The Hidden Power of Inclusion? Reach!

W3C Accessibility Compliance. If you know this phrase you likely serve the public in some capacity and are aware of the need for your online presence to be accessible for those who are hearing and visually impaired.  At InspireHUB Technologies, we believe that accessible technology is a human right.  We are happy to report that some governments have passed legislation as they work to make this a reality.  There's no doubt that ensuring your online presence can be accessed by everyone is just the right thing to do.  It also ends up that adopting technologies that assist everyone can do more than just make you feel good; it can have direct benefits to your bottom line.

What is web accessibility?

Web accessibility is an initiative that has been promoted by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) - an international community where member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.  If you are not familiar with W3C we recommend that you take a visit and look around. The members include an extensive list of organizations and influencers from around the world. The fundamental idea behind web accessibility is that the web should be available and accessible to everyone. As W3C points out "The Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, culture, location, or physical or mental ability. When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability." 

Is it true that web accessibility is legislated?

Yes, in certain places.  In North America (for example) some provinces and states have legislated that government websites must be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines presented by W3C.

Why is web accessibility and inclusion important?

When it comes to providing public services to a community any city, town, or government organization would want to ensure access for all its citizens regardless of whether or not their legislation requires them to participate in such a program.  It is the right and ethical thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do!   

What is the relationship between apps and accessibility?

For an organization that wants or needs to be compliant with accessibility guidelines the design of a native app immediately presents some problems.  First, native apps do not universally work on all devices.  It can be costly to design an app for one device let alone multiple devices.  Additionally, the moment you make a decision to design a native app for only one or two devices, you are immediately excluding anyone from being able to engage with you who does not have that specific device. The good news is that the latest in cutting edge app technology (Progressive Web Apps) addresses this issue. Using mobile browsers they allow for anyone to engage through any device while still providing many of the same functions and features as native apps.

How does this impact my bottom line?

Progressive Web Apps are reporting 2 - 5X the amount of engagement of their users over their native apps counterpart.  This is due in large part that they are not restricted by hardware as they can work on any device that has access to a browser.  They also offer the same functionality as native apps such as the ability to work offline and push notification. Having the ability to double your engagement and reach is something that any organization desires.  What would you be able to do with double the amount of engagement?

The IHUBApp is one of the simplest app building tools in the marketplace and uses Progressive Web App technology that allows organizations to have the power of their own app for a fraction of the cost.  

Are you a City or Town? Learn more here.