Digital Quality Now Judged On Accessibility
The European Accessibility Act has been in effect for over a year, but technical conformance doesn't guarantee an accessible user experience, leading to a shift in viewing accessibility as a benchmark for digital quality
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been in effect for over a year, and while many organizations meet recognized accessibility requirements, technical conformance does not always guarantee an accessible user experience. This has led to a shift towards viewing accessibility as an indicator of digital quality, rather than just a compliance obligation.
Many organizations are still discovering gaps in the accessibility of their digital services, despite meeting technical requirements. This is because technical conformance alone does not account for the complexities of real-world user experiences. People using assistive technologies can still encounter barriers such as confusing workflows, unclear error messages, or content that is difficult to interpret with screen readers.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) are recognized standards for digital accessibility, and accessibility audits provide a comprehensive evaluation of digital products against these standards. These audits, combined with assessments and automated testing, help organizations identify and address accessibility issues.
Accessibility assessments provide a high-level view of accessibility risks, helping organizations identify priority issues early and determine where additional investigation is needed. A comprehensive accessibility ecosystem combines these assessments, audits, automated testing, and insights from people with disabilities throughout the software development lifecycle.
## Why it matters The shift towards viewing accessibility as a benchmark for digital quality is significant, as it recognizes that accessibility is not just a compliance obligation, but a key aspect of providing high-quality digital experiences. This requires a continuous approach to accessibility, underpinned by a comprehensive accessibility ecosystem. Technology companies, in particular, face significant challenges in managing accessibility across portfolios of products, development teams, and release cycles.
As organizations strive to provide accessible digital experiences, they must adopt a continuous approach to accessibility, combining assessments, audits, automated testing, and insights from people with disabilities. This will help ensure that digital services are not only technically compliant but also provide a high-quality user experience for everyone.
