ISO/IEC Guide 71 provides guidance to standards developers on addressing accessibility in their standards. It presents definitions of accessibility terminology, issues to consider in the standards development process to support accessibility, and strategies for integrating accessibility from the outset. The guide identifies two approaches: using an "accessibility goals" framework of 11 goals, and considering "human abilities and characteristics" and related design factors. It aims to help increase accessibility in standards and products.

1. ISO/IEC Guide 71:2014
Guide for addressing accessibility in standards
Andrew Arch
Digital Government Strategy
Department of Finance

2. Purpose
 Help designers, manufacturers and educators gain a better
understanding of the accessibility requirements of an
increasing part of the population;
 Increase the number of standards containing accessibility
considerations, with perhaps a greater number focusing
specifically on accessibility;
 Integrate accessibility features into standards – and product or
service design – from the outset.

3. Abstract
 Provides guidance to standards developers on addressing accessibility
requirements and recommendations in standards that focus, whether directly
or indirectly, on systems (i.e. products, services and built environments) used
by people.
 To assist standards developers to define accessibility requirements and
recommendations, it presents:
 a summary of current terminology relating to accessibility
 issues to consider in support of accessibility in the standards development process
 a set of accessibility goals (used to identify user accessibility needs)
 descriptions of (and design considerations for) human abilities and characteristics
 strategies for addressing user accessibility needs and design considerations in
standards
http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=57385

4. Accessibility in the standards development process
1. Define the standards project and the applicability of Guide 71
2. Ensure the standards development committee is well equipped to
implement an accessible process with equitable participation
3. Develop the content of the standard
4. Issue the draft standard for public review and vote and revise the standard
as needed
5. Publish the standard

5. Applying Guide 71
 Identifies two complementary approaches to addressing accessibility
 An ‘accessibility goals approach’ – identifying user accessibility needs
 A ‘human abilities and characteristics approach’ - identifying design considerations

6. Accessibility Goals
1. Suitability for the widest range of users
2. Conformity with user expectations
3. Support for individualization
4. Approachability
5. Perceivability
6. Understandability
7. Controllability
8. Usability
9. Error tolerance
10. Equitable use
11. Compatibility with other systems

7. Human Abilities and Characteristics
Discusses a range of impairments and their limitations and related design
considerations:
 Sensory abilities and characteristics (seeing, hearing, touch, taste, smell)
 Immunological system functions
 Physical abilities and characteristics (body size, movement, strength and
endurance, voice and speech functions)
 Cognitive abilities

8. Strategies for addressing user accessibility needs
and design considerations in standards
 Developing standard-specific requirements and recommendations
 Provide multiple means of information presentation and user interaction
 Set parameter to accommodate the widest range of users
 Minimise unnecessary complexity
 Provide individualised access to a system
 Eliminate unnecessary limits or constraints on user interactions
 Provide compatibility with ATs
 Provide alternative versions

9. Pros
 Uses the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a resource for terminology
 Released identically as:
 CEN/CENELEC Guide 6 (PDF)
 ITU H-series Supplement 17
 Includes lots of design consideration guidance
 Includes a checklist for the questions related to the accessibility goals
 Provides extensive additional references
 Links to a survey to obtain feedback and information about experiences using the
Guide
 Has good accessibility in PDF

10. Cons
 No guidance as to which approach might suit what type of standard
 40 questions to consider for the accessibility goals
 Could have been a higher level set of checks (11 areas)
 Very complex concepts for people with no disability/accessibility
background
 Overlooks some key WCAG 2.0 accessibility issues such as specifying flicker
rates for seizures and minimum colour ratios
 Includes Key Actions such as “Ensure that all commenting and voting tools
are accessible” without any guidance
 Potential conflict with EC Mandate 473 (inclusion of ‘design for all’ in
relevant CEN/CENELEC/ETSI European standardisation initiatives)
 Guide 71 is only available in PDF