the Next Frontier - Uncover the ongoing digital revolution and its impact on industries. - Explore advancements in AI, ML, and the IoT, shaping the digital landscape. - Emphasize the need for robust digital controls to manage innovation and risks. - Prioritize cybersecurity to safeguard sensitive data and digital assets. - Empower users through digital literacy initiatives for responsible engagement. - Address ethical concerns in AI and automation, integrating ethical frameworks. - Foster collaboration, partnerships, and an agile mindset for continuous adaptation. - Incorporate sustainability practices into digital strategies for a responsible future.

Did you know 1 in 5 Australians, totalling 4.4 million people, live with a disability? Age increases the likelihood. Similarly, 1 in 4 Americans have a disability. Shockingly, these stats are often ignored in web design. By incorporating multiple profiles, such as those for vision impairment, colour blindness, ADHD, seizure safety, cognitive disability, and dyslexia, you can make your website user-friendly for everyone. Creating a site with accessibility solutions not only fosters a more inclusive online environment but also attracts a higher number of visitors. This, in turn, leads to better engagement rates and potentially increased conversion rates.

Key to remember that you (your team, your boss, or yourself), in most cases, are not the key audience of the business. Be sure to always gather information about the target audience and adapt to them instead of yourself.

When you know better, do better. When it comes to inclusivity and accessibility, adding captions to videos and alt-text to images is just step one. As technology advances, there are increasingly more ways to make sure your message is being received by every possible audience member. Accessibility isn’t a one-time thing. You need processes and systems in place to continuously improve your digital strategy. As you get constructive feedback — both directly from users and through the data — you need to make changes, or you risk leaving results and money on the table.

Understanding audience is a crucial step. Taking it a step further would include understanding the type of devices users have. Due to assistive technology compatibility issues, a lot of users still have older devices. Always test your landing page as well as web pages on range of devices from older supported devices to newer. Having complex html content that does not load on older devices creates a negative encounter. If this is a users 1st interaction with the brand, it creates a negative bias.

Pour faciliter la compréhension des messages essentiels sur notre site de service public, nous associons une association locale qui œuvre pour l'accessibilité universelle et nous traduit des contenus dits FALC, "facile à lire et à comprendre". Autre déploiement, l'audio-description de vidéo tutoriel ou de contenus images pour les non-voyants. C'est un enjeu et un engagement d'égalité d'accès à l'information qui est primordial dans mon travail de communicante publique.

For sure when we are going to build a new product or service (both from scratch or even already existing) we need to think about the accessibility requirements. Some of them are quite standard and -today- natural things to take in account, but if we want to create a success service we need to think outside the box, wearing the shoes of all our users, especially asking to people with disabilities to contribute in first person to our goals, involving them from A to Z: in brainstorming and tests.

Sometimes the simplest things can deliver tremendous value to users of varying abilities. Something as simple as using ALT tags for image descriptions, or sticking to plain text documentation, can play a big role in making content more accessible. When it comes to form design, testing accessibility using only the tab and enter keys, respectively, can demonstrate what improvements may need to be made to component interactions. It’s also important to consider that universal and inclusive design helps everyone; keeping that in mind when designing, delivering, and improving digital services is key.

Remember, universal design benefits EVERYONE! While it may feel arduous to take these steps in the design, it will make consuming your content easier for potential customers and clients. Try out some of the accessibility features on your computer to test out your content for a hands on understanding of why it's important to manage these details. Keeping up with your alt tags and meta data will also improve your SEO. Win win all around.

Depuis 2012 en France, tous les sites publics doivent être accessibles et conformes à l’ensemble des critères du RGAA et doivent ainsi permettre à tous les usagers un accès égal à leurs droits. Le RGAA permet de contrôler l’accessibilité d’un site et de ses contenus suivant les normes internationales de l’accessibilité numérique connues sous l’appellation internationale "WCAG". Le RGAA est une méthode technique et propose un cadre opérationnel de vérification de la conformité aux exigences d’accessibilité. Elle comporte 106 critères de contrôle RGAA incluant une moyenne de 2,5 tests par critères.

É importante lembrar, também, que temos a "deficiência situacional", quando a limitação é momentânea. Exemplo: quebrei meu pé/braço, estou no transporte público em trânsito e utilizando a interface somente com uma mão, estou com luz externa excessiva em meu device por motivos diversos, estou em ambientes industriais caóticos e insalubres e decisões emergenciais precisam estar disponíveis na interface, etc etc. Portanto, toda interface deve ser projetada sem exceções considerando regras de acessibilidade mínimas, independente do público que a mesma pretende atingir, e considerando cenários e contextos peculiares a depender do business, necessidades e usuários específicos em questão.

