Accessible digital experiences are a legal and business necessity. Yet, many organizations grapple with the question: How many people with disabilities use our website? The truth is, we can’t reliably answer that question, and the reasons why reveal the complexities of accessibility and inclusivity online.
Attempts to quantify the number of users with disabilities who visit a website often run into ethical and legal barriers. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) protect individuals from having their personal data collected without consent. Identifying assistive technology usage—such as screen readers or switch devices—could inadvertently expose someone’s disability status. This raises serious concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of this information.
For example, consider an online job application system. If the system could detect that a user relies on assistive technology, this data might unintentionally influence hiring decisions, leading to discrimination. Ensuring that websites respect user privacy while providing inclusive experiences is a delicate balance that organizations must prioritize.
From a technical standpoint, accurately measuring assistive technology usage presents its own challenges. Most assistive technologies do not interact directly with websites but instead function as intermediaries between the user and their browser. For instance, screen readers interpret the content displayed by a web browser and relay it to users via audio or braille. Since these tools do not leave identifiable footprints, conventional web analytics tools cannot detect their presence.
Even if it were possible to identify assistive technology usage, the results would still not provide a full picture. Disabilities vary widely in type and severity, and many users with disabilities might not rely on assistive tools at all. For example, someone with color blindness might not need specialized technology but still benefit greatly from accessible design elements like high-contrast color schemes.
While we cannot pinpoint the number of users with disabilities visiting a specific website, broader statistics emphasize the importance of accessible design:
These statistics underscore the necessity of designing for inclusivity. Accessibility isn’t about catering to a niche audience—it’s about creating equitable digital experiences for everyone.
Instead of focusing on how many users need accessibility features, we should prioritize designing for the broadest audience possible. Universal design principles ensure that digital spaces are usable for all individuals, regardless of ability. Features like keyboard navigation, persistent form labels, and descriptive alt text don’t just benefit users with disabilities—they improve usability for everyone, including older adults and those using mobile devices in challenging environments.
Accessible design and compliance with ADA and WCAG standards is not an add-on or a box to check; it’s a fundamental aspect of good user experience. By adopting inclusive practices, organizations can expand their reach, enhance their reputation, and ensure compliance with legal standards.
Although it’s not possible to measure the exact number of users with disabilities who are visiting your website, inclusive design ensures that the digital world is open and usable for all—a goal that’s good for individuals, organizations, and society at large.
This article is also published on Medium.
How can an organization truly serve the public if they can’t reach the whole public? In the U.S., one in four adults live with some type of disability. These range from mobility issues and cognitive difficulties to hearing, vision, and independent living disabilities.
Accessibility on the internet shouldn’t be an afterthought for your organization, but a fundamental consideration. In fact, if your organization receives federal funding, you are required by law to have an accessible website. That’s where MAC comes in—we draw on deep research, vetted processes, and a track record of success to deliver websites that don’t just look good; but serve the entire public, too.
Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act, first adopted in 1973 and amended by Congress in 1998, requires federal agencies to make their electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. The rules were originally established in the fairly early days of the Internet, but Section 508 was modernized in 2017 to align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) outlined by the World Wide Web Consortium. Whether a federal agency or not, WCAG is now considered industry standard for accessible web design.
A website built according to WCAG will ensure “people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact” with your website without barriers. The guidelines fall within four categories.
Madison Ave. Collective (MAC) is one of only two U.S.-based website development agencies to be a member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). The IAAP exists to “define, promote, improve, and diversify the accessibility profession globally through certification, education, and networking in order to enable the creation of accessible products, content, services, and environments.” Through IAAP membership, our team is able to stay on top of accessibility requirements and gain from information that is shared through webinars and events.
At MAC, accessibility is a must-have for our clients in community health, education, and public services. Through extensive research and experience, we have developed vetted processes to place accessibility at the forefront of our work. From beginning to end — including content, UI design, and development — we’re incorporating accessibility best-practices into our work.
Working in Figma, our UX designers create detailed mockups for both mobile and desktop screens. We follow best practices in usability and accessible interface design that are verified with an accessibility add-on called Stark. We check color contrast, font size, mobile touch target size, and more — all before the files are handed off to our development team.
