5 things we learnt from Apadmi’s Accessibility ThinkTank

The over-riding sentiment from the ThinkTank was that accessibility is not just a checkbox. It has to be embedded into organisations and nurtured. Here are 5 key principles which can help with that...

1. Accessibility does align with wider business priorities

Many organisations still perceive digital accessibility as a technical or design-focused task driven by the need to ‘be compliant’. The reality is it’s so much more - inclusivity, usability, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Who doesn’t want to serve their customers a seamless digital experience which exceeds their expectations?

James Martin, Lead Designer at Co-op Insurance says: “Consumer duty is all about ensuring good outcomes for customers. It’s something we are bound to as a financial services provider, and that fits perfectly with accessibility. It’s about including everyone, particularly vulnerable customers.”

Accessibility often aligns closely with broader business priorities financial services standards or inclusive design principles in gaming, where accessibility features are increasingly becoming front-and-centre. 

“Accessibility is really about creating products that work for everyone,” explains Maya Sellon, Inclusive Design & Digital Accessibility Principal at Shell. “The idea that it’s only for specific groups of users is outdated - it’s a universal standard that reflects how people live, work, and interact with technology.”

Reframing accessibility as an enabler of better business outcomes is a good way to address any pushback within an organisation, particularly when it comes to getting accessibility prioritised within your backlog.

2. Visibility drives action

The ThinkTank revealed that one of the most impactful ways to build momentum for accessibility initiatives is by making the issues as visible as possible. 

Using user-testing tools such as Fable illustrate how people with disabilities experience their products. Seeing these journeys first-hand often drives faster, more committed action within teams. There was also a call to promote diversity in teams to incorporate lived experiences directly into the design process.

“When I worked at The Very Group, we had a rotating banner with information on our website homepage," says Lucie Farrington, Senior User Researcher at Apadmi. For those using screen reader users, this banner was constantly being announced, which was extremely disruptive. Seeing a user’s experience with this really hit home and spurred our team on.”

There are further insights on types of tools and technologies you can use to increase visibility and understanding of the digital barriers faced by those with access needs in our Accessibility whitepaper, which can be downloaded here for free.

3. A framework for progress is essential

The discussion also emphasised the importance of a structured framework for accessibility efforts. This could include:

• Awareness and education: embedding accessibility into onboarding and training programs to spread awareness to every corner of your business

• Measurement and reporting: balancing compliance metrics with user experience insights, such as Accessible Usability Scores (more on this later)

• Accessibility champions: empowering team members to lead and share accessibility knowledge ensures knowledge is not siloed in specific teams and reaches a wide range of colleagues

• Prioritisation: Some organisations find tackling impactful tasks first while building long-term strategies to be most effective

“Roles and responsibilities need to be clearly defined when it comes to prioritising accessibility," explains Catherine Mee, UX/UI Designer at DragonPass. "And it needs to be embedded into everyone’s remit.”

Creating clear frameworks helps participants to make steady progress and avoids the discouraging “all-or-nothing” mindset.

“Highlighting ‘low-hanging fruit’ gets people engaged,” adds Senior UX Designer at Asda, Paul Braddock. "And then you can introduce more complex actions as a follow up. It’s about slowly but surely building more knowledgeable advocates across the organisation.”

4. Technology offers new opportunities (and challenges) 

From AI to assistive tools, technology presents exciting opportunities to advance accessibility. The potential of AI for descriptive imaging and personalisation is huge, but the importance of oversight and management as the technologies develop shouldn't be underestimated.

EE’s Digital Accessibility Manager, Ronise Nepomuceno says: “We might need to adjust guidelines with the introduction of AI for things like describing images - we need to consider, how do we teach AI to operate in a beneficial way for accessibility?” 

Meanwhile, advancements like screen reader compatibility and device orientation adjustments are improving the mobile app experience for all users - something which also highlights how accessibility features can improve experiences for a wide range of users, not just those with disabilities.

There are challenges too, particularly when organisations rely on third-party partners who may not prioritise accessibility. Building accessibility into partnerships and processes was identified as a critical next step.

5. Measuring and acknowledging progress isn’t easy - find what works for you 

While compliance with standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is important, it often doesn’t capture the full picture.

Effective measurement needs to include usability and real-world impact, this can provide positive encouragement in showing those working on the accessibility of your product that real impact and progress is being made.

“Accessibility testing can feel daunting," says Apadmi’s Group Marketing Director Jake Sargent. "If you ‘fail’ certain tests, it can seem like an insurmountable problem, which risks discouraging teams from engaging further.”

To combat this, there are practical ways to approach measurement. EE’s Ronise Nepomuceno highlighted the need for balance between compliance and usability. She says: “While compliance with WCAG is essential for legal coverage, it’s equally important to track usability improvements over time. At EE, we created our own internal metrics to complement WCAG and focus on real user experiences.”

Apadmi’s Lucie Farrington also shared a technique that helps humanise accessibility data—the Accessible Usability Score (AUS).

“After users complete a journey, they’re asked questions like, ‘Was this unnecessarily complex?’ or, ‘Would you use this frequently?’ Their responses provide a score out of 100, which helps us identify areas where assistive technology isn’t functioning as expected.”

The group agreed that robust measurement systems not only guide improvements but also help demonstrate progress to stakeholders. This is particularly important for securing buy-in from senior leadership, as tracking accessibility outcomes can illustrate tangible benefits like improved user satisfaction, reduced support calls, and increased market reach.

Asda’s Paul Braddock shared an example of creating a culture of accountability through tracking, “During my time at Co-op, we used Jira to document progress on accessibility initiatives. It provides visibility for the entire team and ensures everyone understands how their work contributes to the broader goals.”

Participants also discussed the importance of measuring accessibility beyond the digital realm. For example, onboarding processes, team diversity, and even internal communication channels can be evaluated for inclusivity. This holistic approach helps organizations integrate accessibility into their culture, rather than treating it as a one-off project.

A collective responsibility

The overarching message was clear; accessibility is everyone’s job. From leadership buy-in to grassroots advocacy, organisations need a shared commitment to ensure digital products and services work for all users. 

The ThinkTank reinforced that accessibility isn’t about perfection - it’s about continuous improvement, collaboration, and ultimately, making a real difference wherever possible, as often as possible.

Want to get involved in our next Accessibility ThinkTank to share your insights and learn from peers? Reach out to us for details on upcoming opportunities to take part.