When targeting older adults, be aware of age-related physical and mental changes that will impact their receipt of information. Physically, vision declines, hearing declines and manual dexterity declines. Furthermore, working memory declines, affecting an elderly person's ability to comprehend long sentences and paragraphs. All of these factors impact that person's ability to navigate a website. When communicating to seniors online, avoid the temptation to be novel or edgy with website design. Clarity always trumps cleverness.

While a marketer, my input is highly swayed by also being a user of assessibility tech. Some excellent insights and practices, particularly: know your users/audience; be consistent; keep up to date with assistive tech advances; regularly ask for and react to your users feedback. Again, as a user, my feedback has often saved the content provider huge amounts of time and cost as my solution for the initial lack of accessibility was simple to achieve. We often over complicate solutions. One of the best comments was to design for accessibility from the start and for all your personas. I find that if an elderly, or visually impaired or neurodiverse user gets the message, everyone else will too! restricted by wordcount but great subject.

Small and medium-sized businesses should start with the fundamentals and avoid taking risks only to save money or to comply with the law, when procuring external vendors such agencies, CMS take accessibility as a must. Today's consumers and the younger generation are more savvy, they will choose a company that caters to a variety of customers. Start small by adhering to WACG guidelines (w3.org). Conversely, if you work for an enterprise company, train your staff and incorporate accessibility into your design system from the beginning, considering any potential bias, if possible trust on experts on the field and perform regular external audits. Don’t let accessibility as a “nice to have” in your to-do list

El diseño para la accesibilidad es un imperativo ético y práctico en la era digital. Este paso subraya la importancia de considerar la accesibilidad desde la concepción de productos y servicios digitales. La integración de los principios de WCAG no es solo una cuestión de cumplimiento, sino también un reflejo de la dedicación a una experiencia de usuario inclusiva. El texto alternativo, la navegación adaptable y las opciones de personalización no son solo características adicionales, sino componentes esenciales que garantizan que todos los usuarios, independientemente de sus capacidades, puedan disfrutar de una experiencia digital completa y enriquecedora.

WCAG is a good starting point, but there are also accessibility standards like the APCA that could complement WCAG. There's also a need to also take into account laws and regulations that define what are the minimum support needed for equitable user access.

Imagine you're crafting a digital space that's welcoming to everyone, regardless of how they interact with it. Think of it like creating a friendly environment where everyone feels comfortable. Doing simple things such as using precise language, adding descriptions to images for those who can't see them, and ensuring that the colors and navigation work for everyone could make a significant difference. One could also liken it to arranging a room where everyone can easily find their needs. Making the digital 'room' adaptable, hence it feels suitable for each visitor, whether they use a screen reader keyboard or have different preferences, making it easy for them to participate and feel at ease.

Embed accessibility standards into the development process, adhering to guidelines such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Integrate accessible coding practices, semantic HTML, and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles. Regularly test your digital products with individuals who have disabilities, using a variety of assistive technologies and devices. Conduct thorough usability testing to identify and address any barriers, ensuring that the end product is fully accessible and user-friendly for everyone.

Building on a personal encounter, a close friend with motor impairments shed light on the challenges faced when navigating websites. Applying this insight, we initiated a comprehensive accessibility testing phase in a software development project. Inviting users with various disabilities to engage with prototypes allowed us to identify and rectify potential barriers. This iterative testing process not only enhanced the product's accessibility but also emphasized the importance of ongoing inclusivity in the development cycle.

Develop and maintain a component library and design system that embraces key accessibility needs, and encourage friendly users with different accessibility needs to use prototypes and test versions or your products. Finally do not dismiss accessibility standards as “somebody else’s problem”.

I found it extremely helpful to work with an Accessibility SME to conduct a comprehensive accessibility assessment/review during the QA Testing phase. The expert can identify and prioritize issues/non-compliance, recommend specific changes needed, and evaluate options to fix so that must-fix items can be addressed before deployment while nice-to-have items can be tackled later on as capacity allows.

Assurer l'accessibilité passe indéniablement par des tests utilisateurs impliquant directement des personnes en situation de handicap. Leurs retours d'expérience sont une source précieuse pour détecter les problèmes concrets d'utilisation et y remédier. Pour garantir une accessibilité optimale, il est recommandé de combiner ces tests pratiques avec des outils de validation automatisés du code et du contenu, ainsi que des tests techniques spécifiques. La complémentarité de ces approches, alliant évaluation technologique et évaluation humaine, est la clé pour s'assurer que les services numériques répondent parfaitement aux besoins et attentes des utilisateurs en situation de handicap.