Then, once the site has been coded and installed on a development site — adhering to modern standards in HTML/CSS and Javascript development — we rely on a number of tools and methods to test accessibility during the QA phase, prior to launch. Our three-pronged approach is as follows:
Each approach provides a unique and sometimes nuanced perspective that enables our team to verify that the navigation, text links, maps, forms, etc. are functional and understandable to those relying on assistive technology to browse the website.
Colorado Community College System (click to view case study) recently hired MAC to develop a comprehensive new website comprising nearly 1,000 pages and three microsites, while expanding its well-established visual identity system to support that goal. Despite its scope and complexity, the organization needed to present itself in an effortlessly comprehensible, fully accessible way.
We approached the project as we would any website, carefully applying our accessibility framework at every stage—from design to development. The final product features content that is rich and engaging, with video, charts, tables, and graphs. The organization is intuitive, verified by user testing. And in full compliance with WCAG standards, the site demonstrates best practices in accessibility.
It’s also important to note that every change made to a website after launch can potentially impact WCAG compliance. As such, we recommend assessing compliance on at least a quarterly basis and take steps to remediate any issues that may have come up since the last assessment. This is a service MAC provides as part of a post-launch maintenance and support agreement for many of our clients.
Just like security, performance, and observability are necessary considerations for any new website build, accessibility should be, too. Designing a website with accessibility features in mind is one of the only ways to safeguard your investment. From beginning to end, MAC focuses on accessibility to deliver safe, accessible websites. We draw on deep research, vetted processes, and a track record of success to get results—delivering websites that don’t just look good; they’re a good investment.
This article is also published on Medium.
Designing a website that’s “accessible” means you’re providing an equivalent experience for all users, regardless of the physical or cognitive ability an individual user may or may not have. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) puts it this way: “Accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact” with your website without barriers.
Who is the W3C? They’re an international non-governmental association that develops technical specifications for HTML and CSS, as well as recommendations and best practices for security, online payments, and accessibility. The W3C’s international gold standard for website accessibility rules is called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act, first adopted in 1973 and amended by Congress in 1998, requires federal agencies to make their electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. The rules were originally established in the fairly early days of the Internet, but Section 508 was modernized in 2017 to align with WCAG.
What this means in practical terms is, adhering to Section 508 for website development is synonymous with WCAG compliance. And while these standards are merely best-practice “recommendations” according to the W3C, for all U.S. government agencies — as well as for businesses and organizations that receive federal funding — these accessibility standards are requirements under Section 508.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990, requires state and local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions make “reasonable accommodations” for employees with disabilities. ADA is a broad law against disability discrimination that applies to agencies and organizations with 15 or more employees. While it doesn’t go into technical details about website development, Section 508, on the other hand, essentially tells employers how to comply with ADA. How so? By following the WCAG.
In addition to ADA and Section 508, there are other federal laws that touch on the subjects of website development and access to electronic information. The Connected Government Act of 2018, for example, requires all new and redesigned federal agency websites to be accessible using mobile devices.
Rule 206.50 of the Texas Administrative Code states that “unless an exception is approved by the agency head or an exemption has been made… all new or changed web pages must comply with the standards referenced in Section 508.”
Effective April 2020, all state agencies’ websites must be in compliance with WCAG 2.0 AA. Additionally, all Texas state agencies are required to appoint an accessibility coordinator and publish an accessibility policy pursuant to Texas Administrative Code 213.21. The policy must include:
The Texas Attorney General has released an Electronic and Information Resources Accessibility Policy and Procedures Manual to assist state agencies with compliance.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are separated into three levels of conformance. These roughly translate into “basic stuff” (level A), “essential stuff” (level AA), and “shootin’ for the moon stuff” (level AAA). The W3C acknowledges that AAA may be impossible to achieve, so for the most part we’ve only included rules from the first two levels here. Also, for the sake of brevity — and to prevent eyes from going crossed — we’ve omitted highly technical and fine point recommendations. (If you care to dig deeper into the geeky details, W3C has more than 1,100 technical specs.)
