Creating Effective Digital Accessibility Policies: A Comprehensive Approach

In today's digital landscape, accessibility isn't just a buzzword – it's a critical aspect of ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and interact with your digital products and services.

But how do you ensure accessibility is woven into your organization's DNA? The answer lies in crafting effective digital accessibility policies that are enforceable, adaptable, and realistic to your business needs.

The Power of Clear Policies

Policies act as the backbone of any initiative, and digital accessibility is no exception. A well-crafted policy not only sets the expectations but also outlines the consequences of non-compliance. It's essential for policies to be easy to understand and enforce, establishing a firm foundation for accessibility practices.

Key Qualities of Effective Policies

The qualities that define good accessibility policies are simple but impactful:

• Enforceability: Policies should be practical to enforce. A clear example is having accessibility criteria for products, like requiring a specific Google Lighthouse accessibility score. This criterion can be easily measured and enforced to ensure digital assets meet accessibility standards.
• Updatability: Digital accessibility standards are not set in stone; they evolve with technological advancements and changes in legal requirements. Your policies need to be flexible enough to adapt to these changes while maintaining a strong framework for accessibility.
• Adaptability: Real-world business needs often vary, requiring policies that can flexibly accommodate these variations. For instance, if a vendor provides crucial functionality but can't meet full compliance, your policies should offer a compromise until a suitable solution is found.

Defining Policies

Effective policies begin with clear definitions:

• Inventory of Applications: Knowing what digital products and services you have is essential. This inventory should include details such as the platform, audience, and update cadence. This enables you to manage your accessibility efforts efficiently.
• Simplified Accessibility Standards: While standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are crucial, translating them into plain language ensures your teams can understand and implement them effectively.
• Severity, Priority & Remediation Guidelines: Establishing guidelines for severity and priority helps your teams focus on critical issues first. Leadership endorsement ensures that the most important issues get addressed promptly.
• Vendor Procurement Procedures: Vendors play a significant role in your digital ecosystem. Requiring them to provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) ensures they align with your accessibility goals.

Effective Communication is Key

Crafting policies is just the beginning; effectively communicating them is equally vital:

• Plain Language Explanations: Simplify technical language to help teams comprehend accessibility requirements easily.
• Publish Policies as Web Pages: Make policies easily accessible to all team members by publishing them as web pages. This enables quick updates and access.
• Leadership Endorsement and Communication: Policies must be endorsed and communicated by leadership to ensure teams take them seriously and understand their importance.

In a world where inclusivity matters more than ever, your commitment to digital accessibility should shine through your policies. By creating enforceable, adaptable, and realistic policies, you pave the way for a more accessible digital experience for everyone. Remember, these policies aren't just documents – they're the driving force behind a more inclusive online world.