What are some effective ways to teach your team about accessibility?

Empathy is crucial for accessibility as it allows individuals to deeply understand the experiences and challenges faced by those with diverse needs. By putting themselves in the shoes of others, whether it's someone with a disability or different abilities, individuals can develop a genuine understanding of the barriers that exist. This emotional awareness is fundamental for creating inclusive designs, technologies, and environments that cater to a wide range of users, promoting accessibility and equal opportunities.

Getting people with disabilities involved is paramount to learning about accessibility from those who experience (a lack of) this important aspect of UX on a daily basis. Watching them use assistive tech will always be superior to you trying to do so yourself, as they will almost certainly be more proficient at it than you are, and will be able to point out where the most disruptive problems can be found and, ideally, suggest a fix. Do keep in mind that this would be considered a consult, and should therefore be compensated as such.

Firstly, try experiencing their world for yourself. Major operating systems come equipped with built-in screen readers. Enable one and attempt to navigate your app using it. Within the first hour, you are guaranteed to encounter the major challenges your users face. Secondly, directly connect visually impaired users with developers. In an open-source project I manage, we have a dedicated channel for visually impaired users. This channel has been instrumental in providing us with valuable feedback and helping developers understand their perspective.

Microsoft's guidance is a great place to start when introducing accessibility to a team. The toolkit includes a spectrum that helps to understand the various impairments that can impact someone's interactions with a digital experience, whether they are permanent, temporary, or situational. I've seen sceptical colleagues quickly grasp the importance of accessibility as soon as they've been able to relate it to their own experiences. For example, a situational impairment of being a new parent holding a baby, who doesn't have free hands to touch a screen, or the noise of a busy bar impairing your ability to take an order from a customer. Once the realisation hits that accessibility impacts everyone, a more thorough understanding can develop.

Fostering empathy within a team is crucial to developing an understanding of accessibility needs. *Role-playing exercises: Assign team members different impairments or disabilities and ask them to navigate through your digital products. *Accessibility challenges: Organise team challenges where members have to perform certain tasks using assistive technologies or while simulating impairments. *Usability testing with diverse users: Actively involve users with disabilities in your usability testing. *Regular accessibility training and updates: Promote ongoing education and awareness by organizing periodic training sessions or sharing updates on accessibility guidelines, best practices, and user experiences.

What I have applied to my team is to put theoretical knowledge into practice, and employed accessibility audit tools. These tools can be invaluable for learning standards, scrutinizing your web pages, identifying potential accessibility issues, and proposing effective solutions.

Teach accessibility standards to your team through an introductory overview of the importance of accessibility and key principles like perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR). Use practical examples, hands-on training, and testing tools, and provide accessible documentation and resources for ongoing reference. Integrate accessibility into workflows, emphasize QA practices, and promote continuous learning. You can also have them get trained and go over WCAG resources and learn various standards established by governments. Lastly establish a feedback loop, encourage an iterative approach, and designate accessibility champions within the team for ongoing support and advocacy.

Es preciso asegurarse de que tu equipo entienda los conceptos básicos de la accesibilidad, como la diferencia entre accesibilidad y usabilidad, los diferentes tipos de discapacidades y las pautas de accesibilidad.

In the vibrant world of design accessibility, a few key topics stand tall, paving the way for inclusive and user-friendly experiences. Let's spotlight these crucial discussions: 1. Color Contrast: Ensuring readability and clarity for all users, regardless of visual abilities 2. Screen Reader Compatibility: Crafting experiences that seamlessly connect with screen reading technologies for an auditory-friendly encounter 3. Keyboard Navigation: Prioritizing navigation without a mouse, allowing everyone to explore effortlessly 4. Alt Text Mastery: Elevating the impact of visuals through descriptive alt text, fostering understanding for all 5. Responsive Design: Embracing adaptability across devices, creating a consistent and enjoyable experience

In my company, we created a SharePoint site that has all of the resources for WCAG and the A11y project. We have team members who then do short 15-minute presentations giving folks a quick run down of the basics and then sharing the SharePoint link for future reference and it has worked great!

Many times, improving accessibility is about creating clarity within your original design - it's all the same principles and goals so think about it as also bettering every user's experience.

Hands-on experiences and practical applications of accessibility principles is a powerful way to reinforce learning within your team. *Accessibility-focused projects: Assign your team projects where they have to identify and solve accessibility issues in existing websites or applications. This could involve conducting audits, proposing redesigns, or creating prototypes that adhere to WCAG guidelines. *Hackathons or design sprints: Organize events focused on solving accessibility challenges within a limited timeframe. *Regular feedback and discussions: Host feedback sessions where team members can present their work and receive constructive feedback from peers or experts.

From my еxpеriеncе: Instill accеssibility еxpеrtisе within your tеam by еmphasizing hands-on practice. Providе opportunitiеs for еxеrcisеs, challеngеs, or projеcts whеrе thеy can apply accеssibility principlеs to rеal or fictional scеnarios. Tasks likе rеdеsigning a wеbsitе with accеssibility issues or crеating a prototypе following WCAG critеria еnhancе practical skills. Lеvеragе onlinе coursеs and workshops, such as Udacity's Wеb Accеssibility Coursе. By activеly еngaging in thеsе practical еxеrcisеs and lеarning rеsourcеs, your tеam can build a robust foundation in crеating morе inclusivе and accеssiblе wеb dеsigns.