Here’s our quick reference checklist for developing a website that conforms to WCAG and Section 508 standards.
While accessible website design isn’t rocket surgery, it does require an approach to planning that starts at the very beginning. Done right, accessibility is woven into all phases and stages of website development: content strategy and information architecture, user experience and visual design, and programming.
For over 15 years, MAC has been developing websites for public good — including for clients in community health, public services, and higher ed. Need help implementing these accessibility standards for your website? Contact Logan Hoffman at lo***@***********ve.com or call 541.971.4113 ext. 711.
This article is also published on Medium.
Designing a website that’s “accessible” means you’re providing an equivalent experience for all users, regardless of the physical or cognitive ability an individual user may or may not have. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) puts it this way: “Accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact” with your website without barriers.
Who is the W3C? They’re an international non-governmental association that develops technical specifications for HTML and CSS, as well as recommendations and best practices for security, online payments, and accessibility. The W3C’s international gold standard for website accessibility rules is called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act, first adopted in 1973 and amended by Congress in 1998, requires federal agencies to make their electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. The rules were originally established in the fairly early days of the Internet, but Section 508 was modernized in 2017 to align with WCAG.
What this means in practical terms is, adhering to Section 508 for website development is synonymous with WCAG compliance. And while these standards are merely best-practice “recommendations” according to the W3C, for all U.S. government agencies — as well as for businesses and organizations that receive federal funding — these accessibility standards are requirements under Section 508.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990, requires state and local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions make “reasonable accommodations” for employees with disabilities. ADA is a broad law against disability discrimination that applies to agencies and organizations with 15 or more employees. While it doesn’t go into technical details about website development, Section 508, on the other hand, essentially tells employers how to comply with ADA. How so? By following the WCAG.
In addition to ADA and Section 508, there are other federal laws that touch on the subjects of website development and access to electronic information. The Connected Government Act of 2018, for example, requires all new and redesigned federal agency websites to be accessible using mobile devices.
Colorado House Bill 21-1110 requires state agencies “to maintain accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities (accessibility standards) for information technology systems employed by state agencies that provide access to information stored electronically and are designed to present information for interactive communications, in formats intended for visual and nonvisual use.” Requirements within this Bill include:
Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology released a Guide to Accessible Web Services to assist state agencies with accessibility compliance.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are separated into three levels of conformance. These roughly translate into “basic stuff” (level A), “essential stuff” (level AA), and “shootin’ for the moon stuff” (level AAA). The W3C acknowledges that AAA may be impossible to achieve, so for the most part we’ve only included rules from the first two levels here. Also, for the sake of brevity — and to prevent eyes from going crossed — we’ve omitted highly technical and fine point recommendations. (If you care to dig deeper into the geeky details, W3C has more than 1,100 technical specs.)
Here’s our quick reference checklist for developing a website that conforms to WCAG and Section 508 standards.
While accessible website design isn’t rocket surgery, it does require an approach to planning that starts at the very beginning. Done right, accessibility is woven into all phases and stages of website development: content strategy and information architecture, user experience and visual design, and programming.
For over 15 years, MAC has been developing websites for public good — including for clients in community health, public services, and higher ed. Need help implementing these accessibility standards for your website? Contact Logan Hoffman at lo***@***********ve.com or call 541.971.4113 ext. 711.
This article is also published on Medium.
Generation “Z”, born between 1997 and 2012, spent their formative years with a world of information at their fingertips. As a result, their awareness of global issues, the realities of life after college, and the importance of a balanced education is more prominent than that of their predecessors. They tend to be harsher critics of the colleges they consider—valuing authenticity, inclusivity, and digital fluency.
Instead of merely chasing the ‘classic college experience,’ they are seeking an environment that offers genuine personal and professional growth, reflects their social and environmental values, provides a supportive and inclusive environment, and is worthy of their investment (or potential long-term debt).
