Portland Accessibility and User Experience Meetup

Virtual Event: Making Accessibility the Default: Continuous Accessibility Practices
Presenters: Devon Persing and Andrew Hedges

Often relegated to episodic efforts such as late-stage audits and ad hoc projects, digital accessibility is most effective and efficient when it is the organization’s default mode of operation. Making the shift to continuous accessibility leads to better outcomes across the board, including improving the experience of disabled users, mitigating the risk of accessibility-related lawsuits, improving brand reputation, and even creating a positive return on investment (ROI).

In this talk we provide practical strategies for embedding accessibility into daily routines and technical systems, demonstrating how to start small and scale over time. Key topics include:

• Establishing a repeatable accessibility routine and improving it over time.
• The importance of data and metrics, such as bug counts and time-to-resolution (TTR), to establish a baseline and measure progress.
• Rallying cross-functional allies to drive change (yes, even without C-suite mandates).
• Creating a unified system where human workflows and technical tools work in concert.

A real world case study illustrates how the strategic application of automated regression testing and clear bug prioritization led to a profound cultural shift where accessibility is treated like any other product quality concern. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for initiating and sustaining cultural change, making the case for accessibility as a core business principle.

Agenda:

The event begins at 6:00pm; join early, starting at 5:45pm for networking.

• 5:45–6:00pm Networking
• 6:00–6:15pm Introductions and announcements
• 6:15–6:45pm Presentation
• 6:45–7:15pm Q&A and discussion