Learn about this exciting partnership that enables Microsoft’s Cloud & AI (C&AI) products to meet the company’s strict accessibility standards, beyond compliance, to ensure exceptional user experiences for people with disabilities (PWD).
Integrating Inclusive Design Throughout Development
Microsoft is a top technology brand and true champion of inclusivity, leading the industry with a steadfast commitment to accessibility. The Cloud & AI (C&AI) product group, which includes over 1,000 Microsoft products, needed a partner with the expertise to design and execute a program that would go beyond accessibility compliance to deliver a seamless experience for all users, including PWD. With deep experience leading digital accessibility studies, Applause helped C&AI move from a reactive approach to driving common empathy across product teams and a results-driven program for measuring inclusive UX.
Applause set up expert consultations and one-on-one user insight sessions to gather valuable, actionable feedback from people with visual, hearing, mobility and cognitive disabilities. Feedback was given in a concise, organized way that included real-time Q&A and interaction between the organizations to address the issues and optimize user experiences. Today, more than 50 product teams have sustained or matured the inclusivity of their products, including Azure, PowerApps, GitHub and dozens of other applications. Microsoft has expanded the program to include other product areas and intends to double its impact next year.