Useful Templates To Make A Strong Case For Accessibility #
1. “But Accessibility Is An Edge Case!” #
❌ “But accessibility is an edge case.” Given our current financial situation, we unfortunately cannot invest in this right now.”
🙅🏽♀️ “I respectfully disagree. One in six people around the world experience disabilities. In fact, our competitors [X, Y, Z] have already launched their accessibility initiatives ([references]), and we seem to be falling behind. Additionally, improving accessibility doesn’t have to be expensive. However, it will become very costly if we wait to retrofit later.”
2. “But There Is No Business Value In Accessibility!” #
❌ “We recognize that accessibility is important, but for now, we need to concentrate on efforts that will directly benefit the business.”
🙅🏼♂️ “I understand your perspective, but it’s important to note that accessibility actually benefits businesses directly. On a global scale, there are an estimated 2.3 billion people with disabilities who collectively control an additional $6.9 trillion in annual disposable income. By prioritizing accessibility, you can significantly align with your goals of increasing leads, enhancing customer engagement, mitigating risks, and reducing costs.” (via Yichan Wang)
3. “But We Don’t Have Disabled Users!” #
❌ “Why should we prioritize accessibility? According to our data, we don’t have any disabled users at all. It seems like a waste of time and resources.”
🙅♀️ “If a product is inaccessible, users with disabilities cannot and will not be able to use it. However, by making our product more accessible, we can attract potential users for years to come. Even small improvements can have a significant impact, and they don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.”
4. “Screen Readers Won’t Work With Our Complex System!” #
❌ “Why should we prioritize accessibility? According to our data, we don’t have any disabled users at all. It seems like a waste of time and resources.”
🙅♀️ “If a product is inaccessible, users with disabilities cannot and will not be able to use it. However, by making our product more accessible, we can attract potential users for years to come. Even small improvements can have a significant impact, and they don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.”
5. “We Can’t Win Market With Accessibility Features!” #
❌ “To increase our market share, we need features that benefit everyone and improve our standing against the competition. We can’t win the market with accessibility.”
🙅🏾♂️ “Modern products succeed not by adding more features but by developing better features that enhance customer efficiency, success rate, and satisfaction. Accessibility is a crucial part of these features. For example, voice control and auto-complete were initially designed for accessibility but are now widely used by everyone. In fact, the entire customer base benefits from accessibility features.”
6. “Our Customers Can’t Relate To Accessibility Needs” #
❌ “Our research clearly shows that our customers are young and healthy, and they don’t have accessibility needs. We have other priorities, and accessibility isn’t one of them.”
🙅♀️ “I respectfully disagree. People of all ages can have accessibility needs. In fact, incorporating accessibility features demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity, allowing you to reach potential customers of any age, regardless of their abilities.
Doing so not only resonates with a diverse audience but also positions your brand as socially responsible and empathetic. Additionally, our younger user base increasingly values corporate responsibility, which can serve as a significant differentiator for us and help build a loyal customer base for years to come.” (via Yichan Wang)
7. “Let’s Add Accessibility Later” #
**❌ “Currently, we need to focus on the core features of our product. We can always add accessibility later once the product is more stable.”**
**🙅🏼 “I understand the concerns regarding timing and costs. However, it’s important to emphasize that integrating accessibility from the start is much more cost-effective than retrofitting it later. If accessibility is addressed only after development is complete, we risk significant additional expenses for auditing and potentially extensive redesign and redevelopment work. This process can end up being much more costly than incorporating accessibility from the beginning. Additionally, delaying accessibility may expose your business to legal risks. With the increasing number of lawsuits regarding non-compliance with accessibility standards, the potential legal costs could far exceed the investment required to implement accessibility now. Therefore, the financially prudent choice is to prioritize accessibility at this stage.”**
