Accessible workforce apps: ArcTouch's Ben Ogilvie joins the VOScast Podcast

ArcTouch head of accessibility Ben Ogilvie recently joined the VOScast podcast to discuss how and why companies can make workforce apps more inclusive for employees and job seekers. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, from reframing accessibility as an opportunity to compete for top talent to how to prepare for changing standards and regulations. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion:

1. Accessibility is a strategic opportunity, not just a checkbox

It's crucial to shift the mindset from viewing accessibility as a mere compliance requirement to recognizing its potential for innovation and broader reach. This shift unlocks opportunities to improve user experience for everyone — and expand the customer base or talent pool. Thinking of accessibility as a strategic advantage can lead to more creative and effective solutions.

"I start by framing accessibility as an opportunity rather than just a compliance requirement,” Ben said, “emphasizing the points around broader reach and retention. … It is good for a brand in general. It's good for aligning with corporate social responsibility and a number of other benefits there."

At ArcTouch, we firmly believe that the business case for accessibility-first app development is unbeatable.  

2. Used responsibly, AI tools can be a boon to accessibility

AI is rapidly changing the accessibility landscape, offering new possibilities for creating more inclusive digital experiences. From real-time transcription to image recognition, AI-powered tools can significantly improve accessibility. While AI tools can boost accessible development, responsible implementation, and human oversight become even more critical.

“I think AI is actually going to increase demand for accessibility expertise and disability inclusion,” Ben said, “because it will make it easier for more teams and more companies to say yes to accessibility by incorporating it into the product work stream in an efficient way." 

3. Accessible workforce apps open doors to opportunity

Workforce apps play a crucial role in connecting individuals with job opportunities. It's vital to ensure these apps are accessible to all, regardless of ability, to promote a more inclusive workforce. Simple changes can make a big difference in ensuring that everyone has equal access to employment opportunities.

By prioritizing accessibility in workforce apps, we can help create a more equitable and inclusive job market.

"When you talk about employment, that is literally people's livelihoods, and so (accessibility) is even more critical there” than with other types of applications, Ben said. He offered employers a few tips to start: “Make sure forms that need to be filled out (by candidates) are robust enough to work for screen readers and alternative navigation.” Also, he added, make sure to allow for keyboard-only navigation that doesn’t require a mouse or trackpad. 

4. Prepare now for WCAG 3.0 and the future of accessibility

The upcoming W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 3.0), while still in early draft and likely to go through a number of revisions, will bring significant changes to digital accessibility guidelines — in particular, more explicitly extending beyond web best practices into apps, the IoT, and more. However, it’s not expected to be released for several years. In the meantime, companies should focus on achieving conformance with WCAG 2.2 — to stay abreast of current industry best practices. 

"I think the first thing that teams should be doing to get ready for WCAG 3.0 is to get past that hurdle of conformance with 2.2,” he said. “WCAG 3.0 is meant to cover a wider range of digital products and emerging technologies than WCAG 2. And it'll also place greater emphasis on cognitive accessibility." 

He added that preparing for WCAG 3.0 requires a shift in mindset, from simply meeting technical requirements to optimizing for user experience.

Listen to the podcast & explore digital accessibility further

Interested in learning more about our approach to digital accessibility? Listen to the full podcast episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or directly on the Geographic Solutions website. 

For a deeper look into app accessibility, download the State of Mobile App Accessibility report (coming soon!).