Here at Say Yeah, we’re committed to digital excellence, which we define as:
- levelling up digital and technical knowledge and decision-making,
- developing realistic, actionable, and impactful next steps, and
- ensuring product and service feedback loops, KPIs (key performance indicators), and OKRs (objectives and key results) that lead to continuous improvement.
While these pillars are important, underlying them all are our core non-negotiable values:
- usability
- accessibility
- inclusion
We’re leading by doing when it comes to promoting and improving inclusion in STEM through our volunteer organization Together, as well as ensuring that the websites and digital products we work on are accessible.
This subject is top of mind for us here in Ontario, as we await the enactment of a wide-spanning piece of legislation, which all organizations need to keep in mind.
It’s called the ‘Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act,’ or AODA for short; its aim is to make online spaces accessible to all.
The standards of the AODA are defined by the standards organization for the Internet – the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) – and are titled the ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’ (acronym version: WCAG).
Following these standards ensures that online content is more accessible, especially for people with disabilities, but ultimately for everyone.
It’s important to remember that designing anything in an accessible manner ensures that ALL users will have an easier experience accessing information and services.
In Part 2, we’ve outlined the timelines for complying with AODA, which organizations must comply, and the consequences of not complying by these deadlines.
Accessibility and inclusive design
If you’re looking for strategies to make sure your product or service is inclusive and accessible, we’re here to help.