Investing in digital accessibility is not only a moral imperative but also a smart organizational decision.
In today’s digital age, where technology dominates almost every aspect of our lives, digital accessibility has become a crucial consideration for organizations.
By investing in digital accessibility, organizations create a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape while reaping the numerous advantages that come with it.
Why should you invest in Digital Accessibility?
Accessibility enhances the overall user experience, brand image, and organizational growth.
Embracing accessibility benefits not only people with disabilities, older people, and other diverse users but everyone!
“Digital accessibility refers to the inclusive design and development of digital platforms and content to ensure that people with disabilities, older people, and other diverse users can access and use them effectively.”
Jake Abma
By starting with a gap-analysis followed by prioritizing inclusive design and development, organizations can expand their customer base and, at the same time, comply with legal obligations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the Web Accessibility Directive (WAD), Section 508, and more. All to improve user experience and satisfaction, gain a competitive advantage, and foster innovation.
Six key reasons why investing in digital accessibility will improve your organization
Highlighting the key reasons why organizations should prioritize and invest in digital accessibility.
- Expanding Customer Base
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance
- Ethical and Social Commitment
- Competitive Advantage
- Innovation and Creativity
- Improved User Experience
1. Expanding Customer Base
Investing in digital accessibility opens up new avenues for organizations to reach a broader customer base.
Approximately 20% of the global population, or over 1.6 billion people, live with some form of disability.
When taking into account older people and other diverse users with (temporary) disabilities, this number skyrockets to 40% or even 50% of the global population that benefits from accessibility!
Investing in digital accessibility can provide a significant competitive advantage for organizations.
“By creating digital experiences that are accessible to individuals with disabilities and the elderly, organizations can tap into this significant market segment.”
Camiel Driessen
2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Compliance with accessibility regulations is an ethical responsibility and a legal requirement in many jurisdictions.
Governments worldwide have implemented laws and regulations that mandate digital accessibility.
Persons and interest groups might have grounds for claiming against an organization under various laws and regulations dealing with equality and accessibility, particularly for essential services.
By investing in digital accessibility, organizations ensure they meet legal obligations, mitigating the risk of lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage that could arise from non-compliance.
3. Ethical and Social Commitment
Many organizations want to ensure that people with disabilities, older people, and other diverse users are not excluded.
Everyone has the right to be able to use new technologies to increase their ability to live independently and be fully engaged members of society.
By prioritizing digital accessibility, organizations strongly commit to inclusivity, social responsibility, and customer-centricity.
“Inclusivity fosters a positive brand image, enhances customer loyalty, and attracts a diverse customer base that values this commitment.”
Jake Abma
4. Competitive advantage
Investing in digital accessibility can provide a significant competitive advantage for organizations.
In an increasingly crowded marketplace, where differentiation can be challenging, a commitment to accessibility sets an organization apart from its competitors.
This can attract customers who prioritize accessibility and inclusivity when making purchasing decisions, giving the organization an edge over competitors.
5. Innovation and Creativity
Investing in digital accessibility fosters innovation and creativity within an organization.
Accessibility challenges often require unique problem-solving approaches, encouraging creative thinking and pushing the boundaries of design and technology.
By engaging with accessibility experts, organizations gain insights into new ways of designing and developing digital products and services, leading to innovation that benefits all users, including those with disabilities.
“Digital accessibility not only aligns with ethical and legal obligations but also offers numerous advantages for organizations.”
Camiel Driessen
This mindset of inclusivity and innovation can extend beyond digital accessibility and positively impact the organization’s overall culture and approach to problem-solving.
6. Improved User Experience
Digital accessibility is closely tied to user experience (UX) design.
Creating accessible digital platforms benefits not only individuals with disabilities but also users in general.
An accessible website or application typically exhibits characteristics such as clear navigation, logical information structure, and optimized content.
These features enhance the overall usability and user experience, making it easier for everyone to navigate, understand, and engage with digital products or services.
“Improved user experience leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately driving organizational growth.”
Jake Abma
Organizational Opportunity
Overall, adopting ISO 30071-1 guidelines in digital accessibility can provide organizations with a range of benefits, from increased compliance and audience reach to improved reputation and user experience.
It is an essential step toward creating an inclusive digital presence that serves all users, regardless of their abilities.
At MaxInclusion, we are absolutely dedicated to helping organizations reach their goals using the best framework there is: ISO 30071-1
