Accessibility Is More Than
a Compliance Checkbox
eBay’s Secrets to Building
Experiences for All Users
Mark Lapole
Lead Product Manager of Accessibility, eBay
Hamish Sherlock
Director of Solution Consultation,Applause
2
Today’s Agenda
1. Intro toApplause
2. The Benefits of Accessibility
3. Promoting a Culture Shift
4. Building to Scale
5. Next Steps for Accessibility
3
MARK LAPOLE
Lead Product Manager, Accessibility
HAMISH SHERLOCK
Director of Solution Consultation
4
Applause harnesses the power of the world's largest community of vetted, digital professionals to
create custom teams that provide you with a full suite of testing and feedback solutions. Our white-
glove approach enables leading brands to get closer to their customers, increase development velocity
and deliver high-quality digital experiences to their customers.
Powering Today’s Digital Leaders
EXPAND YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
Brands with inaccessible apps and websites are losing out
on a tremendous amount of opportunities by blocking out
such a large segment of the world’s population.
AVOIDING LEGAL COMPLICATIONS
Inaccessible experiences come with legal ramifications.
There were more than 10,000 ADA lawsuits filed in 2018
alone – a 34% increase from the prior year.
Broaden Market Penetration and Avoid Legal Complications
5
15%
Of World’s
Population
92%
OfThat Population
Own Devices
Size of Disabled Population with Devices
Among the 15% of the world’s population that is disabled, 92%
own either a tablet or smartphone.
World Health Organization & Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center
TEAMS FAMILIAR
WITH ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGIES
Using the same input devices
and screen readers used by the
disabled population
Ensure Your Websites and Apps Are Digitally Accessible
6
ASSESSMENTS
AGAINST WEB
STANDARDS
Expert-led assessments test
compliance against key
standards likeWCAG 2.1,
UAAG 2.0, Section 508
BEYOND AUTOMATED
SCANNERS
Real perspectives and input on
the user experience, not just
pass/fail info
REMEDIATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Applause will detail the line of
code that’s causing the failure
and make suggestions on how
to address the issue
Where
Applause
Can Help
Ensure Accessible Design
• Ongoing assessments as developers change code in pages
• Training and knowledge transfer to build accessible design into future versions
Risk Mitigation
• Site-wide assessments to document current compliance or level of risk
• Proactively avoid legal issues and litigation by ensuring compliance with
and regulations
7
Executive Summary:
Provides a high-level overview of what was tested, what tools were
used, results, and recommended next steps
Recurring Issues:
Outlines common issues that were discovered in the digital property
along with the corresponding guidelines that failed
Pages Tested and Marked Failures:
List of failures across each tested page
Detailed Results Spreadsheet:
Comprehensive details on each failure, including code affected and
suggested remediation steps
Accessibility Report and Details
Spreadsheet
8
Applause Provides A Key Blend Of Expertise And Customer Perspectives
9
In-House
Automated Scanners
Contractors
Why Applause
1. Expertise - Dedicated accessibility expert on each project brings broad
industry and platform knowledge
2. Real Devices and AssistiveTechnologies -Testing from the same perspective
as your end-users
3. HumanTouch -We don’t just list the failure, we detail and explain the impact
to your customers’ experience
4. Best Practices - Incorporate accessible design into future code updates
5. White Glove Service -Tell us your requirements and objectives and we take it
from there
“When we brought in Applause for Accessibility testing, they were the MVP for the entire process. We never would
have been able to get the testing done that was required without them”
Director of Global eCommerce, Global Retailer and Fashion Brand
Trusted By Leading Brands Across Every Vertical
10
Retail QSR Media Transportation Communication Software Financial Travel Health CareConsumer
Promoting Culture Shift
11
Shifting the mindset to prioritize accessibility
• Executive/Leadership support
• Established partnerships within the company
• Regular communications (internal)
• Include accessibility in processes
• Constant evangelism, education and training
Prioritize Work
• Who gets our focus
• Internal tools
• High visibility projects
• Customer issues
• Time is precious
Be Responsive
• Teams know where to come
• Create an approachable environment
• Set a standard for responding (e.g. 24hrs)
• Open to impromptu conversations
• Leverage more than just email
Building to Scale
12
User Research & Testing
13
• Third party validation
• Partner with User Research team
• Engage with community groups
• Don’t forget your audience
Mandate that our testing partners include staff of people with
various disabilities. Seek out opportunities to get more users
involved.
