A journey to digital accessibility
Enhancing the accessibility of digital channels for a leading European bank to comply with global standards, improve user inclusivity and spread culture of accessibility.
#Analysis and Assessment
#Digital Accessibility
#Design
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the challenge
To elevate the accessibility of digital channels to meet WCAG standards, addressing non-compliance issues and ensuring universal usability.
SCENARIO
Commitment to an inclusive digital experience
In recent years, regulatory frameworks have emerged, prompting companies to ensure that their digital platforms are accessible to all users. This has led businesses to adjust their online offerings to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), reflecting both regulatory compliance obligations and a desire to improve accessibility for all users.
In response, a leading European bank embarked on a strategic initiative to enhance the accessibility of its digital interfaces, including web, mobile platforms and internal communication channels. By collaborating with specialists from Reply, the bank aimed to engineer a cohesive and inclusive digital environment for both its customers and employees.
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the solution
A multifaceted approach to digital accessibility
The mission to improve digital accessibility took a holistic approach, driven by the collaborative efforts across different Reply teams.
Concept Reply dedicated its efforts to conducting detailed assessments, including User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and gap analysis; our experts identified and evaluated accessibility barriers thanks to an accessibility testing solution powered by Generative AI, and by working closely with the client's internal Disability Management structures through the involvement of real users within the bank.
Bitmama Reply took the lead on design, leveraging their specialised knowledge in accessibility to ensure user-friendly and inclusive design.
Meanwhile, Technology Reply applied its expertise in front-end development to implement these inclusive design principles effectively. This unified strategy addressed not only immediate needs for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) but also established a foundation for ongoing improvements, planning to involve new channels and portals being used within the banking institution.
KEY INTERVENTION AREAS
Tackling accessibility challenges
Throughout the project, the team encountered a variety of accessibility issues that highlighted the need for comprehensive enhancements across digital platforms. Examples of these challenges included:
Web responsiveness
Efforts were focused on expanding compatibility across a wider range of devices, simplifying UI/UX navigation, and recalculating workflows to ensure a seamless experience on any device.
Colour and contrast
Adjustments were made to accommodate users with visual impairments, ensuring that all users could easily distinguish text and graphical elements through enhanced colour schemes and contrast ratios.
Keyboard navigation
Improvements were implemented to enable smooth navigation using both keyboards and cursors, removing barriers that previously hindered access for users unable to use a mouse.
Assistive technologies compatibility
Enhancements were made to improve compatibility with assistive tools, notably screen readers. By improving functionality and integrating ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes for a clearer web structure, these changes notably enhanced accessibility for users of assistive technologies.
Expanded audience reach
Significantly broadened the user base by making digital channels accessible to individuals with various disabilities, including visual and motor impairments, including temporary ones.
Enhanced usability
Improved navigation, colour contrast, font sizing, and spacing, making the experience more user-friendly for all customers.
Continuous improvement framework
Established an ongoing process for monitoring, evaluating, and enhancing digital accessibility, ensuring services evolve with user needs and technological advancements.
Positive ESG impact
Improving accessibility underscores a commitment to social responsibility, thereby contributing significantly to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives.
Increase in accessibility awareness
Thanks to the workshops organized for the vertical content to raise awareness among publishers and the documents created for the development, design, and content teams to be used as a guide for every project from scratch.
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Bitmama Reply is a creative and design consulting company founded in 2009, with the mission of boosting business growth. Guided by a strategic and creative approach, and supported by the most innovative technologies, Bitmama Reply strives every day to achieve the ambitions of its customers.
Concept Reply specializes in the research, development, and validation of innovative solutions in the IoT (Internet of Things) field. Today, we are recognized as a center of expertise and excellence in Testing and Quality Assurance, and include a Business Unit that specializes in this service. Thanks to our laboratories and to an international team of professionals specializing in the QA and Validation fields, we are able to offer companies end-to-end support for the validation of products and services, while also optimizing costs and time-to-market.
Technology Reply is the Reply Group company specialising in the design and implementation of innovative solutions based on Oracle technologies. Thanks to the in-depth expertise and experience gained in over twenty years of activity, Technology Reply supports its customers in their innovation and digital transformation processes, with teams of professionals operating in all phases of the life cycle of complex projects: analysis, design, implementation, roll-out and deployment.