Why should business care about accessibility when designing websites, apps and other digital devices and services? The answers include: - The marketplace - Consumer attitudes - Consumer behaviour - Legal risk - Competitiveness - Better design Or, get more customers, cover your arse and make more money.... This presentation was made by Mark Walker, Marketing Manager of AbilityNet at UX Brighton event about inclusive design on June 2014

1. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
The Business Case
For Accessibility
Mark Walker
10 June 2014

2. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
Business case
• Why should we invest in accessibility?
• What are the potential benefits of accessibility?
• What will we get out of it?
‘Greed is good’
-- Gordon Gekko

3. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
The Business Case for Accessibility
Make a case for investment of time and effort
• Why should we invest in accessibility?
• What are the potential business benefits of accessibility?
• What will we get out of it?

4. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
NOT Business Strategy
What you do about it is up to you…
• How can we exploit this opportunity?
• How does it change what we do?
• What’s the strategy?

5. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
NOT Business Delivery
You’re going to pay someone to make it happen
• We need to make our websites and apps accessible
• We need to develop accessible services and products
• Who knows about this stuff?

6. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
Charitable services
• Free advice and information for disabled people
• IT Volunteers for Charities
• Tech4Good Awards
Commercial services
• Accessibility Services
• Workplace Assessments
• Disabled Students Assessments
AbilityNet
Adapting Technology. Changing Lives.

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• Accessibility Testing
• User Testing
• Design Reviews
• Desktop, Mobile and Tablet
Integration
• Accessibility Accreditation
• My Computer My Way
• Accessibility Webinars
AbilityNet Accessibility Services
Reach every customer on every platform

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#MNDAwareness

10. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
The Business Case for Accessibility
• The Marketplace
• Changes in consumer attitudes
• Changes in consumer behaviour
• Legal risks
• Competitiveness
• Inclusive design

11. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
And because it’s you…
UX and Accessibility
• Winning the case once…
• Inclusive design
• Personas

12. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
An accessible website is not the answer
It’s just a sign of [some] things being done correctly
• It doesn’t mean you know why you’re doing it
• It doesn’t mean you are committed to accessibility
• It doesn’t mean you’re designing accessible services or products
• It doesn’t mean you’re listening to your users
• But it’s a good start…

13. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
The Marketplace
More people can buy your stuff
• Disabled people as customers
• Changes in consumer behaviour
• Changes in consumer attitudes

14. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
The Global Marketplace
“The disability market is big. At least 1.1
billion people globally have a disability,
controlling over $4 trillion annually - a
market the size of China.”
Rich Donovan
Founder and Chief Investment Officer
WingSail Capital

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11 million in the UK live with a disability
Only 8% of disabled people are in a wheelchair
• 6 million people have dyslexia - 4 million severely so
• 2 million are affected by sight loss
• Of which 360,000 people are registered blind or
visually impaired
• 10 million people suffer from hearing impairment
• Of which 50,000 are British Sign Language users

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Changes in consumer attitude

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Changes in consumer behaviour
• The Paralympics
• Mobile/tablet
• Usability expectations
• Personalisation
• Social reputation
• Digital by default

18. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
Legal risks: Don’t think it doesn’t happen
• Equalities Act - UK
• Section 508 - US
• Sale of Goods
• Recruitment
• Employment

19. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
Business case, not business strategy
Business case
• Why should we invest in accessibility?
• What are the potential benefits of accessibility?
• What will we get out of it?
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Inclusive Design = Accessibility + Usability

27. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
Inclusive Design = Accessibility + Usability

28. AbilityNet Accessibility Services www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
UX and Accessibility
Making the case once
• User-centred decision-making
• User testing
• Personas

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Accessible Personas

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You Want Robin as Your Customer
Oxbridge educated
White collar tech job
Global speaker/FOWA
Gadget/Apple fanboy
2 kids and a dog
Car and home owner
Foreign holidays
TV/music/podcasts

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‘Accessibility is good’
-- Gordon Gekko
Get more customers?
Cover your ass?
Make more money?

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Your Questions
SEO and Accessibility – free webinar
1-2pm BST, 26 June 2014
Sign up at www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars

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Contact us
sales@abilitynet.org.uk
mark.walker@abilitynet.org.uk
+44 (0) 1926 465 247
www.abilitynet.org.uk/webinars
www.slideshare.com/abilitynet
www.twitter.com/abilitynet