Webinar Recap: The State of Automation and the Future of Accessibility

Mobile app accessibility is crucial in today’s world to ensure consumers can effectively use an app. Some general guidelines for mobile app accessibility don’t seem so general. Not to mention, all of the hoops enterprises have to jump through to make sure they are protected legally! Without adequate accessibility features, an app’s content and functionality forfeit an equal user experience. That’s why we began a webinar series this month all about accessibility in mobile app development.

In this blog post, we’re recapping the first episode of the Mobile Accessibility webinar series, featuring panelists Frank Moyer, CTO at Kobiton, and Helen Burge, Senior Accessibility Testing Manager at Testlio. 

The webinar explored the current state of automation in mobile accessibility and the future of accessibility with automation, emphasizing that mobile accessibility is a dark art, meaning that it is complex and not widely understood. Accessibility in today’s world means prioritizing it in a mobile-first world and understanding where it comes in. 

Frank shared insights on the future of accessibility with automation, addressing how organizations can achieve mobile maturity and serve all app users. He also highlighted the importance of integrating accessibility into app development from the outset and the potential benefits of doing so. This, as a result, helps organizations strengthen mobile accessibility compliance and minimize risk.

Because customers have high expectations for accessibility compliance and user experience,  enterprises should be aware of the risk associated with accessibility. Neglecting accessibility could lead to legal and financial consequences and damage an organization’s reputation. To mitigate these risks, there were strategies shared that organizations can explore, such as automation to speed up checks, being aware of manual to cover items that aren’t covered in automation, and knowing how many manual devices are essential to your test based on your users.

Some overall key takeaways of the webinar were:

• Mobile-First Testing is important. Want to learn more about this? Click here. 

• Manual Checks & Automated Trade-Offs
  • A sound automation strategy is complemented by knowledgeable manual accessibility testers and well-trained deep learning
• Mitigating Risk IS Important
  • Diving into what’s in your accessiblity toolset

Overall, the first episode of the accessibility webinar series provided valuable information and practical advice for organizations looking to enhance the accessibility of their mobile apps. Stay tuned for the next episode with the panelists, who will also be joined by Mark Steadman, Director of Software Engineering and Mobile Accessibility at Fidelity Investments, as they continue to explore accessibility and app development. If you missed part one, you can check it out here.