Our accessibility leadership roundtable in Leeds: Key discussion points and takeaways

Introduction 

This post summarises the key themes and discussions from a recent roundtable on accessibility, hosted by Nexer Digital on 12th July 2024. Participants representing the health, public, non-profit and technology sectors shared insights on the current state of accessibility, challenges facing their respective organisations, and strategies for success, with a focus on improving inclusion through design, policy, and technology. 

This is a summary of the discussion from the roundtable, and the findings from subsequent breakout sessions which focused on specific actions to drive progress on accessibility in the tech sector.  

Session 1: Roundtable discussion

What is the general understanding of accessibility?

There is a growing interest in accessibility driven by legislative changes such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA), but many organisations still treat it as a specialist domain, or something carried forward by the interest and goodwill of specific team members.  

While some organisations have made significant strides in embedding accessibility principles, they often see a need to compromise within their own teams and ways of working (e.g. commonly used tools), creating a disconnect between internal processes and broader public-facing accessibility missions.  

Accessibility is discussed at various levels, including product, project, service, and organisational. However, the depth and consistency of these discussions vary widely. In some cases, accessibility efforts are more pronounced at the ground level, driven by passionate individuals rather than top-down leadership. 

What is the role of disabled people in designing accessible products and services in your organisation?

The inclusion of people with disabilities in the design and development process is crucial, yet often limited. Some organisations have begun to involve individuals with lived experiences in leading roles, which can help with advocacy, mitigate pushback from leadership and drive progress.  

Nonetheless, there is a recognised need for more systematic approach to diversified recruitment and retention, to ensure that accessibility considerations are embedded in organisational cultures and considered from the outset.

Positive experiences of investments in accessibility

Investments in accessibility yield significant benefits, both from a business and societal perspective. Organisations that embrace accessibility often see improved performance, customer loyalty, and a better brand reputation. Accessibility as a key performance indicator was a notable suggestion, with inclusive companies consistently outperforming their peers. 

Positive experiences shared by participants include the development of tools that simplify accessibility processes, such as document conversion tools, AI integrations to support users, and accessibility labs. These innovations not only often reduce costs and time spent, but also foster a more inclusive environment overall. 

Evolution of accessibility discussions

In a lot of places, the discussion around accessibility has evolved from a compliance-driven mindset to a more holistic approach that recognises the business and societal benefits of inclusion. There is an increasing awareness that accessibility should be a foundational aspect of organisational strategy rather than an afterthought. 

Some organisations are adopting iterative approaches to steadily raise accessibility standards. This shift acknowledges that while perfection is unattainable, continuous progress is both achievable and necessary.

Barriers to accessibility in products and services

Major barriers include limited resources and the need for senior-level buy-in. Without dedicated investment and support from leadership, accessibility initiatives often struggle to gain traction. 

There are also significant cultural and knowledge gaps within organisations. While frontline employees may understand the importance of accessibility, they frequently lack the support and resources to implement effective solutions. There is often a disconnect between policy and practice, leading to inconsistent application of accessibility principles. 

Technical challenges, such as integrating accessibility into legacy systems and ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies, are also common. Organisations often grapple with prioritising these technical fixes within broader IT and product development roadmaps.

Opportunities for inclusion with accessible technology

Providing comprehensive training and raising awareness about accessibility can help create a more inclusive workplace. Role-based training, accessibility labs, and empathy-building exercises are powerful tools for fostering a more permanent shift in culture. 

Embedding accessibility policies into the organisational fabric can drive long-term change. Clear policies, supported by leadership, help shift attitudes and ensure that accessibility is consistently prioritised across all levels. 

Leveraging technology to develop accessible tools and resources also presents significant opportunities. Technologies that simplify accessibility tasks and make technology more user-friendly for disabled individuals have the potential to be transformative for workplace inclusion.  

A three-pronged strategy that combines compliance, cultural change, and education can effectively address accessibility challenges at scale. By highlighting the risks and benefits associated with accessibility, organisations can build robust roadmaps that prioritise high-impact areas and drive meaningful iterative progress. 

