This document provides guidance on creating a business case for accessibility. It explains that a business case evaluates the benefits, costs, and risks of options to help decision making. A successful business case is aligned with business strategy, demonstrates clear overall benefits to the organization, and is backed by evidence with executive support. The document cites data showing the size of the disability market and references research reports highlighting the costs of inaccessibility and benefits of accessibility such as increased customers, spending, and reputation as well as reduced costs. It emphasizes using data and stories to engage executives and considering everyone's motivations.

1. How to create a kick ass business case for
accessibility
Stewart Hay
Managing Director
@ohmydeity
13 November 2020
stewart@intopia.digital

2. Why do I need a
business case for
accessibility?
It is a legal
requirement!

3. Compliance
Business

4. When we work on making our devices
accessible by the blind, I don’t consider
the bloody ROI
Tim Cook

5. What is a business case?
• It’s a decision making tool
• It evaluates the benefit,
cost and risk of alternative
options
• It is used by for profit and
non-profit businesses

6. What makes a successful business case?
• Alignment to business
strategy
• Clear overall benefit to
the organisation
• Backed by evidence
• Executive support

7. • 1 in 5 people have a disability
• 1.85B people
• Increasing impairments as we get older
• It goes beyond disability - temporary and situational
impairment
The data is there, use it!
Demographics

8. People
• $1.9T disposable income globally
• 6x for friends and family
• Purple pound
Government and businesses
• AS EN 301 549
• Section 508
• Corporate Social Responsibility
Buying power

9. Behaviour
• Click-Away Pound
• Loyal customers
• Spend more per transaction
• Stay longer with brands

10. • Digital services
channels are cheaper
• Accessibility is cheaper
to do at the start of a
project
Reduce costs

11. • Twitter apologizes for lack of accessibility in
voice notes - 19 June, 2020 Engadget
Consequences - reputation

12. • Legal cases are increasing
Consequences - legal

13. People are just as important as data
• Find executive advocates
• Remember everyone is
motivated differently
• Source: https://news.microsoft.com/hitrefresh/images/gallery/1000/MS-Execs-
Nadella-Satya-Anu-Zain-2017-09-0043.jpg

14. Let’s chat
@Intopia Intopia intopia.digital hello@intopia.digital
Stewart Hay
@ohmydeity
stewart@intopia.digital

15. Microsoft Inclusive Design
Return on Disability 2016 report
Summary Report - The Global Economics of Disability 2020
American Institutes for Research 2018 report
Reaching Prevalent, Diverse Consumers With Disabilities (Nielson Report)
The Click-Away Pound Report 2019
How much would you pay to save a product with bad UX?
Airline’s Provision of Alternative Accessible Website Triggers Hefty Fine Under the Air Carrier Access
Act
Twitter voice notes accessibility apology
Disability:IN Accessible Technology Procurement Toolkit
W3C The Business Case for Digital Accessibility
References