We all want our businesses to be as accessible and disability-friendly as possible, but how do we know if we've succeeded? How do we know if we’ve created an inclusive place for everyone? A key part of an organization's accessibility management process is developing plans to measure its success.
Even after following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and consulting with accessibility experts, it’s tough to know what success is when you don’t have a method to measure it. Luckily, we’re here to help you gauge your success with tips on measuring the effectiveness of your accessibility efforts.
Why measuring accessibility is important
With one in four Americans living with a disability, not having an accessible workplace or product will be reflected in your bottom line − whether it be profits lost in litigation or profits never gained due to low customer engagement. According to the US Department of Commerce, individuals may abandon up to two-thirds of online transactions due to inaccessibility.
There are also incredible opportunities in marketing right now. Less than 1% of advertising features people with disabilities. By leveraging an inclusive model to build their brand, companies communicate to customers that they are dedicated to accessibility and fostering a culture of inclusion.
Successful accessibility initiatives enable a safer environment for employees as well. For example, the pandemic saw remote working becoming the norm, which provided people with varying disabilities new opportunities to create a personal, accommodating workspace and cut down on commute time for those with physical disabilities or fatigue.
Monitor your success
Community relationships
Perhaps the most valuable way to measure success is with direct feedback from your clients or employees. A solid and ongoing relationship with the community is critical to understanding their needs. Offer online surveys clients can access and allow them to rate your accessibility to scale. Understand that one person’s experience does not represent the experience of others, and it’s best to gather feedback from as many sources as possible.
Professional assistance
Next, assemble accessibility professionals (in-house or outsourced) to inspect your business, the physical infrastructure, programs and services, and any software or websites you have. Consultants can accurately gauge how ADA-compliant your business is and suggest improving overall accessibility for varying disabilities. Bring in a consultant to inspect your workplace annually, as guidelines are consistently updated, and physical infrastructure can degrade over time.
Adopting a maturity model
A common mistake in implementing accessibility initiatives is the assumption that adhering to a guideline means you are 100 percent accessible. Unfortunately, this is not the case. While adhering to building codes, accessibility guidelines, and best practices in policy can improve the likelihood that you'll be compliant with federal, state, and local laws, this does not necessarily translate to the most accessible experience.
Accessibility requires an understanding of your customers and employees. We recommend you adopt a maturity model to measure your efforts. Accessibility maturity models advocate the adoption of behaviors that influence your organization's culture. Behaviors that focus on continuous improvement - ultimately improve the likelihood that your organization will regularly innovate to better the customers' needs. These efforts will also aid employees, leading to higher retention rates and increased productivity within the organization.
Conclusion
Measuring your organization's accessibility efforts requires an effective policy, executive leadership support, community engagement, and ongoing maintenance and remediation with the assistance of accessibility talent. While the effort can appear overwhelming at times, doing so improves your organization's output and profitability and creates a safer and more accessible space for your employees and customers.
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