Though the earliest Gen Z students may have graduated college 5 years ago, there are many more to come, with the youngest set to graduate college in the class of 2034. Point being, the trends we’ve observed in college programming and marketing are likely to not only stick around but evolve as Gen Z’s priorities and instincts become more deeply embedded in the culture of higher education. It’s not too late to advance your offerings and website to keep up with (and get ahead of) these shifting viewpoints.
It’s likely your college has already taken some steps toward appealing to this generation of students. Perhaps you’ve upped your social media presence, opened new gathering spaces to foster inclusivity and diversity, or rounded out your programs of accommodation for students facing challenges. While these are noble efforts all, they’re just a few items on the rubric Gen Z prospects evaluate against when vetting their ideal college. Let’s explore a few.
For a generation that has never known a world without the internet, digital integration into their learning experience is non-negotiable. It’s status-quo for Gen Z students to expect seamless access to online learning platforms, resources, and technology that support their educational experience.
They’ve also experienced several years of online education during COVID, becoming acquainted with the benefits and drawbacks of remote learning, which stunted the educational progress of many. So, while they value the flexibility and accessibility that comes with digital learning environments, they understand the importance of proper integration with in-person support and group learning.
Your website and the platforms you use to market and deploy your educational experience should respect this careful balance. In terms of digital marketing tools, you can integrate interactive experiences, 360° campus tours, and detailed information about tech facilities and digital libraries to demonstrate a commitment to integrating technology into the educational experience.
More than any generation before, Gen Z is highly career-focused and practical about their education. In fact, almost a third of Gen Z college students have either delayed their enrollment or taken a gap year, indicating their more measured approach toward higher education.
When they’re ready to enroll, they seek colleges that offer clear paths to employment, including robust career services, internships, co-op programs, and partnerships with industries. In fact, in a study by ECMC Group, less than one-quarter of respondents said a four-year college is the only path to a decent job and many more are open to alternative educational paths like apprenticeships. This generation wants to graduate not just with a degree, but with real-world skills and experiences that will make them competitive in the job market, offering a clear path to erasing their debt (which for 75% of Gen Z is a top concern) or recouping their investment.
It’s likely you already offer these opportunities (if not, now’s a great time to start)—the question is, are you properly communicating them through your website? Dedicated pages for the career services department, industry partnerships, and apprenticeship programs are must-haves. It also helps to show success stories of students who transitioned from earning their degree to their dream career and salary.
A recent study highlighted that 42% of Gen Z in America are dealing with a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, or PTSD. Due to their mass interconnectivity and generally more emotionally-aware upbringing, Gen Z students tend to be open about mental health issues and expect their colleges to provide comprehensive support systems. This includes counseling services, stress management programs, and a campus culture that prioritizes mental well-being. Colleges that demonstrate a commitment to supporting the holistic well-being of their students stand out to Gen Z applicants.
Again, your website is an excellent place to establish your dedication to student wellbeing—in your values statements, your resource pages, and your student stories.
Raised amidst global climate change discussions and social justice movements, many Gen Z students are deeply invested in sustainability and social responsibility. They are drawn to institutions that not only educate on these issues but also actively participate in solutions. This includes sustainability initiatives on campus (such as green buildings, recycling programs, and renewable energy projects), curriculum that integrates social and environmental issues, and opportunities for students to engage in meaningful social impact projects.
On your website, you can keep a regularly updated News section that covers the events of student political action groups, internal initiatives toward equity, inclusion, and sustainability, and even highlights of professors or faculty that are making an impact.
Diversity and inclusion are more than buzzwords for Gen Z. Instead, they are essential criteria for their college choice. Gen Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation yet, with 48% identifying as non-white. This generation values diverse perspectives and seeks out institutions that offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their background, identity, or beliefs. They look for evidence of this commitment through diverse faculty, inclusive policies, support networks, and a student body comprised of various backgrounds.
Of course, you can rely on drawing from the classic college playbook of highlighting ‘diversity’ on the front page of your brochure—a tactic many consider cliché—or you can ensure that your marketing materials and website accurately reflect the experience you offer to students and the diversity you attract to campus.
By ensuring that your website and on-campus experience reflect the priorities and values of Gen Z, you’ll build a reputation for offering an enriching, supportive, and forward-thinking college experience and create a community that resonates with their aspirations, concerns, and worldview.
