Operationalize WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA Support as Non-Negotiable Acceptance Criteria
Transform compliance into actionable guardrails to improve delivery speed without sacrificing accessibility.
Accessibility isn't just a requirement; it's a strategic advantage.Back to all posts
Every minute you delay compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA support is a risk multiplier. Imagine this: A user with disabilities navigates your site, but your product fails them. They file a lawsuit, and suddenly, your company faces not only public scrutiny but also hefty legal fees—potentially costing you hundreds ofK
The stakes are high. Beyond legal repercussions, non-compliance can alienate a significant segment of your user base. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people live with some form of disability. By ignoring accessibility, you’re not just failing to meet a standard; you're closing the door on a $
Incorporating WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA as acceptance criteria is not merely a best practice; it is a business imperative. Engineering leaders must recognize that this is about more than compliance; it’s about creating a product that is usable for everyone. When you operationalize these standards, you create a culture of
## How to Implement It To operationalize WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA support, follow these steps: 1. **Set Up Your CI/CD Pipeline**: Integrate accessibility checks into your Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipeline. Tools like Axe or Lighthouse can automate these checks, ensuring that accessibility is a non-neg
2. **Conduct Training**: Regularly train your engineering teams on accessibility principles and the importance of WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA. This ensures that everyone understands the why and how of these standards. 3. **Create Checklists**: Develop a checklist that includes specific ARIA roles and properties relevant to
4. **Automate Testing**: Use tools that automatically test for compliance during the development process. Incorporate these tests into your build process to catch issues early. 5. **Monitor and Audit**: Schedule regular audits of your applications to ensure ongoing compliance. Use both automated tools and manual tests
## Key Takeaways - **Accessibility is Non-Negotiable**: Treat compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA and ARIA as essential acceptance criteria to protect your organization from legal risks. - **Automate Where Possible**: Use automated testing tools to maintain a balance between speed and compliance. - **Train Your Team**: Ongoing
Key takeaways
- Operationalizing accessibility standards protects against legal risks.
- Automate compliance checks to maintain delivery speed.
- Accessibility is a competitive advantage, not a burden.
Implementation checklist
- Implement WCAG 2.2 AA standards in your CI/CD pipeline.
- Use automated testing tools for ARIA compliance checks.
- Conduct regular training sessions on accessibility for your team.
Questions we hear from teams
- What is WCAG 2.2 AA?
- WCAG 2.2 AA is a set of guidelines designed to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. It includes recommendations for making content more perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
- How can I automate accessibility checks?
- You can automate accessibility checks by integrating tools like Axe or Lighthouse into your CI/CD pipeline. These tools can run checks during development to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.
- Why should my team prioritize accessibility?
- Prioritizing accessibility not only helps you avoid legal risks but also enhances user experience and broadens your audience, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.
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