At Say Yeah, we’re passionate about ensuring everyone has equal access to information and technology and prioritize accessibility in eLearning. However, we recognize that good intentions alone don’t always drive real progress.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and limitations of adopting EN 301 549 and what it means—and doesn’t mean—for enhancing accessibility for all.

What is the new accessibility standard EN 301 549?

EN 301 549 is a set of rules and guidelines designed to ensure that ICT products and services are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes things like websites, software, mobile apps, electronic devices, and more. The goal is to make sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use these technologies effectively.

Why is EN 301 549 significant?

There are 6 significant outcomes of Canada adopting EN 301 549:

• Unified national standard
• Alignment with international standards
• Comprehensive coverage
• Promotion of inclusive design
• Potential to drive innovation
• Legal and regulatory clarity

Let’s explore these in more detail.

Unified national standard

Previously, accessibility standards varied across different provinces in Canada. Adopting EN 301 549 creates a single, cohesive standard that applies nationwide, ensuring consistency in accessibility requirements.

Alignment with international standards

By adopting a European standard, Canada aligns itself with global best practices in accessibility. This harmonization can facilitate international trade and cooperation, and make it easier for multinational companies to comply with accessibility requirements in multiple regions.

Comprehensive coverage

EN 301 549 covers a wide range of ICT products and services, from websites and software to mobile apps and hardware devices. This comprehensive approach ensures that accessibility is considered across all forms of digital interaction.

Promotion of inclusive design

The standard emphasizes integrating accessibility into the design and development process from the start. This proactive approach encourages the creation of more inclusive products and services, rather than retrofitting accessibility features later.

Potential to drive innovation

With a clear set of guidelines, companies are encouraged to innovate and develop new solutions that meet accessibility requirements. This can lead to advancements in technology that benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities.

Legal and regulatory clarity

Having a unified standard provides clearer guidelines for businesses and organizations, reducing confusion and helping them understand their legal obligations. This can lead to better compliance and improved accessibility across the board.

So what can we do better?

To truly improve accessibility, we must go beyond checklists and focus on understanding how people with disabilities interact with digital platforms. This involves:

Improving user experiences

Ensuring that digital interfaces are not only compliant but also user-friendly for individuals with disabilities. This requires continuous internal and user testing that includes feedback from the disability community.

Clarity in validation

Developing clear and practical methods to validate an accessible user experience that goes beyond general references to the WCAG. This should involve real-world testing and user validation to ensure that accessibility features genuinely enhance user experiences, but it begins with educating and practicing accessibility across content, design, and code.

At Say Yeah, we are committed to this approach. We believe that accessibility should be about creating inclusive and engaging experiences for all users.

To learn more, check out these three resources that highlight different ways people interact with websites, and the importance of improving these experiences and methods to ensure quality:

A look at the accessibility issues you probably forgot to test for

Delivering accessible online courses

An exciting inflection point for accessibility and inclusion

You can also dive deeper into the challenges of focusing solely on compliance with the 2023 AODA legislative review commissioned by the Ontario Government.

We are thrilled to see Canada taking steps toward a comprehensive accessibility standard, but we recognize that there is still much work to be done.

By prioritizing user experiences and developing clearer validation methods, we can create a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape for everyone.

Looking to deliver more accessible and inclusive digital experiences? We’re here to help.

Get in touch

The post Canada adopts new accessibility standard: EN 301 549 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

Tune in to The Journey of Inclusive Design, a one-hour online event that will be held by Sketch on June 9, 2022.

Don’t miss this talk by Sarrah Solomon, UX Designer at Oracle, and Dr. Shadeequa (Dee) Miller, Head of Inclusive Design & Product Equity at Visa.

This talk will explore how to make your designs more inclusive and accessible, uncovering the myths around inclusive design, and explaining the difference between universal design, accessibility, and inclusive design.

View the full event details

Don’t miss out

Join this virtual event for free.

Register here

Need help getting started with an inclusive design process?

At Say Yeah, inclusivity and accessibility are top of mind when it comes to design. Not only does inclusive design yield products and services that are easier to use for everyone, but it’s also the key to reaching and engaging with your entire market. Check out our approach to inclusive design and reach out to see how we can help.

Get in touch

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Attendees at the University of Guelph Accessibility Conference will get the opportunity to participate in workshops and informative sessions regarding themes such as IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility), education, UDL (Universal Design for Learning), and technology. Regardless if you are a novice or an expert on the topic of accessibility, everyone is welcome to attend!