Some ways I have seen like using Google took kits are very important, like the sizes and use of tools will play a major role too. It is more advisable to save these in your tool kit

Of course the best practices and design accessibility tools kit are necessary. But one thing I’ve always found helpful is to stretch and practice, for instance if you’re working on accessibility project for the visually impaired, take a pair of glasses, put a little coconut oil on them and walk your user's journey.

Accessibility starts with the design team but the responsibility extends through implementation by the development team, so it’s critical for both teams to be educated and aligned on accessibility standards. Designers can check their work and slowly build a library of ADA components to leverage into deliverables. Annotating interactions and collaborating during the ideation process with certainly teach both teams. There also backend accessibility requirements that are controlled by developers. Having both parties involved in user testing and reviewing ADA reports will help raise awareness and understanding in those requirements.

At our community college, we established an Accessibility Department to integrate accessibility into all Moodle courses. This was a pivotal step in ensuring every course was designed with inclusivity in mind. We also implemented Grackle for our Google Suite, enhancing document accessibility. This initiative not only complied with accessibility standards but also significantly improved the learning experience for all students, demonstrating the practical impact of thoughtful, inclusive design in education.

Provide training on using tools for accessibility testing and conduct regular reviews to identify and address potential issues. Foster a mindset that considers diverse user needs at each stage of the design process, ensuring a more inclusive and user-friendly experience.

For my design team, accessibility is crucial to our workflow. This commitment ensures our designs are visually appealing and embrace every user. Figma, our go-to tool, supports this commitment with customised features that help us create stunning designs while adhering to A11Y standards. Our design system, rooted on Material-UI (MUI), incorporates consistent component patterns, responsive designs, keyboard navigation, and semantic HTML structures to enhance inclusivity. Theming options also allow for personalisation, broadening our designs' appeal. Comprehensive documentation and a collaborative community propels us forward. Continuous improvements and innovative A11Y solutions keep us at the forefront of inclusive design trends.

Staying updated on the latest trends, tools, and advancements in accessibility is crucial to ensuring your team remains well-informed and knowledgeable about evolving standards. *Podcasts: Encourage your team to listen to podcasts such as A11y Rules that discuss accessibility topics, interviews with experts, and real-world experiences. *Online communities and events: Join online communities, forums, or groups dedicated to accessibility professionals and enthusiasts. *Internal knowledge sharing: Establish a culture of sharing within your team by encouraging members to share articles, resources, or insights they come across. *Certification programs: Encourage team members to pursue certification programs related to accessibility

Additionally, creating an accessibility checklist for your team to always refer to could be a good way to help the entire team to learn about accessibility.

Always follow the process, sometimes you can move beyond the conventional ways and use different approach when you are more confident in your skills

Staying current in accessibility doesn't always require financial investment in certifications. Actively engaging with resources like Deque and the WCAG consortium can be equally effective. Regularly following their updates, insights, and guidelines ensures you're aligned with the latest trends and standards in accessibility. These platforms offer a wealth of knowledge, from best practices to innovative solutions, crucial for anyone dedicated to creating inclusive digital experiences. This approach is both cost-effective and highly informative.

Teaching accessibility to your team is like a game – the "Inclusivity Quest." Each team member plays as Ally, navigating levels representing accessibility challenges. They learn standards like mastering game rules, gain skills as power-ups (e.g., designing for screen readers), and follow a quest-like process. Bonus: face "Accessibility Challenges" for a true champion experience. Ready to level up and make digital interaction a game for everyone?

One thing I’ve noticed is that the movement towards design systems and also a healthy company interest in accessibility or engineering interest the health of the system architecture means that accessibility can be considered part of delivery standards and guidelines from the outset. Regulations such as the Disability Discrimination Act (UK) in the early 2000s helped push companies in this direction however compliance has not been universally applied therefore many company websites and product experiences have not supported accessibility in their development priorities or pipeline. Now more global businesses are expressing interest in a commitment to accessibility as a client requirement its bringing about change in business prioritisation.

In my experience some of the most important aspects when it comes to embedding an inclusive design-thinking in an organisation is to create a shared language around accessibility and inclusive design. This enables teams and individuals to ensure accessibility is considered in all processes and deliverables - including handover phases, which can sometimes present challenges. Furthermore, creating a culture of curiosity and reflection ensures a positive and solution focused approach.

Another helpful approach is to think about access needs separately from the disabilities and health issues that cause them. An easy way to do this is to think of temporary access needs : trying to read while riding the bus on a bumpy road, watching videos in loud environments, attending a workshop after an operation etc. It builds empathy and changes the mindset from 'one serving a minority' to 'ensuring one never feels left out'.

Few other points to consider: 1. Training Sessions: Conduct regular training sessions to educate team members. 2. Guest Speakers: Invite accessibility experts to speak to your team. 3. Inclusive Design Workshops: Organize workshops focusing on inclusive design principles. 4. Accessibility Testing Practice: Incorporate accessibility testing as a routine. 5. Inclusive Culture: Foster an inclusive culture where team members feel comfortable discussing accessibility concerns. Emphasize the shared responsibility of creating products that are accessible to everyone. 6. Accessibility Champions: Identify and empower accessibility champions within the team who can serve as advocates and resources for their colleagues.