Does Your Website Need an Accessibility Report Card?
Did someone test your website for accessibility conformance without your knowledge and then inform you that your organization is prime for an accessibility lawsuit? Are they offering to help you fix the issues found on your website?
That notification and offer might be valid, but it also might not be the entire picture. One free test grade might not reflect how your site is doing in all its accessibility subjects because automated testing tools can't find all the problems. We believe in assessing all topics of accessibility before recommending a sit down to discuss your options on how to proceed.
How do we do it?
We don't rely on automated testing to reveal the true nature of a website's issues. We manually test it as well. We look at what makes your website unique and try to understand its mission before creating a scorecard you can use in your decision-making process.
This card reflects several perspectives including the issues anyone with an automated testing tool can see, including you. Many are free to use and quite robust in their feedback. Give one a try. For example, Code Sniffer.
But don't stop there. Our scorecard also reflects a sample of other accessibility issues not seen by the tool.
Last but not least, we look at how you are delivering your website. This part of the review is critical to understanding whether fixing or rebuilding the site is going to be your most cost-effective solution.
Website Grade
Just like the report card you got as a kid, we use grades to convey the accuracy and quality of your work, or in this case, your website. As you can see below, there are degrees of quality: A through D. No F, for failure. We assume no site is that bad.
- A – Responsive & modern platform, main issues residing solely in the content
- B – Responsive & modern platform, but issues with template items such as menus, sidebars, and in-line styling
- C – Responsive & modern platform, but many features need to be replaced or reworked to achieve compliance
- D – Antiquated platform, non-responsive, easier to rebuild vs. fix
The Scorecard is not intended to act as a thorough report or formal recommendation, simply a high-level overview. It's our tool to facilitate a conversation with you and help you choose the best path to remediation.
For example, we might find that you are using a content management system tuned to meet the accessibility criterion, but your content developers aren't using appropriate techniques when posting. Fixing existing content issues without “fixing” the reason the issues exist just means your site will continue to have problems.
Or the example could be far worse. We hate to say it in this day of accessibility lawsuits, but there are still platforms out there that don't follow the rules. If your site was created using an antiquated approach, it might be more cost effective to rebuild rather than create workarounds in your current system.
Our Passion
Here at Promet Source, we are passionate about accessibility. We offer an array of services and remediation options that can be shaped to fit your needs. But, be warned, we are not a quick fix/band-aid company. We believe in enabling you to move forward knowing that you have a fully accessible site and the means to keep it accessible.
The decision process associated with such an undertaking can feel overwhelming. That's why we offer the scorecard as part of your remediation process. It's your tool to use in helping others in your organization to understand the level of effort you are facing by moving forward.
We find that when all stakeholders have an understanding and are vested in doing the right thing, the future of a website is easier to envision.
We look forward to talking to you about that phone call you got by surprise or that unsolicited email full of ill tidings. Don't worry, we can help you understand and make informed decisions.