Once your digital products are taking shape, ensure they're accessible to everyone. This involves using tools like HTML validators and accessibility checkers to ensure your code follows web standards and to identify any issues in your web pages. Browser extensions like ChromeVox Screen Reader simulate how assistive technologies perceive your content, and manual testing, such as the keyboard-only test, ensures accessibility without a mouse or touch screen. Lastly, user testing with people who have disabilities provides valuable feedback on how well your digital products serve their needs. Overall, it's about making the digital world inclusive for everyone.

Revolutionizing digital inclusivity involves a paradigm shift in our approach. Embrace cutting-edge AI-driven accessibility audits that go beyond standard tools. Leverage machine learning algorithms to autonomously identify and rectify potential barriers. Explore the integration of neuro-inclusive design principles, considering cognitive diversity. Conduct immersive user simulations utilizing advanced VR interfaces to simulate diverse disability experiences. Embrace a scientific ethos by continuously evolving your strategies based on real-time data and user feedback, pushing the boundaries of digital inclusivity in unprecedented ways.

It is alwasy helpful and even more in the context of disability tests, to make use of both, digital crowd testing as well as live user testings behind a glass wall to get, write down and cluster direct live feedback (comments, feelings, misunderstandings) unfiltered in real time.

Muy bien probar con validadores y elementos de la ia, pero fundamentalmente usar con el público real como dice la parte final, que puede estar al final de la cadena, pero es la más importante.

Alt text descriptions for images, captioning for videos, and keyboard navigation options are foundational for accessibility. Exploring your sites and mobile apps using a screen reader and keyboard navigation helps you ensure there's nothing basic hindering people's ability to explore and engage with your digital properties. Running tests for font sizes, color combinations, and contrast ratios opens doors to a wider audience and fosters a sense of inclusivity and customer loyalty.

Code Structure: Ensure code compatibility with diverse cognitive processes using validators like the W3C Markup Validation Service. Cognitive Load Check: Use tools like WAVE to minimize cognitive strain, aiding neurodiverse users. Sensory Interaction Simulation: Test with extensions like ChromeVox for sensory processing compatibility, important for sensory disabilities. Motor Accessibility: Conduct keyboard-only tests for users with motor impairments. Neurological User Feedback: Gather real-world usability feedback from users with disabilities to enhance cognitive and sensory user experience.

Food for thought; designing specifically for inclusion also means designing for the presumably ‘not disabled’. According to the Institute of Health Equity, two in five people with learning disabilities are not diagnosed in childhood. So if we are completely inclusive with our disabilities-conscious accessibility, we also reach to the labeled-as-normal users (which are statically simply not). If we talk about accessibility, we truly need a 360 degree experience - not a ‘you go here’ and ‘you go here’ silos digital censorship. Make sure you keep the options open and the possibility for variations of accessibility experiences open - you never know what you might discover.

It's crucial to continuously monitor and enhance your website's accessibility. This involves ongoing maintenance and evaluation. Utilizing analytics tools like Google Analytics can help track user behavior, engagement, and satisfaction. Feedback from surveys, reviews, and comments is also valuable for understanding user perspectives. Regular updates, including patches and new features, can address any accessibility issues and enhance functionality. Furthermore, organizing training workshops, courses, and webinars can educate your team and stakeholders on the significance of accessibility and how to effectively implement it.

Monitoring and improving accessibility in your digital marketing isn't just a good deed, it's a strategic necessity. Regularly audit your website, ads, and content for barriers like missing alt text, poor color contrast, and unclear navigation. Prioritize implementing high-impact changes like adding descriptions for visuals, offering transcripts for videos, and ensuring keyboard navigation is smooth. Remember, the most important aspect is understanding your audience. . By embracing accessibility, you not only expand your reach to a wider audience, but also boost SEO, enhance brand image, and ultimately create a more inclusive and successful digital marketing strategy.

La supervisión y mejora continua son fundamentales para una accesibilidad efectiva en plataformas digitales. Este paso enfatiza la necesidad de un proceso dinámico que va más allá de la implementación inicial, incorporando retroalimentación continua y métricas de desempeño para refinar la experiencia de usuario. Es una invitación a ver la accesibilidad como una jornada en lugar de una simple meta; un compromiso con la mejora constante que se alinea con los cambios tecnológicos y las necesidades evolutivas de los usuarios. Capacitar al equipo en accesibilidad digital es también una inversión en la calidad y sostenibilidad del servicio que se ofrece.

In a role overseeing a company's digital presence, we implemented continuous monitoring of website accessibility metrics. An unexpected lesson came when a routine check uncovered a sudden drop in accessibility scores. Investigating further, we discovered that a seemingly innocuous design update had inadvertently introduced barriers. This experience underscored the dynamic nature of digital environments and the need for vigilant monitoring to promptly address issues and maintain accessibility standards.

Stay vigilant about technological advancements and updates in regards to new disabilities in various communities. New tools, frameworks, or features may impact the accessibility of your digital assets. Regularly assess and update your technology stack to align with the latest accessibility standard.