Session 2: Breakout discussions 

Compliance, culture, and education in accessibility 

Compliance

Implementation of standards: There is a need for an accessibility standard or policy within organisations and sectors. 

Accessibility audits: Products and services that fail to pass accessibility audits or are not WCAG 2.2 compliant should not be allowed to go live. Rigorous policing of accessibility is crucial for it to be taken as seriously as GDPR or information security. 

Tender criteria: Accessibility performance criteria should be included in tenders to ensure compliance from the outset. With procurement, you often have to pick the best of a bad bunch, so choose the organisation that is most willing to work with you. 

Accessibility by design: Not because it passed an audit. People want something that is measurable but compliance isn’t the gold standard. AAA is never considered. Aspirational over checkbox. Understand real user needs. 

Culture

Engaging research participants: Organisations find it challenging to engage research participants with lived experience in accessibility. Paying participants for their time, in line with their lost wages, could be more widely adopted. 

Mindset shift: Shifting the mindset from viewing accessibility as a requirement to seeing it as an important and ethical practice is essential. “Good” benefits both the user and the business. When done properly, it shouldn’t be seen as a blocker or a money draw, it should provide value to both. 

It’s contextual and subjective: It’s more than compliance therefore, it’s never done and it’s nuanced. Keep understanding real user needs 

Broadening accessibility definition: Accessibility should also consider those who face digital exclusion, not just access barriers. 

Inclusive team involvement: All teams, not just User-Centred Design (UCD), should be involved in accessibility. A culture of co-design and co-production with senior management and developers should be encouraged. 

Agile methodology: Incorporating accessibility into agile methodology ensures the whole team owns it. 

Design and accessibility debt: Addressing design and accessibility debt should be given the same importance as technical debt. 

Chief accessibility officer: Budget allocation for roles like Chief Accessibility Officer, ideally filled by candidates with lived experience, is necessary. Often, accessibility roles are additional responsibilities on top of regular duties. 

Education

Onboarding: Accessibility should be an integral part of the onboarding process. 

Mandatory training: Accessibility training and courses should be mandatory and given the same priority as information security and GDPR training. 

Champions networks: Programs like Champions Networks should be expanded, where participants achieve accreditation levels that correspond to their champion status. 

Improving representation in accessibility 

Talent pipeline and diversity

Creating a talent pipeline: There is potential to create a diverse talent pipeline, but current mechanisms can be unwieldy. Efforts include going into schools and co-design sessions, but there is a lack of visibility and representation in these initiatives. Apprenticeship programs primarily target university students, raising the question of how to diversify these recruitment efforts. 

Recruitment and inclusivity: Some organisations have implemented effective strategies, such as involving Disability Inclusion networks in usability labs and testing. This approach has brought a wide range of insights from users with varying levels of experience with assistive technology. Recruiting individuals from these networks into teams has proven successful, particularly when empathy and compliance-based approaches fall short. In Nexer’s relatively small accessibility team, we have good representation of lived experience and gender diversity but this doesn’t appear to be the norm across those working in the field, where we have seen a lack of diversity. This suggests a typical career path that echoes the dominance of white males across the tech sector. We’d be keen to hear from accessibility professionals who show this isn’t the case in future roundtables. 

Challenges and solutions in recruitment 

Recruitment issues: The recruitment process, particularly in the public sector, poses a challenge. Competency-based recruitment can be biased against lots of underrepresented groups, including neurodiverse individuals, those with caring responsibilities, and people with disabilities. There is a need to rethink recruitment strategies to be more inclusive and equitable. 

Early intervention: It's crucial to intervene early by creating a pipeline for young people from underrepresented groups. Informing and inspiring them about the possibilities for work in the accessibility field before they reach graduate schemes is essential for awareness-raising.  

