From Obligation to Opportunity: Shifting the Mindset Around Accessibility

Many organizations may first commit to digital accessibility to mitigate risk. They want to avoid becoming the target of a lawsuit, or failing to comply with regulatory requirements. While these are legitimate concerns, approaching accessibility with a sense of fear or obligation may not lead to meaningful, long-term progress.

For lasting success, the goal is for digital accessibility to become something teams want to do—not something they have to do. And this may require a shift in mindset.

So, what opportunities open up when teams’ focus expands beyond compliance obligations or legal risk? And how can accessibility champions ignite this shift? In this article, we’ll unpack why changing the way teams think about accessibility matters, and outline three actions you can take as a champion to start embedding accessibility into your organizational culture.

“When we want to involve more people in digital accessibility, we start by focusing on the ‘why’—why this work is so important. The goal is to reframe the mindset around digital accessibility by helping people understand the human impact of this work. This approach has had a very strong impact on the company, and we’ve found we’ve helped create accessibility champions in every department.”

Kathleen Lawless, UX Design Lead and Accessibility Coordinator, ALDO Group

Why mindset matters

As an accessibility champion, you know that accessibility is about more than just meeting compliance requirements—it’s about providing inclusive, equitable experiences for users. Spreading this awareness across your organization is critical to the long-term success of your digital accessibility program.

When teams address accessibility out of obligation, they often do so with a checklist mentality, treating it as a one-time project rather than an ongoing process. But digital experiences are dynamic, and every update can introduce new accessibility barriers. For this reason, organizations that take a “one-and-done” approach to accessibility tend to find themselves in a costly and inefficient cycle, in which they’re constantly burning development hours fixing bugs in live digital experiences—rather than preventing them in the first place. Eventually, these teams may come to believe that accessibility is too challenging or resource-intensive, and sideline it in favor of competing priorities.

In contrast, when teams across an organization recognize the positive business and moral impacts of accessibility, and approach it with genuine enthusiasm, they’re more likely to proactively embed it in their day-to-day work—driving efficiency and laying the foundation for a sustainable program. And by sharing the responsibility for accessibility, it will become a natural part of your organization’s culture, and you’ll accomplish far more than you could on your own.

Roles and responsibilities for a sustainable digital accessibility program

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Three ways to start shifting the mindset around digital accessibility

Now that we’ve established why it’s critical that teams think differently about accessibility, you may be wondering what concrete actions you can take to facilitate this shift in perspective. Let’s explore three ways to begin deepening teams’ understanding of how accessibility benefits users.

1. Share videos of people with disabilities interacting with digital experiences

Many champions develop a passion for digital accessibility because they have a personal connection to disability. If you have a disability that affects how you experience the digital world, or have a friend or family member that does, you may be all too familiar with the frustration accessibility barriers can create. But others at your organization may be entirely unaware of these challenges. To illustrate the human impact of an experience that is not accessible, versus one that is, start by sharing videos that capture how users with disabilities, including those who use assistive technologies (AT), interact with digital environments. These videos could include recordings of people with different disabilities navigating websites, using apps, or engaging with various digital services–including the barriers they experience.

2. Set up live AT demonstrations

While videos are a powerful way to help teams grasp how digital accessibility shapes real users’ experiences, live demonstrations of AT can be even more effective at building teams’ understanding of specific technologies. Consider hiring an accessibility expert who uses AT to showcase how different types of technologies, like screen readers, speech recognition software, and specialized input devices, enable people to navigate and interact with digital content—and the challenges that arise when content isn’t accessible. Witnessing these technologies in action can also help your teams better empathize with and think like users when creating new experiences.

3. Conduct user research with people with disabilities

Videos and live AT demonstrations can raise awareness within your organization about how accessibility impacts users in a general sense. However, teams may still not fully understand what’s at stake if your organization’s own digital experiences aren’t accessible.

To demonstrate how digital accessibility directly impacts your existing and potential customers, conduct targeted user research with a focus group of individuals with different disabilities. This may include conducting interviews and surveys to understand these users’ needs and preferences, as well as gathering feedback on the usability of your own product. User research can clearly illustrate how barriers on your website, app, or digital product negatively affect users’ experience, and ultimately limit your user base.

If you’re struggling to get executives and other decision-makers to prioritize digital accessibility, inviting them to these focus groups can be an effective way to secure buy-in.

From “why” to “how”: Implementing accessibility training

Once teams understand the ‘why’ it’s important to commit to digital accessibility, they’ll probably be curious how to incorporate accessibility principles into their daily work. Accessibility training will equip teams with the practical skills they need to actively contribute to digital accessibility at your organization. To drive accountability, work with team leaders to implement mandatory training courses for key roles involved in digital experience creation, such as designers, developers, and content authors.

On-demand, role-specific accessibility training
Learn about the Level Access Academy

Cultivate an accessibility mindset

Forward-thinking teams understand that accessibility isn’t just a box to check for compliance—it’s a long-term process that’s essential for delivering usable, inclusive digital experiences. Facilitating this shift in mindset will help you position your digital accessibility program for sustainable success—and eventually make accessibility one of the core building blocks of your organization’s culture. For more insight on how to grow accessibility into an organization-wide priority, explore our Accessibility Champion’s Playbook.