A journey toward accessibility

The ITS Digital Accessibility Standard (requires NetID login) was recently updated and is now chock-full of helpful guidance and resources for each step of the development process to produce accessible websites, mobile apps, business documents, and more.

Even as accessibility improves, many of us remain mystified about what it takes to ensure that our diverse community can access the digital resources they need regardless of ability or disability. We recently talked to Harry Shyket to glean a developer’s insight into the journey towards accessibility.

Four years ago, Harry noticed that discussion and work on improved accessibility were growing; this demonstrated increased importance and investment by the University. Through podcasts, the media, and colleagues, he also heard that accessibility was critical in the development industry.

Harry thought it would be a good idea to advance his skills in developing accessible solutions. Digging into the policy and related Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), it became clear that the information provided was not a how-to manual but rather a framework that would require training and experience to master.

In March of 2018, the University instituted the 1605 web accessibility policy and tapped Harry’s team to work on the University’s remediation effort to bring sites into compliance with the policy and improve accessibility across its web presence.

The assignment accelerated Harry’s effort to develop his essential skills for web and mobile app development. He trained through Deque Systems, providing him a solid foundation for accessible coding and a wealth of implementation ideas and checklists for review. Even with the training under his belt, he quickly realized that specific implementations were hard, and he would need to utilize an additional suite of tools to be successful.

Fortunately, ITS has a fantastic accessibility team that provides Accessibility Tools & Training and Accessibility Consulting services. Harry utilized these services regularly to scaffold his learning curve as he worked through specific assignments. No pun intended; he found the team highly accessible. It was easy to set up meetings and even, on occasion, to swing by their desks with questions, seeking advice, or even code reviews.

Harry observed that one of the most challenging aspects of developing web and mobile apps is that the metrics that usually provide insight into the user experience don’t exist for accessibility. There is no way to know the specific individuals viewing your website, whether those people experienced difficulty gaining access to your application, or why. Therefore, testing and quality assurance performed by well-trained and qualified professionals is essential.

Harry sees that the journey to mastery is a long one that one may better view as a practice. Like any practice, mastering accessibility is anchored in core principles, but the implementation may adapt to respond to the changing world we live in and the technologies we use. He says there is no reason to be intimidated by the journey, “each step along the way empowers you to improve accessibility. And, improved accessibility is good for everyone. In the end, being able to code accessible solutions makes you a much more valuable developer to any organization.”

Take a look at the refreshed Digital Accessibility Standard as a starting point or a milestone along your accessibility journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the accessibility team when you need help. They look forward to lending a helping hand.