Introduction

In recent years, digital accessibility has become a growing concern for organizations worldwide. With over 1 billion people living with disabilities globally, it’s essential to create inclusive digital products that cater to diverse needs. However, ensuring digital accessibility can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to monitoring and maintaining accessible websites and applications. That’s where monitoring and alerting systems come into play. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of digital accessibility, and how monitoring and alerting systems can help boost it.

The State of Digital Accessibility

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 15% of the world’s population experiences some form of disability. Moreover, a study by the National Organization on Disability found that 71% of people with disabilities leave a website immediately if it’s not accessible. These statistics highlight the importance of creating accessible digital products. Digital accessibility is not only a moral obligation, but also a business imperative. By neglecting accessibility, organizations can lose out on a significant portion of their target audience.

However, ensuring digital accessibility is not a one-time task. Websites and applications are constantly evolving, with new content being added regularly. This creates a challenge for organizations to maintain accessibility standards. That’s where monitoring and alerting systems come in.

Monitoring Digital Accessibility

Monitoring digital accessibility involves regularly scanning websites and applications for accessibility issues. This can be done manually or through automated tools. Manual testing involves manually reviewing websites and applications for accessibility issues, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Automated tools, on the other hand, use algorithms to scan websites and applications for accessibility issues.

One popular automated tool for monitoring digital accessibility is the WAVE tool. WAVE is a web-based tool that scans websites for accessibility issues, providing a detailed report of errors and suggestions for improvement. Another popular tool is Lighthouse, a Chrome extension that scans websites for accessibility issues.

The Importance of Alerting Systems

While monitoring digital accessibility is crucial, it’s equally important to have alerting systems in place. Alerting systems notify developers and accessibility teams of accessibility issues in real-time, enabling them to take immediate action. This is particularly important for organizations that have large, complex websites and applications.

Alerting systems can be set up to notify teams of accessibility issues through email, Slack, or other communication channels. By receiving real-time alerts, teams can identify and fix accessibility issues quickly, before they become major problems.

Best Practices for Implementing Monitoring and Alerting Systems

Implementing monitoring and alerting systems for digital accessibility requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

  1. Automate Accessibility Testing: Automated tools can greatly reduce the time and effort required to monitor digital accessibility. Choose tools that are user-friendly and provide detailed reports of accessibility issues.
  2. Set Up Real-Time Alerts: Real-time alerts enable teams to identify and fix accessibility issues quickly. Set up alerts to notify teams through email, Slack, or other communication channels.
  3. Integrate with Development Workflow: Integrating monitoring and alerting systems with the development workflow is crucial. This enables developers to identify and fix accessibility issues at the development stage, rather than after deployment.
  4. Provide Training and Support: Providing training and support to developers and accessibility teams is essential. This includes training on accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), and how to use monitoring and alerting tools.

Conclusion

Digital accessibility is a critical aspect of creating inclusive digital products. Monitoring and alerting systems play a vital role in ensuring digital accessibility by identifying and fixing accessibility issues quickly. By implementing monitoring and alerting systems, organizations can improve the accessibility of their websites and applications, and provide a better experience for users with disabilities.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on digital accessibility and monitoring and alerting systems! What strategies have you implemented to ensure digital accessibility? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.