There’s more to digital accessibility than policy
Digital accessibility advocates often face tremendous challenges at their organizations when trying to motivate and encourage digital content creators to build accessibly.
If you’ve been in this position, you’ve likely experienced resistance to integrating digital accessibility into your current processes—especially if you’ve tried to do so by enacting new policies.
Policy on its own can have many pitfalls.
That’s not to say policy isn’t important. It is! But to succeed in advancing digital accessibility, a new policy is not enough. You also need to prioritize enablement by providing teams with the training, tools, and resources they need to successfully comply.
In this post, I’ll explore the benefits and pitfalls of policy implementation and show you why enablement is so critical.
The challenges of a policy-first approach
Creating clear, actionable policies is an essential step for any organization looking to implement digital accessibility.
However, establishing a new policy can be a complicated process. You need to get buy-in. Then, you have to actually create the policy. After that, you must introduce it to the organization and advocate for company-wide alignment and adherence.
Too often, this effort can become all-consuming, with the result being that getting new policy approved often becomes the end goal, rather than the means to an end. But just getting a new policy in place is not enough.
The reality is that without the necessary support systems in place, a new policy can quickly become a source of frustration and even hinder progress rather than advance it.
Let’s explore why that might happen, and how shifting the focus from policy enforcement to enablement and empowerment can make all the difference in promoting digital accessibility at your organization.
How well-intentioned policy efforts can backfire
When a new digital accessibility policy is implemented, it’s usually to great fanfare. After all, it’s a cause people can feel good about. Everyone wants their products and services to be more accessible.
The challenges arise when practical realities set in and people begin to realize what adherence to the policy will require. Development teams can quickly feel burdened by the new requirements and grow anxious as they face new deadlines and pressures to deliver. At the same time, product owners and executives are often unaware of the policy’s real-world implications, and they can become frustrated by delays.
Before you know it, a well-intentioned policy meant to champion accessibility can become something that breeds resentment. Instead of helping, it’s hurting.
An increase in exception requests is often the first sign that a new policy is at risk of backfiring. As more and more teams producing digital content encounter the new policy and realize what’s required to comply, requests to avoid the policy become more frequent—from developers struggling to meet their deadlines to product owners and executives who don’t understand why the deadlines can’t be met.
If something isn’t done to address the problem, exceptions become the norm until, eventually, the new policy is essentially dead in the water.
The good news is that this doesn’t have to happen.
The benefits of prioritizing enablement
By shifting the focus from policy enforcement to enablement and empowerment, your organization can foster a culture of accessibility and build digital products and services that are truly accessible to all.
At the most fundamental level, enablement means considering the practical needs of those who will be implementing your new policy. To succeed, individuals and teams will need the tools, training, and resources to effectively comply.
To prioritize enablement alongside policy, you can:
- Provide comprehensive training and education. Equip teams with the knowledge and skills to create accessible content from the outset.
- Invest in appropriate tools and technologies. Automate accessibility testing and provide assistive technologies to support diverse needs.
- Offer access to subject matter experts. Ensure teams have guidance for complex accessibility challenges.
- Integrate accessibility into existing workflows. Incorporate accessibility considerations into design, development, and testing processes.
The key is to remember that digital accessibility is not merely a compliance issue; it’s about creating inclusive experiences for everyone. Policy plays a vital role, but it’s just one piece of a larger strategy.
Important reminders
To build a sustainable and effective digital accessibility practice, remember these five foundational elements:
- Inclination: A clear policy that establishes commitment to accessibility.
- Time: Dedicated time within project plans to address accessibility needs.
- Knowledge: Ongoing education and training for all relevant personnel.
- Instrumentation: Tools and technologies that support accessibility testing and implementation.
- Expertise: Access to subject matter experts for guidance and support.
Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your policy requirements don’t outpace your capabilities. The temptation to create sweeping, high-impact change is always there, but if you set the bar too high, you risk setting teams up for failure. Remember that accessibility is an ongoing effort, and each step forward will set the stage for even more progress. Policies can be updated as your organization and digital accessibility programs evolve. The ideal is to have a policy in place that challenges teams while providing attainable goals. In this way, you can create an ongoing cycle of positive growth!
Conclusion
When you create a new policy and provide your teams with the time, tools, training, and support they’ll need to comply, your success rates go up. No more exception requests, no more delays, no more confusion and frustration. Instead, digital accessibility will be understood as a strategic imperative that drives inclusivity and innovation. It’s a win for everyone!
