SayPro Information and Targets Needed for the Quarter: WCAG 2.1 Compliance

Information and Targets Needed for the Quarter WCAG 2.1 Compliance: Ensure the SayPro website meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 at the AA level by the end of the quarter from SayPro Monthly January SCMR-17 SayPro Monthly Inclusive Design: Ensure the site is accessible to users with disabilities by SayPro Online Marketplace Office under SayPro Marketing Royalty SCMR

Objective:

Ensure that the SayPro website meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level by the end of the quarter. This involves conducting accessibility audits, identifying issues, implementing solutions, and ensuring that all future updates comply with these standards to provide an inclusive experience for users with disabilities.

Key Information Needed

1. Current Accessibility Status:
   • Audit Results: A full accessibility audit of the SayPro website, including automated and manual testing, to assess compliance with WCAG 2.1 at the AA level.
   • Existing Issues: A list of currently identified accessibility issues and gaps from the last audit. This should include visual, navigational, interactive, and multimedia elements.
   • User Feedback: Feedback from users with disabilities regarding their experience on the site, which can provide insights into real-world usability issues.
2. Team and Resources:
   • Accessibility Team: A dedicated team of designers, developers, content creators, and QA testers trained in WCAG guidelines to ensure proper implementation.
   • Tooling and Software: Accessibility testing tools (e.g., Axe, WAVE, Lighthouse) to identify potential issues automatically, along with manual testing resources such as screen readers and keyboard navigation for more thorough evaluation.
   • Training Resources: Ensure all team members involved in web development and design have received the necessary training on accessibility best practices and WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
3. Timeline and Milestones:
   • Audit Period: Set a date range for conducting initial and follow-up accessibility audits.
   • Implementation Phases: Divide the implementation process into specific phases (e.g., initial issues, intermediate progress, final compliance review) with measurable milestones.
   • Reporting Schedule: Regular progress updates and reports to track progress, identify roadblocks, and adjust timelines if necessary.
4. Documentation and Compliance Reporting:
   • Compliance Checklist: Develop a detailed WCAG 2.1 Compliance Checklist to verify adherence to each criterion at the AA level.
   • Compliance Reports: Monthly or bi-weekly reports documenting progress, newly identified issues, issues resolved, and overall compliance status.
   • Testing Results: Record results of both automated and manual testing conducted during the quarter.

Targets for the Quarter

To achieve WCAG 2.1 AA compliance by the end of the quarter, the following targets must be set:

1. Accessibility Audits Completion:
   • Initial Audit: Complete the initial accessibility audit within the first two weeks of the quarter.
   • Follow-Up Audits: Schedule follow-up audits at the mid-point of the quarter (6 weeks in) to assess progress on resolving issues.
   • Final Audit: Complete the final audit in the last week of the quarter to confirm that all WCAG 2.1 AA criteria have been met.
2. Issues Resolution:
   • High-Priority Issues: Resolve all critical issues (e.g., missing alt text, keyboard accessibility problems, low contrast) within the first month of the quarter.
   • Medium-Priority Issues: Resolve 75% of medium-priority issues (e.g., ARIA roles, form validation) within the first two months of the quarter.
   • Low-Priority Issues: Resolve the remaining low-priority issues (e.g., minor design inconsistencies, non-essential content) by the end of the quarter.
3. User Testing and Feedback:
   • User Testing Sessions: Conduct at least two rounds of testing with users with disabilities (focus groups or individual testing) to gather qualitative feedback on accessibility improvements.
   • User Feedback Implementation: Implement feedback from user testing sessions to address any usability gaps that have not been covered by automated/manual testing.
4. Training and Knowledge Sharing:
   • Team Training: Ensure that all involved team members (designers, developers, content creators) complete at least one internal training session on WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.
   • Best Practices Documentation: Distribute an internal document outlining best practices for maintaining accessibility, including design and development tips specific to the SayPro platform.
5. Compliance Reporting:
   • Compliance Report Template: Implement and maintain a WCAG 2.1 Compliance Report that tracks issues identified, issues resolved, and overall compliance status. Reports should be generated monthly and shared with stakeholders.
   • Final Compliance Report: By the end of the quarter, generate a final compliance report indicating the overall compliance status, any remaining issues, and the action plan for ongoing compliance beyond the quarter.
6. Post-Compliance Maintenance Plan:
   • Ongoing Monitoring: Establish a process for ongoing accessibility monitoring after the quarter ends to ensure that future updates to the site maintain WCAG 2.1 compliance.
   • Quarterly Reviews: Set up quarterly accessibility reviews to ensure continued compliance with WCAG 2.1 and to address any new accessibility challenges that may arise.

Success Metrics and KPIs

1. Audit Results:
   • Achieve at least 90% compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA criteria by the end of the quarter.
   • Reduce identified accessibility issues by 80% during the quarter.
2. Resolution Rate:
   • 100% resolution of high-priority issues by the 4th week.
   • 75% resolution of medium-priority issues by the 8th week.
   • 100% resolution of low-priority issues by the end of the quarter.
3. User Feedback:
   • Collect feedback from at least 10 users with disabilities.
   • Implement at least 70% of actionable feedback provided by users.
4. Training Success:
   • Ensure 100% participation from relevant team members in accessibility training.
   • Document and distribute at least 5 key accessibility best practices across teams.

