How do you embed digital accessibility into the DNA of your organization?

With the concrete steps below, we help you structurally embed digital accessibility into your organization's workflow – and into the mindset of your colleagues. How do you achieve that? Read the step-by-step guide for medium to large organizations – and for small teams.

Small or large team: what can you do?

Do you have a department with multiple marketers or communication specialists? Or do you work with external partners who supply or publish content? Then it's important that everyone knows how to create and publish digitally accessible content. This saves time, prevents errors, and ensures shared responsibility.

Do you work in a small team without a separate communication department? Or are you doing most of the work alone? No problem – even with limited resources, you can achieve a lot. For example, do you (yet) lack the budget to immediately fix all accessibility issues? Be transparent: communicate what does not yet meet the standards and when it will be addressed.

1. Create a content template and publication checklist

For larger teams

Create a digitally accessible Word or Google Docs template with an example heading structure. Explain in it how to deliver accessible content, with instructions about headings, alt texts, and link descriptions. This lays a solid foundation for accessible content on your site. 

For all teams (large & small)

Draft a simple checklist for publishing content. Think of points such as:

• Does the article have the correct heading structure? Is it clear to the reader what they can expect under each heading?

• Do the images have alt texts (or has a conscious choice been made to omit them)? [Read more about alt texts here.]

• Has the page been checked after publication with a tool like Axe DevTools? Have any issues been resolved?

2. Organize a training on digital accessibility

In medium and large organizations, multiple people often work on (the delivery of) content. It is useful if as many colleagues as possible are aware of the rules and importance of digital accessibility. This reduces the need for corrections by the marketing department.

Therefore, plan a short training or inspiration session, given by an external expert. An outsider can often create awareness and transfer knowledge more effectively – even if you are still learning yourself.

3. Check accessibility yourself and with your audience 

Make it standard to check new pages with tools like Axe DevTools, WAVE, or Lighthouse. This allows you to quickly identify new accessibility issues.

However, mistakes can creep in. Therefore, plan a broader check regularly, for example, quarterly. Involve different departments – and, if possible, people from your audience with disabilities. Think, for example, of someone with reduced vision. Assign them the task of finding information about your location, performance/concert/exhibition, and contact details. How do they go about it, and what obstacles do they encounter? This prevents it from being a one-time action or the responsibility of just one person – and keeps your website truly accessible to everyone.

Accessibility doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be thoughtful. Everything you do to lower digital barriers makes your offering more accessible – and inclusive – for a broader audience.

4. Incorporate accessibility into all your briefings

Do you work with a copywriter, video maker, or web developer? Include digital accessibility as a standard in your briefing. This makes it clear that it is not an 'extra' but an integral part of the assignment.

Finally

Digital accessibility is not a project with an end date, but an ongoing process. By integrating it into your daily work and collaboration, you increase the impact – and support – within your organization.

Start small, celebrate successes, and keep learning. This way, you work step by step on an inclusive digital experience – for everyone.

Want more in-depth information? Check out all articles on digital accessibility. Missing something? Let us know via communicatie@den.nl (opens in new tab).