As always, we encourage engaging with Gen Z students for feedback on your digital presence, and continually evolving your website to meet their changing needs. In doing so, you not only enhance your institution’s appeal to prospective students but also contribute to their success and well-being during their college years and beyond.
This article is also published on Medium.
Community institutions—whether government agencies, universities, or community health organizations—are encountering a unique set of challenges and expectations with their web presence. Though it’s tempting to view a website as a “set it and forget it” investment to be made once or twice per decade, websites are truly a living entity that must evolve, adapt, and continually resonate with users and prospects.
That effort includes consistently uploading relevant content, but that’s just the beginning. Institutions, especially those bound by government or legal regulations, must adapt their UX, accessibility standards, security compliance, and more to evolve alongside the industry standard. Let’s dive into each.
At the heart of any meaningful digital interaction are trust and understanding. Whether it’s a student looking up courses or someone seeking community health services, the experience needs to be seamless, intuitive, and responsive while communicating an established and trustworthy essence. Remember, your website is often the first interaction someone has with your institution. Make that connection count by constantly adapting to the diverse needs of your audience.
This effort includes but is not limited to:
Not sure where to start? Ask your users. Interview your stakeholders and ask what they think might be improved, what could be missing, and where they currently get the information you could be offering instead.
Accessibility is a concern related to but distinct from UX/UI design. The accessibility of your site determines how easily those with varying disabilities can use your interface and find the information they need. As an institution with users of diverse backgrounds and situations, you are both ethically and legally compelled to maintain an accessible site.
Though you may have built a site that adhered to accessibility standards when your site first launched, it’s unlikely that your site has kept up with evolving regulations and requirements without ongoing maintenance. In other words, you can’t just ‘set-and-forget’ your accessibility-focused design choices and plugins. All aspects of accessibility require regular audits and updates.
You can learn more about the new WCAG 2.2 accessibility guidelines in our recent article.
In a world where data privacy is constantly challenged, community health organizations, government agencies, and similar institutions bear significant responsibility. It’s not just about protecting sensitive information, but also preserving the trust your community places in you. Your website plugins, forms, and third-party integrations that process user information must be monitored, updated, and fixed when broken. If there is a security breach, someone should be aware of it the moment it happens, and inform your users of the steps being taken to rectify the situation.
Staying in the clear isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business. With constantly shifting regulations, especially concerning data protection and accessibility, institutions need to be proactive.
A stagnant website is a depreciating digital marketing asset—similar to neglecting a vehicle or leaving a home to crumble over time. The longer your site goes without recent news, relevant updated content, and funnels to drive your desired engagement, the more it risks becoming a relic of the past, of no use to your audience.
Search engines like Google prioritize displaying sites that are dynamic, active, and that interact with their audience. So, aside from leveraging the full potential of your site as a marketing tool, you also increase your visibility. Frequent, timely, and accurate content creation also establishes your institution as a trustworthy and established source of information for the community.
Building a website for your institution is not a one-stop job but a journey, a continuous effort of adaptation and evolution. Institutions, with their pivotal roles in the community, have a unique responsibility to lead, to set benchmarks in compliance, and to continuously engage. It’s not just about being seen; it’s about making a lasting, positive impression. Dive in, engage, and let your digital strategy be the bridge that connects, informs, and uplifts.
This article is also published on Medium.
Designing a website that’s “accessible” means you’re providing an equivalent experience for all users, regardless of the physical or cognitive ability an individual user may or may not have. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) puts it this way: “Accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact” with your website without barriers.
Who is the W3C? They’re an international non-governmental association that develops technical specifications for HTML and CSS, as well as recommendations and best practices for security, online payments, and accessibility. The W3C’s international gold standard for website accessibility rules is called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act, first adopted in 1973 and amended by Congress in 1998, requires federal agencies to make their electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. The rules were originally established in the fairly early days of the Internet, but Section 508 was modernized in 2017 to align with WCAG.