7. Communication and Stakeholder Involvement

• Internal Stakeholder Updates:
  • Provide monthly status reports to internal stakeholders (executive team, marketing team, product managers) detailing progress towards accessibility compliance.
  • Regular Check-ins: Organize bi-weekly or monthly meetings with key stakeholders to discuss ongoing challenges, potential roadblocks, and any adjustments needed to meet the quarterly goal.
  • Transparency: Maintain transparency regarding any issues that may cause delays and offer clear timelines for resolution.
• External Communication (if applicable):
  • If the SayPro platform is used by external clients or partners, inform them of the ongoing accessibility improvements. This could also serve as an opportunity to receive external feedback to better inform improvements.

8. Cross-Department Collaboration

• Design and Development Coordination:
  • Cross-functional collaboration is essential between design, development, and content teams to ensure that accessibility is integrated into every phase of site updates and new feature implementation.
  • Create a collaborative task force or working group that meets regularly to review the accessibility progress, address concerns, and share updates.
• Marketing and Content Strategy Alignment:
  • Ensure that all marketing materials, such as blog posts, banners, email templates, and digital advertisements, are also WCAG 2.1 AA compliant. This includes ensuring text readability, video captions, and navigational accessibility on marketing sites or portals.
  • Content Strategy should include ongoing audits for text content, multimedia, and interactive elements that adhere to accessibility standards.

9. Long-Term Sustainability Plan for Accessibility

• Establishing a Permanent Accessibility Framework:
  • After achieving WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for the quarter, implement a long-term accessibility plan to ensure that the SayPro website remains compliant and accessible over time.
  • Integrate accessibility checks into the regular development cycle. Each new feature or update should be subject to accessibility testing before being rolled out.
• Automated Monitoring Tools:
  • Leverage automated accessibility tools such as Axe or WAVE as ongoing checks to monitor the website’s compliance status in real time. These tools can help quickly identify areas of non-compliance with WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
  • Set up automated reports to be shared periodically, ensuring the website does not regress in terms of accessibility.
• Accessibility Champions:
  • Designate accessibility champions within the development, design, and content teams. These individuals will be responsible for ensuring accessibility best practices are followed in their respective teams and serve as the go-to resource for accessibility-related questions.

10. Testing with Real Users

• Continuous User Testing:
  • Engage users with disabilities regularly, especially during major updates or the implementation of new features, to ensure that real-world challenges are identified.
  • Conduct user testing with diverse groups of individuals with disabilities to ensure comprehensive feedback across different disability types (e.g., visual, auditory, cognitive).
  • Collect qualitative feedback from testers about their overall experience and usability of the site. For instance, how easy it is to navigate, understand content, or access media.
• User-Centered Design:
  • Incorporate user-centered design principles into the ongoing design and development process to continuously meet the needs of users with disabilities.
  • Focus on ensuring that assistive technologies, such as screen readers, voice commands, or switch devices, are fully supported across the website.

11. Tracking and Documentation

• Accessibility Improvement Tracker:
  • Maintain an updated accessibility improvement tracker where all issues identified during the audits, testing, or from user feedback are logged, along with their respective resolutions. This should include details on the severity of each issue, the responsible team for resolution, and completion dates.
  • Ensure that all accessibility issues have a clear action plan and timeline for resolution.
• Metrics Tracking:
  • Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
    • Number of accessibility issues identified vs. resolved.
    • Time to resolve issues (i.e., from identification to completion).
    • User satisfaction based on feedback from accessibility testing sessions.
    • Percentage of compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA criteria across various sections of the site.
• Final Compliance Report:
  • At the end of the quarter, compile a final compliance report that includes a summary of the website’s accessibility compliance status, challenges encountered, issues resolved, and the next steps for continuous accessibility improvement.
  • The final report should include specific recommendations on areas for future enhancements and proactive strategies to avoid any compliance gaps.

12. Final Review and Adjustments

• Final Accessibility Audit:
  • Before the end of the quarter, conduct a final comprehensive accessibility audit to verify that the SayPro website meets all necessary WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
  • This audit should be a combination of automated tool checks, manual reviews, and user testing feedback to ensure every accessibility aspect has been addressed.
• Stakeholder Sign-off:
  • Senior stakeholders should review the final compliance report and sign off on the website’s WCAG 2.1 AA compliance before the end of the quarter.
  • Ensure that stakeholders understand the significance of meeting these standards for both legal and ethical reasons and the broader impact on users with disabilities.
• User Education and Outreach:
  • After the site is compliant, consider publishing a statement of commitment to accessibility on the SayPro website. This will show your commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible experience.
  • Educate users about the website’s accessibility features, such as keyboard shortcuts, screen reader compatibility, and alternative content formats.

Conclusion: Achieving WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

By focusing on clear and measurable targets for the quarter, SayPro can ensure that accessibility is prioritized, well-documented, and effectively implemented. Achieving WCAG 2.1 AA compliance not only addresses legal and ethical obligations but also creates a better and more inclusive user experience for all users, especially those with disabilities.

This commitment will have a long-term impact, providing a foundation for future accessibility improvements and enhancing the reputation of SayPro as a company that prioritizes inclusive design, ensuring that the website remains accessible and usable for every user in the future.