In a world that is increasingly digital, ensuring that everyone can access and navigate online content is more important than ever. As the digital world continues to reshape how we interact with others, make purchases, and share information, many countries have recognized the need for regulations that require websites and applications to be accessible. Failing to comply can result in legal consequences and missed opportunities to reach a wider audience.
As we approach upcoming digital accessibility compliance deadlines, here are some steps your organization can take to mitigate risk and establish sustainable processes to address this on-going need.
1. Audit Digital Assets
Adopt proven compliance auditing practices to your digital assets. Understand what barriers exist and how they impact technology users. Don’t forget that digital assets are more than websites. Mobile apps, kiosks, videos, and documents are also a part of the digital world. Use this data to demonstrate risk factors and identify consistent compliance errors.
Digital assets should be audited on a regular basis. Errors can be introduced anytime new content, feature enhancements, and updates are released. The timing of these audits is largely dependent on the frequency with which these changes are introduced to your digital assets. For companies undergoing rapid change, a more aggressive audit plan is recommended, with some companies conducting audits monthly or quarterly.
2. Remediate Content
Once you understand where barriers exist across your digital assets, create a plan to address areas of non-compliance. Set up a priority list of action items based on scope of impact to users, complexity to address the barrier, and frequency of error.
Some errors are relatively simple to fix, although it may be time-consuming if a history of non-compliance exists within your business. For example, an image-heavy website where alt text has not been consistently applied may take time to bring into compliance, even though the act of adding alt text is fairly simple.
Other compliance errors may be more complex to resolve. When defining your strategy, understanding the scope of effort and the impact of the error on users of technology allows you to prioritize activity and determine competencies needed to resolve the issues.
3. Update Vendor Contracts
Do not assume your technology and digital content providers are providing you with compliant solutions, and do not assume you are not at risk of a lawsuit because you are using a vendor’s product.
Ask questions. Request that vendors provide accessibility conformance reports (also known as VPATs) to identify risk factors to engagement. Ensure that digital accessibility compliance is a critical success factor for vendor performance reviews. Develop and include standard language in requests for proposals, product evaluation checklists, and contract language just as you would for data security and confidentiality.
4. Embed Accessibility into Business Processes
Remember, digital content is fluid and changes are often rapidly deployed. To minimize opportunities to introduce compliance errors, update business processes to address risk factors before they are introduced.
This step allows your business to become proactive rather than reactive to potential risk. Additionally, many common digital compliance errors are easily avoided when making accessibility a part of day-to-day business processes.
When rolling out a new technology, it is recommended to include a digital accessibility expert in the project team. This person can assist in guiding the team toward choices which help your business maintain compliance.
5. Provide Employee Training
Some businesses make the mistake of thinking that digital accessibility compliance is limited in scope to technology related job roles. However, any employee who engages digitally could introduce compliance errors. The right training and tools support your compliance journey.
Disclaimer: The above information is not intended to replace legal counsel regarding compliance obligations.