What this means in practical terms is, adhering to Section 508 for website development is synonymous with WCAG compliance. And while these standards are merely best-practice “recommendations” according to the W3C, for all U.S. government agencies — as well as for businesses and organizations that receive federal funding — these accessibility standards are requirements under Section 508.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990, requires state and local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions make “reasonable accommodations” for employees with disabilities. ADA is a broad law against disability discrimination that applies to agencies and organizations with 15 or more employees. While it doesn’t go into technical details about website development, Section 508, on the other hand, essentially tells employers how to comply with ADA. How so? By following the WCAG.
In addition to ADA and Section 508, there are other federal laws that touch on the subjects of website development and access to electronic information. The Connected Government Act of 2018, for example, requires all new and redesigned federal agency websites to be accessible using mobile devices.
Arizona’s Department of Administration has developed an accessibility policy for state agency websites and declares that “it is the responsibility of each agency to remain current with the development of accessible information technology through their ADA/508 Coordinators.” This includes, but is not limited to:
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are separated into three levels of conformance. These roughly translate into “basic stuff” (level A), “essential stuff” (level AA), and “shootin’ for the moon stuff” (level AAA). The W3C acknowledges that AAA may be impossible to achieve, so for the most part we’ve only included rules from the first two levels here. Also, for the sake of brevity — and to prevent eyes from going crossed — we’ve omitted highly technical and fine point recommendations. (If you care to dig deeper into the geeky details, W3C has more than 1,100 technical specs.)
Here’s our quick reference checklist for developing a website that conforms to WCAG and Section 508 standards.
While accessible website design isn’t rocket surgery, it does require an approach to planning that starts at the very beginning. Done right, accessibility is woven into all phases and stages of website development: content strategy and information architecture, user experience and visual design, and programming.
For over 15 years, MAC has been developing websites for public good — including for clients in community health, public services, and higher ed. Need help implementing these accessibility standards for your website? Contact Logan Hoffman at lo***@***********ve.com or call 541.971.4113 ext. 711.
This article is also published on Medium.
Learn how to create, run, and analyze your survey in five steps — and be completed in just three weeks.
How will our organization capture the attention of the people we need to reach?
Here at MAC, we’ve developed a unique and collaborative method for discovering the answer to this question. Our approach has helped many complex organizations like yours hit two essential targets related to developing your brand.
One, it creates buy-in from key stakeholders who are invested in your success—and two, it provides unique, authentic, and strategic messaging to help the entire team better and more accurately tell your story.
Using Zoom (or in-person, if you prefer), we will work with the key people you select for two sessions lasting about two hours each — four hours in total. During this time, we will uncover insights into your short- and long-term goals, target audiences, and potential communication challenges to overcome. The result will be a messaging story that everyone behind your brand can buy into.
Here’s how we do it.
We aim to generate consensus around the branding effort when we first start. Why are you here? How will you know when we’ve succeeded? What are your organization’s challenges, strengths, goals, and audiences? We will also discuss your organization’s lived culture in the form of brand messaging.
“The team at Madison Ave. Collective took the time to truly listen to each voice at the table and to help us find our commonalities. In the end, we had a message that everyone was proud to stand behind together.”
—Jenn Richter, Early Learning Director at FamilyCore
To that end:
During this time, a variety of themes are likely to emerge. We will dig into them, ask clarifying questions, and ensure everyone shares the same impression.
By the end of this portion of the workshop, participants have a shared understanding of the purpose of the messaging that you’re striving to develop. They also know who you’re targeting and what those people need to hear.
The purpose of this next step is to develop the ideas that will lead us to a positioning statement (“We are a [what] that [does what] for [whom]”) — which is a must-have component for any brand toolkit. Through this process, we also begin to define the lived culture for internal and external audiences.
“At the outset of our project, our group had lofty goals but not a lot of specificity or clarity. Throughout the branding and messaging workshop, the team at MAC led us through a series of thoughtful, engaging activities that drew out our group’s best thinking and ideas.”