Noteworthy sessions at the upcoming University of Guelph Accessibility Conference

• Mobile Accessibility: testing Mobile Sites and Native Apps for Accessibility, with Gian Wilde
• Creating Sustainable Accessible Interfaces, with Talyah Aviran
• Awareness of Assistive Technology in the Course Design Process Creates a More Egalitarian System, with Humberto Hernandez
• Accessibility is Everyone’s Responsibility: A Sustainable Team-Based Approach, with Mary Huang and Christine Hogenkamp

Check out the full lineup and conference schedule.

Register today!

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn how you can leverage accessibility in your organization. Tickets start at $100. Sessions will be recorded and will be available for 30 days after the conference, along with transcripts.

Register here

Need help incorporating accessibility into your design process?

Learn about the differences between universal design, accessibility, and inclusive design in our blog post. Check out our approach to inclusive design and inclusive website design services.

Get in touch

The post The University of Guelph Accessibility Conference, May 24-26, 2022 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

This three-day accessibility conference will highlight best practices for building, testing, and maintaining accessible digital experiences.

Axe-con is a must-watch event for business owners, developers, designers, and accessibility professionals no matter the level of experience. Through these conversations, we can continue to take more assured steps forward towards more accessible websites and digital experiences.

There are a number of sessions set to take place over the three-day schedule to address technical topics like web forms, design principles for disability inclusion, and the future outlook for accessibility. An exciting line-up of experts in the web accessibility and inclusion space will be in attendance and on the speaker roster, providing their knowledge on these accessibility-focused topics.

Here are four sessions that caught our attention:

1. The Future of the Web and Accessibility with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Tuesday at 9 AM
2. Screen Readers and Beyond: A Guide to Assistive Technology for Digital Access with Crystal Preston-Watson, Tuesday at 3 PM
3. Designing for cognitive disabilities with Tolu Adegbite, Wednesday at 11 AM
4. Accessible Forms: It’s Not as Difficult as You Think with Maria Lamardo, Thursday at 12:30 PM

For more information and the full conference schedule check out the event website.

Full conference schedule

Register today or sign up to receive the recordings

Tune in live starting on March 15th, or watch the recordings anywhere, anytime. The conference is free for anyone across the world to join in on a great opportunity for building accessibility skills.

Register here

For further reading on web accessibility, check out these recent articles

1. Your website is probably broken: a look at the accessibility issues you forgot to test for
2. Why automated accessibility checkers can’t make your website accessible
3. What accessibility standards should you consider for your website?

More accessibility articles

Do you need support in making your website accessible? We can help.

Learn more about our inclusive website design services.

Get in touch

The post Axe-con: Building accessible experiences, March 15, 2022 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

This online event will consist of three panel discussions, each speaking to a different component of ethics across research and product design. Several experts in the user experience (UX), design, and equity industries will be part of the conversation to share their opinions, experiences, and challenges. Their insights will enable us to be more mindful of our work.

This year’s panels are:

1. Hoarding Power with Justin Threlkeld, Dr. Alina I’vette Fernandez, and Dr. Pierce Otlhogile-Gordon
2. Biased Identities with Calvin Liang, Dr. Diana Albarrán González, and Jennifer Rittner
3. Weaponizing Care with Dr. Chelsea Johnson and Iris Xie

For more information and panel schedules take a look at the event’s website.

See the details

Get your tickets or sign up to receive the recordings

Tune in live on March 4th, or watch the recordings for each panel when it’s convenient for you. No matter which you choose you’ll have the chance to explore how we can “lift the curtain on ethical theatre”. Registration closes on March 1st at 5 pm CST.

Register here

Not sure how to get started with an inclusive design process?

From our inclusive public sector work to our insurance, banking, and other private sector work, we continue to develop our inclusive design practice and bring impactful service design and product strategy outcomes to the organizations and communities we work with.

Get in touch

The post Critical UX: Lifting the curtain on ethical theatre, March 4, 2022 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

The event will take place online, featuring a series of three panels focused on different lenses of inclusion across research and product design. Experts from across the UX industry who have a focus on accessibility and inclusion in their work will share their perspectives, challenges, and opportunities for all of us to bring more mindful and inclusive practices to our work.

The three jam-packed panels include:

1. Beyond Accessibility with Jennifer White-Johnson and Liz Jackson
2. Failure of Diversity with Stacey L. Houston, II, Anne Diaz, and Sharon Bautista
3. And Design as Resistance with Ploipailin Flynn, Sarah Fathallah, and Daly Barnett

Check out the event’s website for more information and exact times for panels.

