What Your Organization Can Implement Right now, with Lessons Learned from A11yTO Conf

Today we discuss accessibility with Mathieu Thériault and Rocío Alvarado, digital accessibility specialists at Ciao. Mathieu and Rocío have just returned from a conference on the subject and share their impressions.

Why Accessibility Now?

We all live online: making an appointment, applying for a job, making a payment, reading the news. When a site isn't accessible, people are left at the door—and organizations lose customers, talent, and credibility. The good news is that improving accessibility is neither esoteric nor just for experts. With a few clear decisions, an aligned team, and simple practices, you can make quick and measurable progress.

What the Field Shows us

At the A11yTO Conf (conference) in October, one idea took hold: cognitive accessibility and mental health are gaining momentum. Too many activities, confusing routes, information overload; these are real obstacles that increase the mental load and lead to abandonment. Conversely, quiet interfaces, a clear content hierarchy, self-explanatory labels, and control over animations help everyone, not just a "minority." Another shared observation: accessibility is a team effort. When PO, UX/UI, developers, writers, and QA align from the beginning, you avoid late and costly fixes and deliver inclusive experiences faster.

The Canadian Context in Brief

In Canada, there are three main frameworks that guide organizations:

• Ontario: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) targets the accessibility of web content (WCAG 2.0 AA, and increasingly 2.1/2.2 for best practices). Covered entities must comply with standards and report on their compliance.
• Quebec: Web Accessibility Standard (SGQRI 008 3.0), based on a mis between WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2, applies to the public sector; The private sector also benefits by following these rules to reduce risks and costs.
• Federal: The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) requires public plans, consultation, and reporting, with alignment with WCAG 2.1 AA and inclusive design for federally regulated organizations.

Not a legal expert? No big deal. Aim for WCAG 2.2 Level AA, adopt a simple policy, and equip your team to consistently deliver inclusive experiences.

What's in it for your organization:

• More people who get their tasks done right the first time (fewer abandonments, more conversions).
• A brand that attracts talent and builds public trust.
• Less technical debt: designing accessible from the start costs less than correcting after the fact.
• Better compliance control: less legal and reputational risk.
  
  

Your 7-Step Strategy (Practical and Reusable)

1. State the vision and governance

• Name an executive sponsor and accountable person (Accessibility Lead).
• Write a one-page policy: scope (site/app), standard (WCAG 2.2 AA), roles (PO, UX, dev, content, QA), release schedule.
• Set 3 clear quarterly goals (e.g.: audit of the buying and application journey; AA compliance of design system components; basic training for 100% of the product team).

2. Make a targeted diagnosis

• Audit critical journeys (login, buy, pay, apply, contact).
• Prioritize based on impact on the user: correct problems that are blocking first (keyboard navigation, focus management, media alt tags).
• Establish an accessibility backlog with severity levels (critical, major, minor) and make sure someone is accountable for fixing it.

3. Design (or update) an accessible design system

• Colors and contrasts: AA for normal text (4.5:1), AAA for small text; Visible states (hover, active, focus).
• Typography and layout: legible sizes, sufficient line spacing, comfortable line length, consistent H1–H2–H3 hierarchy.
• Components: buttons, forms, modals, tabs, carousels; Correct HTML semantics, relevant ARIA labels, logical tab order.
• Documentation: Include examples, anti-patterns, and accessibility criteria for each component.

4. Respect user preferences

• Reduce animations if the system says "prefers-reduced-motion"; offer a "Stop Animations" control.
• Prefer high-contrast modes and system themes (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).
• Preserve readability when zooming 200–400%; Avoid blocks of frozen text that overflow.

5. Write clear content

• Descriptive titles, short sentences, simple vocabulary; Avoid jargon or explain it.
• Explicit links (e.g., "Download accessibility guide") rather than "Click here”.
• Useful alt texts for images (what, why, context); transcripts and captions for videos; Descriptions for key visuals.

6. Test continuously (not just at the end)

• Keyboard: everything must work without a mouse; logical order, pitfalls avoided, escape modals via Esc.
• Screen readers: Check titles, lists, tables, forms, error messages, and status feedback (pass/fail).
• Accessibility settings: high contrast, text size, animation reduction, zoom.
• Involve users with a variety of profiles (vision, motor skills, hearing, cognition) in short and frequent tests.

7. Train and align culture

• Add accessibility criteria to user stories ("As a keyboard user, I can complete the payment without a trap”).
• Offer micro-trainings to PO, UX/UI, devs, writers, and QA; Create a dedicated internal chat channel.
• Measure, share, and celebrate improvements (lower abandonment rate, higher satisfaction).

Download our practical guide to the accessibility lifecycle! 

You will find: 

• Actionable advice on how to integrate digital accessibility into your projects,
• Useful tools to validate accessibility,
• And even a checklist to use in your projects!

Download your practical guide now!

Real-World Examples that Make an Immediate Difference (Inspired by the Discussions at A11yTO Conf)

• Use clear titles and consistent visuals to help users easily navigate an interface or document.
• Provide breaks and flexible options during workshops or interviews to accommodate needs related to stress, neurodivergence, or fatigue.
• Include long descriptions for graphics and images so that everyone can understand the content, even without vision.
• Testing with people with disabilities from the beginning, considering them as full users, not special cases.
• Avoid overloading users' memory, for example by displaying all the necessary information on the screen without requiring them to remember previous steps.
  
  

Ontario, Federal, Quebec: How to Navigate

• In Ontario (AODA): aim for WCAG 2.0 AA for formal compliance; Design now for 2.1/2.2 to cover mobile, alternative inputs, and cognitive considerations. Keep evidence (reports, audits, action plans).
• In Quebec (SGQRI): rely on the standard (based on WCAG 2.1 AA and 2.2). Even in the private sector, following these rules reduces risk and improves overall quality.
• Federally regulated (ACA): Publish an accessibility plan, consult with affected people and report on progress. Align your internal criteria with WCAG 2.21 AA to stay ahead of changes.

Addressing Common Objections

• "It's too expensive": correcting a component that is not accessible after the fact costs more than designing it accessible from the start. The gains (reduction in abandonment, increase in satisfaction) quickly compensate for the investment.
• "Few users are concerned": many limitations are invisible or temporary (fatigue, stress, migraine, noisy environment). Accessibility benefits the majority.
• "It blocks creativity": on the contrary, useful constraints push for simpler, coherent and effective solutions.

Taking Action this Week

1. Choose a priority path (e.g., application or payment) and complete a 60-minute mini-audit.
2.  Publish a one-page accessibility policy (WCAG 2.2 AA, roles, timeline).
3. Update 5 key components of the design system (button, text field, selector, modal, menu) for WCAG 2.2 AA.
4.  Add an accessibility criterion to each user story.
5. Schedule a short training (90 minutes) for UX, dev, and content.

Talk to us about your project!

The Main Takeaways

Accessibility is not an one-off project, it is an ongoing practice. The discussions at A11yTO Conf remind us that thinking about the cognitive and giving teams the right tools is a game-changer. In Ontario, at the federal level or in Quebec, the path is similar: start small, move forward regularly, build your team, and measure your progress. The most difficult thing is the first step. The rest? It's mostly common sense, rigor, and teamwork.

 Did you know that we also offer training sessions to up-skill yourself, your team and your organization?  Consult our training catalogue here!