Why eBay Chose Applause
The Crowdtesting Difference
14
Small Internal
Team
Experience
Across Web &
Mobile
3rd Party
Validation
Real Testers
with
Disabilities
Extension of
OurTeam
Initial Reactions & Ongoing Results
15
• Initially viewed as a checkbox
• Grown into a competitive differentiator
• We run tests on a ad-hoc basis
• Quarterly regression audits
• Critical part of our design, development and testing processes
Overall Experience With Applause
16
The quality of testing done by Applause is some of the best I’ve
come across in this space. Also, their flexibility and willingness to
adapt to changing needs makes them a great partner!”
“
MARK LAPOLE
Lead Product Manager, Accessibility
Productive Collaborative Positive
Nimble &
Agile
Great
Partnership
The Bottom Line
If there are ways we can improve,
Applause will help find them.
• Feedback found quickly
• All issues found are met with
remediation recommendations
• Issues integrated into our own
JIRA system
17
Next Steps for Accessibility
18
Disabilities do not change,Technology does
• ~19-20% of Population live with (or will develop) some type of disability –
permanent, temporary, situational
• Risk of excluding 1 out of 5 visitors to your site?
• Mobile & Desktop reaching parity with disabled population
• Introduction ofVoiceOver on iPhone was an enormous step forward
• Increase in assistive technologies (AT)
• Previously clunky, continually improving, becoming more mainstream
Accessibility is More Than a Compliance Checkbox

Accessibility is More Than a Compliance Checkbox

  • 1.
    Accessibility Is MoreThan a Compliance Checkbox eBay’s Secrets to Building Experiences for All Users Mark Lapole Lead Product Manager of Accessibility, eBay Hamish Sherlock Director of Solution Consultation,Applause
  • 2.
    2 Today’s Agenda 1. IntrotoApplause 2. The Benefits of Accessibility 3. Promoting a Culture Shift 4. Building to Scale 5. Next Steps for Accessibility
  • 3.
    3 MARK LAPOLE Lead ProductManager, Accessibility HAMISH SHERLOCK Director of Solution Consultation
  • 4.
    4 Applause harnesses thepower of the world's largest community of vetted, digital professionals to create custom teams that provide you with a full suite of testing and feedback solutions. Our white- glove approach enables leading brands to get closer to their customers, increase development velocity and deliver high-quality digital experiences to their customers. Powering Today’s Digital Leaders
  • 5.
    EXPAND YOUR TARGETAUDIENCE Brands with inaccessible apps and websites are losing out on a tremendous amount of opportunities by blocking out such a large segment of the world’s population. AVOIDING LEGAL COMPLICATIONS Inaccessible experiences come with legal ramifications. There were more than 10,000 ADA lawsuits filed in 2018 alone – a 34% increase from the prior year. Broaden Market Penetration and Avoid Legal Complications 5 15% Of World’s Population 92% OfThat Population Own Devices Size of Disabled Population with Devices Among the 15% of the world’s population that is disabled, 92% own either a tablet or smartphone. World Health Organization & Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center
  • 6.
    TEAMS FAMILIAR WITH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES Usingthe same input devices and screen readers used by the disabled population Ensure Your Websites and Apps Are Digitally Accessible 6 ASSESSMENTS AGAINST WEB STANDARDS Expert-led assessments test compliance against key standards likeWCAG 2.1, UAAG 2.0, Section 508 BEYOND AUTOMATED SCANNERS Real perspectives and input on the user experience, not just pass/fail info REMEDIATION RECOMMENDATIONS Applause will detail the line of code that’s causing the failure and make suggestions on how to address the issue
  • 7.
    Where Applause Can Help Ensure AccessibleDesign • Ongoing assessments as developers change code in pages • Training and knowledge transfer to build accessible design into future versions Risk Mitigation • Site-wide assessments to document current compliance or level of risk • Proactively avoid legal issues and litigation by ensuring compliance with and regulations 7
  • 8.
