What skills do you need to become a WCAG professional?

The first thing you need to become a WCAG professional is passion. This is the most important factor. Being an advocate takes effort. Effort requires interest and ultimately the best advocates are filled with passion for the things that matter to them. In addition to passion you need knowledge and experience. Not just knowing the WCAG standards but also understanding the intent. Understanding how to properly and effectively implement the WCAG principles is also key.

Es necesario entender con profundidad los criterios de accesibilidad de las WCAG para crear experiencias de usuario más inclusivas y accesibles para todos.

Para implementar cambios y mejoras específicas en la accesibilidad de ciertos proyectos o tecnologías de asistencia, son necesarios conocimientos en lenguajes de programación web como HTML, CSS y JavaScript.

If we are talking about websites, HTML and CSS are definitely required skills. However, understanding PHP, javascript and ARIA are also key. When it comes to document accessibility you need to know how to create accessible source documents, how to use remediation tools effectively and how to test your documents and content to ensure they meet the standards and also result in a good user experience.

Semantic HTML is key to accessibility. Before reaching out to ARIA we need to consider "native HTML" elements as they are (often, not always) most accessible. CSS is not only used for visual styling, so we need to at least understand where CSS can impact accessibility. Ideally CSS shouldn't touch semantics, but in reality it does and accessibility professionals need to know about that. Example is display:***; on table elements. Or display:***; on lists (in some cases). Or using order to reposition elements visually that can cause problems with keyboard navigation. My point is that accessibility professionals need to know the ins and outs of both HTML and CSS, otherwise they can't be effective in their work - finding&fixing issues.

La implementación de JavaScript debe hacerse de forma compatible con la accesibilidad. Junto con ARIA, se puede proporcionar información comprensible a las tecnologías de asistencia para crear experiencias de usuario más efectivas.

Gaining an understanding of various disabilities and how they impact user interaction with digital content is crucial. This awareness is instrumental in crafting more inclusive and accessible designs

ARIA extends HTML and is extremely important for accessibility, so we need deep understanding of it's possibilities, but also limitation. There are lot's of ARIA attributes that don't have the support in reality, so professionals need to know not just about what is available, but also what can actually be used. The JavaScript part is obviously required as well, as JavaScript controls behaviour of HTML and ARIA (and CSS). It's important to know about vanilla JavaScript, but it does help also to know about frameworks and libraries when we need to find and fix issues.

Problem-solving is really the most important skill you can have when it comes to creating and testing accessible content. WCAG professionals need to know the standards but also know how to use the programs beyond their limits to create more accessible user experiences. Knowing the limitations of programs and platforms helps guide solutions, and experience helps speed up the process. I always say, "The moment we stop learning is the moment we start becoming obsolete."

1.Understand WCAG Guidelines: up to date. 2.Coding Proficiency: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and ARIA 3.Assistive Tech Knowledge: know screen readers, magnifiers, etc 4.Use of Accessibility Tools 5.Inclusive Design: Prioritize inclusivity from start, Consider color, legibility, etc. 6.UX Design and Feedback: Acquire UX skills, Iterate designs based on feedback. 7.Effective Communication and Advocate in discussions. 8.Legal Awareness: Understand ADA, Section 508 and others, Stay updated on laws. 9. Continuous Learning: Engage with the community, Attend conferences, forums etc. 10.Testing (QA) Skills, Problem-Solving Skills: Tackle unique challenges, Find creative solutions. Commit to ongoing learning, and creating inclusive digital experiences.

When I first started in document accessibility I was mainly focused on achieving set standards. Luckily for me I came into contact with 2 of the best professionals and advocates in this area, Dax Castro and Chad Chelius. They helped me learn that thinking about the user experience was just as important!

After basics listed before we also need to understand a lot about assistive technologies, especially screen readers, voice controll, zoom, high contrast and so on. It's not enough to just know about them, it is required to be able to use them. And how to involve users in testing, how to lead them and how to learn from their feedback. Knowing about design tools is also required, so that we can discuss accessibility with designers in the most effective way. Also knowing about design tools (annotation, contrast checkers, typography,...) is needed.