—Holly Mar-Conte, Childcare Sector Strategist for Onward Eugene
Here’s how it works:
Again, no final decisions are made, but by the end of this portion of the workshop, the entire group respects the effort it takes to develop brand messaging. Participants also share a common knowledge of why certain choices may work better or worse for your organization’s marketing and communications. And just as important, they feel a personal investment in the outcome because their voices have been heard. This statement now belongs to them.
Our online brand messaging workshop can be an intense experience — but so productive! We’ve received overwhelming appreciation from every client we’ve facilitated this experience with to date.
“What is a brand? Why does it matter so much? How can you make your brand a standout success? The bright people at MAC will guide your team to discover the answers with their brand messaging workshop.”
—Curtis Wright, Marketing Communications Consultant for Heartland Humane
Through this workshop, participants feel heard, inspired, and aware of your organization in a more nuanced and meaningful way. Meanwhile, our team returns to our desks with notes and concepts from many different perspectives, so we can turn what we learned into an incisive messaging toolkit for effectively communicating your brand.
The time spent during the workshop is invaluable, as it brings everyone together on the final product. When workshop participants later see the deliverables, they see their own insights shining through. They understand the work it took to get there and share a common story for why we’ve chosen one direction over another.
Interested in what our Brand Discovery & Definition Workshop could do for your organization? Reach out to Logan Hoffman at lo***@***********ve.com to find out.
Designing a website that’s “accessible” means you’re providing an equivalent experience for all users, regardless of the physical or cognitive ability an individual user may or may not have. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) puts it this way: “Accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact” with your website without barriers.
Who is the W3C? They’re an international non-governmental association that develops technical specifications for HTML and CSS, as well as recommendations and best practices for security, online payments, and accessibility. The W3C’s international gold standard for website accessibility rules is called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act, first adopted in 1973 and amended by Congress in 1998, requires federal agencies to make their electronic information accessible to people with disabilities. The rules were originally established in the fairly early days of the Internet, but Section 508 was modernized in 2017 to align with WCAG.
What this means in practical terms is, adhering to Section 508 for website development is synonymous with WCAG compliance. And while these standards are merely best-practice “recommendations” according to the W3C, for all U.S. government agencies — as well as for businesses and organizations that receive federal funding — these accessibility standards are requirements under Section 508.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990, requires state and local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions make “reasonable accommodations” for employees with disabilities. ADA is a broad law against disability discrimination that applies to agencies and organizations with 15 or more employees. While it doesn’t go into technical details about website development, Section 508, on the other hand, essentially tells employers how to comply with ADA. How so? By following the WCAG.
In addition to ADA and Section 508, there are other federal laws that touch on the subjects of website development and access to electronic information. The Connected Government Act of 2018, for example, requires all new and redesigned federal agency websites to be accessible using mobile devices.
California’s Government Code directs that: “state governmental entities, in developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic or information technology, either indirectly or through the use of state funds by other entities, shall comply with the accessibility requirements of Section 508.”
Additionally, California mandates that all government websites must include a post on the home page linking to a signed certification from the agency’s director and chief information officer stating that the website is in compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA. This is required per California Assembly Bill No. 434 that went into effect in 2019.
The following state agencies have developed resources to assist in accessibility compliance:
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are separated into three levels of conformance. These roughly translate into “basic stuff” (level A), “essential stuff” (level AA), and “shootin’ for the moon stuff” (level AAA). The W3C acknowledges that AAA may be impossible to achieve, so for the most part we’ve only included rules from the first two levels here. Also, for the sake of brevity — and to prevent eyes from going crossed — we’ve omitted highly technical and fine point recommendations. (If you care to dig deeper into the geeky details, W3C has more than 1,100 technical specs.)
Here’s our quick reference checklist for developing a website that conforms to WCAG and Section 508 standards.
While accessible website design isn’t rocket surgery, it does require an approach to planning that starts at the very beginning. Done right, accessibility is woven into all phases and stages of website development: content strategy and information architecture, user experience and visual design, and programming.
For over 15 years, MAC has been developing websites for public good — including for clients in community health, public services, and higher ed. Need help implementing these accessibility standards for your website? Contact Logan Hoffman at lo***@***********ve.com or call 541.971.4113 ext. 711.
This article is also published on Medium.