Retention and promotion

Workplace adjustments: Providing free technology and having a dedicated workplace adjustments team for reasonable accommodations has been instrumental in some organisations. This approach shifts responsibility from line managers and ensures expertise in handling requests for adjustments. 

Retention and promotion: Retaining and promoting people, particularly in the public sector, remains a challenge. Initiatives such as anti-racism schemes, champions networks, and focused mentoring and coaching for underrepresented groups can help create a supportive and inclusive environment. Training managers to support these initiatives and setting the tone for inclusivity is vital. 

Understanding equity: There is a distinction between equality and equity that organisations need to understand. While equality involves treating everyone the same, equity involves providing what individuals need to succeed, which may mean different approaches for different people. Moving towards an equity-based approach can help create a more inclusive and effective environment. 

Best practices in the public sector: The maturity of inclusion efforts varies across teams. Sharing knowledge and best practices, such as relaxing interview processes and providing questions upfront, can help make recruitment and onboarding more inclusive. Pockets of expertise within organisations can drive broader adoption of these best practices. 

Inspiring leadership to enhance accessibility capability and improve diversity

Nurturing understanding

Build a business case:

• Organisational leaders often struggle to understand and contextualise accessibility when it’s presented as a stand-alone initiative, work with the organisation to align business cases to existing strategies and objectives.
• Connect accessibility to key business drivers like innovation, customer loyalty, and employee engagement.
• Use data and case studies to demonstrate how accessibility can lead to better financial performance.

Assess current state:

• Assess your current state, identify key problem areas, and estimate the size of the work, and present evidence of where the blockers are.
• Identify gaps and areas for improvement, providing a clear picture of your starting point.

Remove misconceptions:

• Educate leaders on common myths about accessibility, such as the belief that it is too costly or only benefits a small group.
• Provide evidence that accessibility improvements can be incremental and cost-effective, benefiting a wide range of users.

Engaging leaders effectively

Communicate benefits clearly:

• Use compelling narratives and real-world examples to show the impact of accessibility on people’s lives and business success.

Showcase success stories:

• Highlight organisations that have successfully integrated accessibility, emphasising the positive outcomes they have achieved.

Provide practical steps:

• Offer a roadmap for implementing accessibility, including quick wins and long-term strategies.
• Suggest resources and tools that can help in the transition.

Fostering a culture of inclusion

Promote diversity within teams:

• Encourage the recruitment and retention of diverse talent, emphasising the value of different perspectives.

Invest in training:

• Provide ongoing education and training for employees at all levels on accessibility and inclusion best practices. Think beyond design and development. Focus on culture, focus on how you educate and inform people. Think about how all the skills and capabilities you need to be successful.

Champion inclusive design:

• Integrate accessibility into the design and development process from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Identifying and encouraging accessibility champions

Find potential champions:

• Follow the passion in your team. Look for people who care about accessibility and inclusion, regardless of their role or seniority.
• Explore ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) and other areas of your business that might have a meaningful connection with the work you want to do.
• Encourage employees with disabilities to share their experiences and insights.

Empower champions:

• Provide champions with the training, resources, and support they need to advocate for accessibility.
• Create a network or community of practice where champions can share knowledge and support each other.

Recognise and reward efforts:

• Acknowledge the contributions of accessibility champions through formal recognition programs.
• Celebrate successes and milestones to motivate continued efforts.

Embed good practice:

• Involve accessibility champions in project planning and decision-making processes.
• Ensure champions have a voice in shaping policies and practices related to accessibility.

Measuring and communicating progress

Set clear goals:

• Define specific, measurable objectives for accessibility and inclusion initiatives.

Track and report:

• Regularly monitor progress and share updates with stakeholders to maintain momentum and accountability.

Celebrate milestones:

• Recognise and celebrate achievements in accessibility, reinforcing the importance and benefits of these efforts.

Next steps 

This post summarises the initial session. We plan to run follow-on roundtable discussions with representatives from the financial services, local government, housing and charity sectors, to build a picture of challenges and opportunities across the UK.

Please get in touch if you’d like to contribute.