    Executive Summary: Provides ahigh-level overview of what was tested, what tools were used, results, and recommended next steps Recurring Issues: Outlines common issues that were discovered in the digital property along with the corresponding guidelines that failed Pages Tested and Marked Failures: List of failures across each tested page Detailed Results Spreadsheet: Comprehensive details on each failure, including code affected and suggested remediation steps Accessibility Report and Details Spreadsheet 8
  • 9.
    Applause Provides AKey Blend Of Expertise And Customer Perspectives 9 In-House Automated Scanners Contractors Why Applause 1. Expertise - Dedicated accessibility expert on each project brings broad industry and platform knowledge 2. Real Devices and AssistiveTechnologies -Testing from the same perspective as your end-users 3. HumanTouch -We don’t just list the failure, we detail and explain the impact to your customers’ experience 4. Best Practices - Incorporate accessible design into future code updates 5. White Glove Service -Tell us your requirements and objectives and we take it from there “When we brought in Applause for Accessibility testing, they were the MVP for the entire process. We never would have been able to get the testing done that was required without them” Director of Global eCommerce, Global Retailer and Fashion Brand
  • 10.
    Trusted By LeadingBrands Across Every Vertical 10 Retail QSR Media Transportation Communication Software Financial Travel Health CareConsumer
  • 11.
    Promoting Culture Shift 11 Shiftingthe mindset to prioritize accessibility • Executive/Leadership support • Established partnerships within the company • Regular communications (internal) • Include accessibility in processes • Constant evangelism, education and training
  • 12.
    Prioritize Work • Whogets our focus • Internal tools • High visibility projects • Customer issues • Time is precious Be Responsive • Teams know where to come • Create an approachable environment • Set a standard for responding (e.g. 24hrs) • Open to impromptu conversations • Leverage more than just email Building to Scale 12
  • 13.
    User Research &Testing 13 • Third party validation • Partner with User Research team • Engage with community groups • Don’t forget your audience Mandate that our testing partners include staff of people with various disabilities. Seek out opportunities to get more users involved.
  • 14.
    Why eBay ChoseApplause The Crowdtesting Difference 14 Small Internal Team Experience Across Web & Mobile 3rd Party Validation Real Testers with Disabilities Extension of OurTeam
  • 15.
    Initial Reactions &Ongoing Results 15 • Initially viewed as a checkbox • Grown into a competitive differentiator • We run tests on a ad-hoc basis • Quarterly regression audits • Critical part of our design, development and testing processes
  • 16.
    Overall Experience WithApplause 16 The quality of testing done by Applause is some of the best I’ve come across in this space. Also, their flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing needs makes them a great partner!” “ MARK LAPOLE Lead Product Manager, Accessibility Productive Collaborative Positive Nimble & Agile Great Partnership
  • 17.
    The Bottom Line Ifthere are ways we can improve, Applause will help find them. • Feedback found quickly • All issues found are met with remediation recommendations • Issues integrated into our own JIRA system 17
  • 18.
    Next Steps forAccessibility 18 Disabilities do not change,Technology does • ~19-20% of Population live with (or will develop) some type of disability – permanent, temporary, situational • Risk of excluding 1 out of 5 visitors to your site? • Mobile & Desktop reaching parity with disabled population • Introduction ofVoiceOver on iPhone was an enormous step forward • Increase in assistive technologies (AT) • Previously clunky, continually improving, becoming more mainstream

Editor's Notes

  • #5 Talk Track: Applause is the global leader in real-world testing and digital quality. Our mission is to help our clients deliver high-quality, engaging experiences to their customers across every digital touchpoint – web, mobile, IoT, and even connected in-store experiences. With a vetted testing community that is globally dispersed, we have a global presence and help the world’s most recognized brands test from the perspective of their customers at scale - using real people, real devices, and real use cases.
  • #10 2 Click Build
  • #11 Retail, Food & Beverage, Media & Entertainment, Transportation, Communications, Software, Financial, Travel & Hospitality, Consumer Goods, and Health Care Talk Track: Applause is relied upon by leaders in nearly every vertical who recognize that customers determine winners and losers – and digital experiences are critical. From market disruptors like Uber who’s mobile app changed how people travel, to traditional retailers combining the benefits of physical and digital to deliver omnichannel experiences like Walmart