Using a CMS to create accessible and transactional websites

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Using a CMS to create accessible and
transactional websites

• James Hoskins
• Immediacy CMS

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Why build an accessible website ?

• 2 million registered with sight problems
• Its unfair to discriminate
• Its the law
• Shouldnt make assumptions

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The legislation

• 1996 - Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
• 2000 - Disability Rights Commission (DRC)
• DRC publishes a Code of Practice

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Disability Rights Commission

• 81 percent of UK websites fail to meet even the
  most basic accessibility requirements for
  disabled people

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Acknowledged wisdom

• You cant please everyone
• If you dont try, you dont succeed

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Survey results

• 37 per cent of the corporate websites of FTSE
  100 companies now meet minimum international web
  content accessibility guidelines (WCAG), compared
  to just 11 per cent in the same survey last year.

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But

• Not one single FTSE 100 firm met the higher
  level two accessibility guidelines, which are
  recommended by the UK government as the minimum
  standard for businesses.

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A touch of realism

• Different standards
• DDA compliance UK
• Section 508 compliance US
• Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

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A touch of realism

• Compliance tools
• Bobby
• Wave
• A-Prompt
• LiFT
• W3C Validator

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Nothing new

• Accessibility is an extension of good usability

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How a CMS can help

• Template and style sheet consistency
• Mandatory accesibility switch
• Accessible menus and access keys
• Automatic text only view
• Switchable templates

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Best practice

• Avoid relying on colour alone
• Good crisp contrast
• Use relative text sizes
• Structural markup of content
• Clear and consistent navigation

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Switchable templates

• Enable fit for purpose design
• Templates for readers
• Enable site-wide changes

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Why build a transactional site?

• Consider those who cant use the phone
• Commercial objectives are clear
• Hard metrics drive development
• Public Sector objectives are not so clear

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The web is a place to..

• Learn
• Get things done

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Use a CMS to

• build a knowledge base

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Some things to remember

• People, process and technology
• Keep it simple and intuitive
• Keep it up to date
• Promote its availabilty
• Integrate it into existing and relevant systems

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Use a CMS to

• build a knowledge base
• get your staff collaborating

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Use a CMS to

• build a knowledge base
• get your staff collaborating
• to build forms

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Use a CMS to

• build a knowledge base
• get your staff collaborating
• to build forms
• get your audience to participate

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Example of user polls
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A CMS can deliver

• More content in a format that is easier to
  re-purpose

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A CMS deliver

• More content in a format that is easier to
  re-purpose
• Better auditing and workflow

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A CMS can deliver

• More content in a format that is easier to
  re-purpose
• Better auditing and workflow
• Greater control over presentation
• Faster Return On Investment

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Summary

• Not just about standards and compliance but about
  building accessible sites
• Think of the millions with hearing difficulties
  to help drive your transactional strategies
• Re-evaluate the roll a CMS can play in achieving
  your objectives

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• Thank you