What is an Accessibility Statement and why are they important?
You may have heard me mention working on an Accessibility Statement for omf.com. I wanted to use this week’s news to talk about what an Accessibility Statement is, and why it’s important for the company. What is an Accessibility Statement? An Accessibility Statement is a pledge to company customers that outlines its mission to achieve an accessible and inclusive user experience. It is good practice to discuss company guidelines, practices, and workflows used to achieve this level of accessibility, as well as contact information for anyone needing further assistance. Accessibility Statements go beyond just digital applications, as well. If the company utilizes brick-and-mortar locations, it is good to point out actions taken in the physical space as well, to assure full accessibilty. It is also useful to dig into some technical details such as: Supported browsers, plugins, media, etc. Testing procedures and environments Known issues and limitations, and the plan for resolution
Why is an Accessibility Statement important? There is the altruistic viewpoint, which shows the company has its customers best interest in mind, with a commitment to provide a universal, positive experience in all interactions. It shows compassion and care for the user as a human being and not :moneybag::moneybag::moneybag:. It helps outline some important features a user may find useful, such as providing specialized documentation or communication alternatives. It mitigates litigation. Showing the company’s focus and practices towards accessibility deters firms from taking legal action. Many plaintiff firms are looking for easy, unaware targets. The statement lets those firms know the company is active and responsive to the accessibility needs of its users. Last, it provides a direct pathway to a dedicated official that can help the user with any complications that may arise while interacting with the company. That contact lifeline gives users peace of mind that if they get stuck, there is a real human just a phone call or email away.
Back in March 2022, the Dept. of Justice released a set of guidelines to help companies comply with ADA regulations. One of those guidelines is a recommendation that all companies publish an accessibility statement on their website. We are close to finalizing the statement for OneMain. It’s currently in final legal review. I will include the current iteration below for anyone that wants to read and review. I am also dropping some examples of accessibility statements from other companies so you can see how they range in depth and style. As we roll out the new brand designs for omf.com, keep in mind, we need a page design for the accessibility statement. How in depth could we go with it? Could we include rich media types like video and audio? Maybe some personal quotes from real users. I would love to hear other cool ideas for the page!
Examples: Capital One Chipotle LL Bean Community America