Make Your Mark on Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day. It’s a day to spread awareness about digital platforms and how they are used by those with disabilities.

More than one billion people worldwide (roughly 15% of the world’s population) live with a disability, according to World Health Organization. For these people, tasks that many take for granted – like reading website copy, scrolling on a mobile site, and making a purchase via voice – are difficult and often impossible. The reason being that many digital properties aren’t built with people who are disabled in mind.

In a pair of blog posts, Mark Lapole, Senior Product Manager and Ambassador for Accessibility at eBay, had the following to say about the importance of accessibility:

“With websites and mobile apps now effectively functioning as the front door for your brand and product offerings, failing to consider the disabled population when designing is essentially locking out potential customers and brand ambassadors.”

“When providing design guidance or prioritizing which bugs to address first, it’s important that these conversations are held in an open, straightforward, and mutually respectful manner. I have yet to come across a product team that isn’t trying to build the best possible product or feature. Work with them to make sure the people you’re advocating for are kept in mind during design, development and testing.”

“The challenges of digital accessibility have ultimately provided eBay with an opportunity to become an even better version of itself. By improving the accessibility of our apps and websites, more people are now able to contribute their own unique perspectives to our community.”

Turning awareness into action can be easier said than done, but it’s something brands should make a top priority. The biggest detriment to global accessibility is that brands aren’t designing digital properties with disabled users in mind. Brands can solve this core problem by sourcing feedback from disabled users before apps go live.

With a global community of more than 300,000 testers, Applause provides brands with the real-world insight and expertise needed to make digital accessibility a universal practice. These testers coupled and accessibility experts combine to make Applause a leader in testing and vetting accessible experiences, providing brands with the insights they need to take action.