Get the details

Grab your ticket or sign up to receive the recordings

Join live for the event on November 12th, or watch whenever’s convenient for you (all panels will be recorded). Either way, you’re sure to learn a lot about UX research and inclusive design!

Register for the event

Not sure how to get started with an inclusive design process?

From our inclusive public sector work to our insurance, banking, and other private sector work, we continue to develop our inclusive design practice and bring impactful service design and product strategy outcomes to the organizations and communities we work with.

Get in touch

The post Critical UX by Hmnty Centrd: November 12th, 2021 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

We’re thrilled to be speaking at the inaugural Magnify: the Inclusive Design and Research conference!

Sure to be a packed lineup with ample inclusivity knowledge building, the conference has been extended over a two-week period to maximize the content and learning opportunities.

Say Yeah CEO Lee Dale will be speaking as part of the Looking Out stream with his talk “There is no average person; why designing with intersectionality in mind is critical”.

And Say Yeah Researcher & Designer Kate Matesic will be a part of the Examining our Everyday stream with her talk “Are co-creation methods really inclusive? How your team can build equity into co-creation sessions”.

These talks aren’t the only ones we’re excited about.

Here are our picks for some other must-catch talks:

• Disabled UX Researcher in a Digital World by Holly Schroeder
• Exploring the past and potential futures of inclusive design by Deborah MacKenzie and Jacqueline Antalik
• Design Research for Social Taboos by Ankita Mirani
• Safe Spaces for Raw Research by Marissa Cummings

Check out the full conference lineup.

Get your ticket!

Buy a ticket on Eventbrite to save your spot at the conference. Tickets start at £10 for students with a standard price of £50, with a pay-what-you-can option in the event you do not have the financial means to register at the standard price. Don’t miss out!

Buy your ticket

We’re looking forward to this multi-day immersion into inclusive design and research with fellow practitioners

Not sure how to get started with an inclusive design process?

From our inclusive public sector work to our insurance, banking, and other private sector work, we continue to develop our inclusive design practice and bring impactful service design and product strategy outcomes to the organizations and communities we work with.

Get in touch

The post Magnify: The Inclusive Design and Research Conference: October 5th-14th, 2021 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

#Id24 (Inclusive Design 24) is back with an all-new lineup of accessibility and inclusive design speakers. You won’t want to miss these packed 24 hours of inclusive design and accessibility talks, from expert speakers working globally to solve inclusive design and accessibility challenges.

Say Yeah CEO Lee Dale will be speaking at ID24 with his talk “There is no Average Person.”

Catch his talk at 3:00pm EST during the conference live stream.

Some additional talks we’re excited about:

• Inclusive Design is Fast by Default, with Simon Hearne
• Giving Voices Equity: Inclusive Teams Create Inclusive Products, with Paul Alexander
• Your Brain is Welcome Here: Digital Spaces Need a new Welcome Mat, with Glenda Sims and Jennie Delisi
• Auditorial: an innovative approach to inclusive storytelling, with Robin Spinks and Sonali Rai

Check out the full schedule

All live-streamed at no cost

This event is free, with no registration required. All conference talks will be streamed live on the Inclusive Design 24 YouTube channel.

Learn more

Are you looking to get started with inclusive design?

Look no further. We’re here to help. And it’s part of our DNA.

What is inclusive design?

Our approach to inclusive design.

Get in touch

The post Inclusive Design 24 (#Id24): September 23, 2021 appeared first on Say Yeah!.

We’re thrilled to have been asked by the Scale-up Institute‘s Recovery Activation Program team to facilitate a half-day workshop on October 28 to help Grow your Business with Inclusive Digital Strategy.

Our CEO, Lee Dale, and Designer and Researcher Kate Matesic will join Amber Gillie in a half-day workshop that will help Ontario businesses understand how to grow access to their market through more intentional and inclusive design processes.

We’ll break down ways to think about your customers as the unique individuals they are, using an intersectional approach to strategy, and areas to consider when working towards a more accessible website.

It’s not too late to join!

To join this session, you just need to complete your Digital Needs Assessment.

And with more events scheduled throughout 2020 and 2021, completing the assessment will open you up to even more digital transformation, technology, and strategic insights.

Complete the assessment

Not sure how to get started with an inclusive design process?

From our inclusive public sector work to our insurance, banking, and other private sector work, we continue to develop our inclusive design practice and bring impactful service design and product strategy outcomes to the organizations and communities we work with.

Get in touch

The post Grow your business with inclusive digital strategy: a half-day workshop from Say Yeah! appeared first on Say Yeah!.