Testing for accessibility is the practice of ensuring that users with a disability can effectively use a digital platform, and that critical blockers throughout the user journey are remedied.
Some 35% of financial firms claim that digital accessibility is a top strategic priority according to a new study by QA Vector® Research, produced in partnership with Deque Systems Inc. Yet more than 70% indicate no clear ownership for these initiatives within their corporate governance.
“We found major firms with no person with the clear responsibility and ownership for accessibility,” said Justyn Trenner, Head of QA Vector® Research. “Meanwhile, others have realised very real business benefits by truly building accessibility into their approach.”
The research, conducted in August and September 2019, is published in the context of the US Supreme Court decision in October 2019 to decline a petition from Dominos for appeal in the case of Dominos v. Robles.
Dominos v. Robles has sent shockwaves throughout the financial community. In upholding the lower court’s decision, the Supreme Court affirmed that websites are places of public accommodation. The Americans with Disabilities act applies to such places, meaning that websites are now required by law to be accessible.
Financial firms are grappling with how to begin.
“Digital accessibility is shifting from a choice to a business imperative, and this is especially true in the financial services industry,” according to Preety Kumar, CEO of Deque Sytems. “A lack of accessibility can be particularly damaging; it’s the equivalent of hanging a ‘closed for business’ sign outside your door to millions of people.”
Often, firms’ pursuit of accessibility in the software delivery lifecycle is opportunistic: as an adjunct to redesigning the UX of an existing platform, for example.
Download Delivering Accessible Experiences by Embedding Inclusivity to the Core to:
- Create executive buy-in and establish relevant benchmarks;
- Shift accessibility from afterthought to muscle memory; and
- Drive foundational solution design improvements.