Yes your marketing niche and user internet will be very helpful for making a good strategy for growing your business in this competitive market

Accessibility is not a one-time effort but a continuous process. Regularly use analytics, like Google Analytics, to monitor user engagement and satisfaction, especially among those with disabilities. Actively seek feedback through surveys and user reviews to identify areas for improvement. Ensure timely updates, including patches and new features, to address any accessibility issues and enhance functionality. Additionally, invest in training workshops and webinars to keep your team updated on the latest accessibility practices and standards. This ongoing commitment to accessibility ensures that your digital strategy remains inclusive and provides a positive experience for all users, including those with disabilities.

Website Check-Ins: Like tending a garden, use tools like Google Analytics to see how visitors enjoy your site. Ask for their feedback, like listening to friends' garden experiences. Updates for Ease: If a visitor struggles with a tricky path, fix it. Regularly add new features, like bright flowers in a garden, making the visit pleasant for everyone. Learn and Grow: Organize small gatherings (like workshops) to learn about making your website welcoming for all, similar to creating a garden that everyone can enjoy.

Currently, ~20% of the US population identifies as a person with a disability, and most people will experience living with a disability at some point in their lives. That means we need to center the perspectives and experiences of the disabled community early and often to ensure opportunities and solutions are what the community desires. We must also hire them across roles, including leadership, to inform the work. Lastly, be curious when an assignment does not explicitly include the disabled community; we create space for all their intersections.

The scope of 'disabilities' is vast and demands careful attention in crafting an inclusive strategy. While data offers insights, true understanding blossoms through meaningful connections. In my experience, I've found that people want to be seen as individuals, not merely a 'target audience.' Embrace ongoing learning, welcome real-time feedback, and reject perfection as an excuse for not starting.

Adopter une communication bienveillante, exempte de jugement, pour libérer la parole des utilisateurs. Chacun doit se sentir en confiance pour partager ses difficultés. Sensibiliser en interne à la notion d'inclusion et aux différentes formes de handicap, pour changer le regard sur la différence. S'engager dans des partenariats avec des associations de personnes en situation de handicap. Leur expertise terrain est inestimable.

Empathy is such a valuable characteristic, and without it, in planning any strategy, you’re not to realise its full potential. Knowing your audience, disabilities or not, is key.

Today's tech and tools give us the power to personalise our digital content - the what, how, and when we deliver it - and this goes a long way in ensuring inclusivity. E.g. Beyond making content compatible with assistive tools like screen readers and captions; we can harness technology and user data to customise experiences directly through voice commands as soon as a user logs on. Achieving deeper/full inclusivity will demand an intentional shift in perspective and approach. Addressing diverse needs necessitate a reimagining of design principles, a reconceptualisation of user experiences, and the inclusion of features tailored to specific needs - crucial to truly embrace and serve the varied requirements of all users.

🌐 Fostering Digital Inclusivity: 1. Accessible Design: Prioritize website and app designs that comply with accessibility standards. 2. Alt Text Usage: Provide descriptive alt text for images to assist visually impaired users. 3. Captioned Content: Include captions for videos to make content accessible to those with hearing impairments. 4. Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all digital elements are navigable via keyboard for users with motor disabilities. 5. User Testing: Regularly conduct usability testing with individuals with disabilities to gather valuable feedback. By integrating these practices, your digital strategy becomes a catalyst for inclusivity, ensuring a seamless experience for users of all abilities. 🚀♿

To ensure a comprehensive and inclusive digital strategy for people with disabilities, consider cultural sensitivity, using inclusive language and imagery, and providing regular accessibility audits and updates. Prioritize ongoing training for development teams on accessibility best practices and stay compliant with relevant accessibility laws. Establish effective feedback mechanisms for users to report issues and collaborate with accessibility advocates and groups to gain valuable insights. Embrace a user-centric approach by conducting thorough usability testing with individuals who have disabilities and incorporate their feedback into iterative improvements.

In my opinion, more should be done within the advertising space. Often, when talking about accessibility, the focus is on organic content solely, and paid media gets left behind. More ad formats should include alt text, by default, and sound on, by default. Also, it’s would be great to build technology that would include sign language version of the ad. Advertising should be accessible for all too. Would be great to hear everyone’s thoughts on this.

Remember that the landscape of digital accessibility is dynamic, and a commitment to ongoing learning and improvement is essential to create truly inclusive digital experiences.

Leverage Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning AI and ML technologies can be powerful tools for enhancing accessibility. For instance, using AI to generate accurate subtitles for videos automatically. can make them accessible to individuals with hearing impairments. Another example is using machine learning algorithms to improve voice recognition systems for people with speech impairments.