Level Access, UserWay, and My Way (or thoughts, at least)

Level Access acquired UserWay. If you haven't learned this by now, you should know.??

Many in the a11y community are perplexed by this, especially due to the nature of the product acquired—the overlay. There are plenty of articles indicating the concerns about those products. Google #overlayFactSheet as a good start :)

I avoided the Level Access UserWay Acquisition debate for 5 days.?And then today, as I was doing my hair ( :)? I had a few thoughts.

Overall Thought

Regardless of how you may feel about this deal, there’s an opportunity here to take a look and carefully examine what we as individual practitioners of accessibility bring of value vs the automated tooling and see it from the perspective that drove Level Access to the acquisition.??

Rationale

There are at least seven different reasons why a company like Level Access would make this deal.?

Belief in the Product's Value or Potential - CEO Timothy Springer suggested this when announcing the acquisition. This could be true as-is, as a different product (e.g., an analysis tool), or as part of another service offering.

Marketing - Each overlay implemented on a website includes a link back to the product's creators, significantly increasing business for these companies, with or without additional advertising.

Client Demand Created the Necessity - Companies seeking services may have demanded the overlay as a solution. Not having it risked losing clients. Additionally, the automation dream in solving the “accessibility problem” is a frequent topic among industry leaders.

Keeping up with Industry Changes - Level Access, known since its SSB BART days, has set standards for enterprise accessibility with external vendors. Newer, technology-driven companies threaten to redefine these standards simply by gaining market share.

Strategic Timing - Without this move, Level Access risked being perceived by some clients as an outdated company, slow and too reliant on manual efforts.

Gateway Product - This acquisition could serve as an entry point, enticing more customers into other services.

Demonstrating Growth - The acquisition might be necessary to show growth to current or potential investors.

Rationale for #a11y Professionals

Now, what is it that makes experienced #a11y professionals so very valuable?

Ability to offer Customized Solutions: We have the ability to offer tailored solutions addressing specific accessibility challenges, moving beyond limited strategies offered through automated tooling..

Deep Understanding of Accessibility Standards: Professionals offer In-depth knowledge of standards like WCAG, ADA, and Section 508, ensuring compliance and facilitating a genuinely accessible experience.

Human Insight and Empathy: This is something that An approach surpassing automated tools alone cannot represent, and humans, with the aid of some automation,? can demonstrate while remaining rooted in empathy for diverse users, especially those with disabilities.

Continuous Improvement and Support: Mentorship is key to growth, and? the experience of working directly with an experienced professional offering ongoing support and continuous improvement strategies, aids in meaningful adapting to evolving standards and technologies.

Training and Awareness: Professionals embedded both in process and best practices, with or without the assistance of automated tooling, is key to raising awareness and training staff about the importance of accessibility, fostering an inclusive culture.

Problem-Solving Skills: Automation can be helpful in diagnosis.? Human + Automation is effective in providing practical, creative solutions and prioritizing fixes based on impact and in ensuring thorough compliance to mitigate legal challenges and reputation damage risks that automated tools might overlook.

Conclusion

I can't really look at this deal and definitavely identify this as 'good' or 'bad'. I can say we all will, and should keep an eye on what happens next. In our increasingly tech trend-driven world, it's easy to get caught up in the allure of tools. Customers demand them, we use them, they are part of everything. And though tools do not equal mastery, they can be used to support the development of such process. As of now, it’s hard to see how the tool acquired by LA will support that, but, then again, I only used automation to aid in writing this, not replace my understanding :)

Do well. Be well.

Dr. Keith