In today’s interconnected digital world, ensuring that technology is accessible and usable by individuals of all abilities is not a matter of convenience, but a fundamental necessity.
That makes Accessibility the fundamental consideration in all aspects of technology.
In my previous roles, we successfully elevated our accessibility rating to WCAG AAA 2.2. This achievement required significant effort across multiple areas of the business, both to attain and maintain the rating.
While managing this process, I began to ask the relationship between our accessibility efforts and the broader realms of cybersecurity and safety.
The overarching objective, after all, is to ensure the safety and security of every individual, regardless of their abilities or limitations. I see accessibility as the art and science of rendering information, activities, or environments comprehensible, meaningful, and usable for the broadest possible spectrum of individuals. In the area of technology, this concept typically translates to guaranteeing that information or services are readily available and easily navigable for people with various disabilities, whether they be physical, cognitive, or sensory in nature.
On the other hand, security decisions that are formulated solely based on our own abilities and experiences can often prove to be ineffective or even cumbersome. A good example, is the common practice of using the color red to indicate a warning or alert. While this may seem intuitive to many, it could potentially be problematic for individuals who are colorblind or have certain visual impairments. They might miss crucial security alerts, leading to vulnerabilities. This underscores the critical importance of integrating accessibility considerations into the design and implementation of security measures to ensure their universal effectiveness and applicability.
Throughout my career in software engineering, I’ve seen and been fascinated by the parallels that exist between the fields of security and accessibility. Both domains are characterised by continuous innovation, often driven by the imperative to address specific challenges or overcome particular obstacles. A classic illustration of this is the development of closed captioning technology. Initially conceptualised and designed primarily to assist individuals with hearing impairments, closed captioning has evolved to become a widely used feature that enhances the viewing experience for a diverse audience, including language learners, people in noisy environments, and those who simply prefer reading along with audio content. (I used CC as a way to improve my ESL back in the day when I was educating myself in ESL 🙂)
For those who are interested in a career in cybersecurity, it is important to internalise the fact that you are serving and safeguarding a user base with an incredibly diverse range of abilities, backgrounds, and needs. You might even be required by legislation to provide experience seamless to that widest audiences.
To truly create robust and inclusive security measures, it is absolutely necessary to engage in comprehensive user research, actively seek out feedback from a wide variety of sources, and conduct thorough testing with a diverse group of individuals. This approach ensures that your security protocols and systems are not only theoretically sound but also practically effective for all potential users, regardless of their unique circumstances or abilities.
Looking back on my journey through accessibility, software engineering, and security, I remember how challenging it was to juggle all these areas at once. I was lucky enough to meet some amazing people along the way who really knew their stuff. They were like my personal dream team, guiding me and sharing their wisdom. Thanks to them, I learned how to create experiences that are not just user-friendly, but user-fantastic by balancing these three super important pieces of the puzzle.
And for software engineers like me, this literally is not a set and forget approach, you should always be on the front-line of learning and keep your eyes sharp with the most recent recommendations from experts in those areas.
At the end, I am happy to catchup over a coffee or drink to talk about your experience and expertise in the areas related to accessibility and security.
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