Project Definition
Extending JPL's committment to accessibility by creating digital accessibility training, conducting accessibility audits, and creating clear internal policies around compliance with NASA mandates for accessibility.
Business Problem
JPL's software development teams used informal processes and information sharing to promote accessibility. This created a varied landscape, with different interpretations of what digital accessibility was and how it was achieved with our internal systems and tools. There was no formal training provided for digital accessibility. There was a lack of clarity of who to go to with questions about digital accessibility or to find help with meeting accessibility compliance mandates.
Team Challenges
- Lack of guidance on how to achieve compliance
- No central source for training or resources for testing and remediation
- No long-term support for digital accessibility on products once they were shipped
- Need for advocacy for the disability community
Project Focus
- Project Management
- Process Design
- Service Design
- Accessibility Testing
- Training
- Education
- Coaching
- Mentorship
Initial Approach
Starting with informal information sharing sessions, we gradually built training and education around digital accessibility that led to shifts in mindset and a refocus of institutional values on creating a more accessible workplace.
Mapping the Journey
Our first activity was in developing a clear strategy for addressing the current state of accessibility on the Lab. We conducted informal interviews with key partners across technical and business teams. We brought together engineers, business administrators, policy decision makers, and employees with disabilities into working design workshops where we analyzed the current state and envisioned the future.
We created a journey map of the accomodations process and worked with partners across Human Resources in better understanding the perspectives of people with disabilities as they navigated the process.
The outputs and synthesis of the information from the workshops allowed us to better understand how to create clear goals and strategy for the future. We came up with a framework that could be simply applied to multiple areas of the Lab in terms of understanding and getting alignment across various parts of the enterprise.
Approach to Building the Digital Accessibility Program
- Understand - Use historical data, discussions with stakeholders, and survey data to see what is already working.
- Test - Design and deploy pilot initiatives that start small, many times operating in those areas where good work is already being done.
- Measure - Set up ways to gather information on how effective the pilot initiatives are and compare with broader metrics from the institution.
- Scale - Share results of these initiatitives with the Lab and leverage existing structures to scale the intitiatives that are working.
Defining a Solution
An interactive training module was created to quickly give employees a baseline understanding of digital accessibility
Empowering Teams with Knowledge
We held Labwide information sessions on accessibility and disability awareness during the National Disability Employment Awareness Month, October 2023. These sessions allowed us to expose the Lab population to key issues surrounding digital accessibility and the need for considering and including employees with disabilities in
Extending the Vision with Action
We created the Digital Accessibility Working Group (DAWG) that outlined key digital accessibility intitatives. We were comprised of individuals across the Lab in engineering, IT, communications, cybersecurity, and enterprise business services. We all had varying degrees of knowledge in digital accessibility in our respective fields and shared our unique perspectives on how to approach our key initiatives.
Key Digital Accessibility Initiatives
- Introduction to Digital Accessibility Training Module (HTML Version)
- Accessibility testing and remediation of top 10 most used internal sites.
- Developing an "Accessibility in Procurements" playbook.
- Updating Website Criteria policy to include clear statements about Section 508 compliance
- Accessible tour routes map of the Lab
- Guidance for Accessible PDFs
Building a Coalition
We also helped to form the Disability Advocacy Networking Group which brought together employees with disabilities and advocates for accessibility. We used the strength of the Lab's community building to formalize a network of individuals. This would enable us to gather feedback from the community that had deep interest in work being done on key accessibility intitatives.
Retrospective
The Future is Bright
It has been both challenging and exciting building the digital accessibility program at JPL. Although the landscape has changed dramatically recently, we continue to have dedicated professionals who are committed to enhancing the experience of digital platforms for people with disabilities. The goal for me is always to go beyond compliance, into a place where accessibility is not an afterthought but is planned and carefully considered, designed intentionally with direct participation from the disability community. Outside of work I do for JPL, I have seen and been a part of a growing movement of designers, developers, project managers, and other caring people to make accessibility part of their jobs regardless of their official titles and work designations.
I continue to look forward to siezing opportunities to make digital services and products more usable and accessible for all.
