Trabajo en equipo: educando sobre accesibilidad

Why is it important to work as a team in accessibility?

Working as a team is essential, especially when we face accessibility issues in a project. Often we specialize in specific areas, such as Front-end, and we don't have all the skills needed to solve problems of contrast, content hierarchy or quality testing. Enlisting the help of UI, UX writing and QA experts not only allows for faster and more efficient problem solving, but also enriches the results by integrating different perspectives. Diverse teams tend to generate better solutions, and when hundreds of bugs need to be resolved, every hand counts.

How do you educate others about accessibility?

Education is key to closing the accessibility knowledge gap. An effective way to share knowledge is through pair programming, where an experienced accessibility developer can guide others, making it easier for them to acquire the tools they need to solve similar problems in the future. This approach not only improves the team's ability to handle accessibility errors, but also helps reduce the frequency of these errors.

How to involve senior management in accessibility?

It is vital that company leaders understand the importance of accessibility so that they can properly integrate it into development plans. This includes managers, directors, and executive levels such as CEOs and CTOs. Showing the positive impact of accessibility on customers and emphasizing that it is part of the day-to-day work, not an add-on at the end, can be effective. At one of the companies mentioned above, new accessible functionality was even demonstrated to the entire company, including screen reading and keyboard navigation features, to raise awareness of accessibility as an intrinsic part of the product.

Practical strategies for integrating accessibility

1. Include accessibility from the beginning of the project: Consider accessibility from the initial stages of development, not as something to add at the end.
2. Conduct ongoing testing: Implements automated and manual testing to ensure products are accessible.
3. Ongoing awareness: Organizes briefings and workshops to keep all team members up to date on best practices in accessibility.
4. Measurement and feedback: Establish metrics to evaluate accessibility and get end-user feedback for continuous improvement.
5. Encourage interdepartmental collaboration: Promote interaction between different departments to combine knowledge and improve solutions.

Accessibility must be part of the very fabric of any organization that aspires to create quality products with positive impact for all. By educating, engaging, and working collectively, we can move toward a more accessible world for all.