You! Yes, You!
It’s the penultimate letter in the A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform edition, and this one is all about YOU!
As this one is looking directly at the amazing reader it applies to whatever technology and solutions you build. That means it applies to Power Apps, Power BI, Power Pages, Copilot Studio, Pro-Dev, Windows, Microsoft 365, Web Design and so much more!
Just a warning, there’s going to be a lot of “Self-Help” cliches in here.
“Change begins with you”
That truism applies to so many parts of life, but it also applies here. Accessibility begins with people being driven and passionate about inclusion. By reading this then that includes you.
Having one advocate in an organisation is immeasurably more valuable than having none. When that one advocate starts sharing, they inspire others. Over time the numbers grow and a network is built. Influence grows and the voice of accessibility gets louder.
This can only happen when you choose to get involved.
“Be the change you want to see”
Do you see things in your company that don’t meet accessibility standards? Have you mentioned it?
Change happens when people know there is a better way. Delivering that feedback is the key part though. Avoid being confrontational or accusatory. Offer better ways of doing things. Present solutions to the problems.
When people are given a way forward they are more likely to change the way they work now. That doesn’t mean doing their job for them, but providing a course adjustment can be enough.
Some examples from personal experience include:
- Emails not being accessible due to colours used or the way images are used
- Document templates and colour schemes not passing accessibility checker
- Development standards not including accessibility considerations
In all of these cases I presented options and alternatives. Some involved a bit more work on my behalf, whilst others were embraced by the relevant people.
Accessibility is a journey and it’s one we cannot travel on our own.
“Great results can be achieved with small forces.” – Sun Tzu
As mentioned earlier, building a network is a massive part of influencing change. If there are already networks in place where you work, but there are still see gaps, then get involved. Help them. Support the network and get their support in making the changes that are needed.
If there isn’t a network in place, start to build one. Volume increases exponentially, it doesn’t go in a straight line. 2 voices are more than the sum of their parts. The more people added, the more influence gathered. Any more motivational statements needed?
Seriously though, for Accessibility to really become a focus it needs voices speaking out. If you are doing that then awesome, if not then please start.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
Being honest, it can get tough. It can be tiring. It can sometimes feel like screaming into the void. But it is worth it.
If I’m honest, I can get drained by all of this. I speak at events, write blogs, and see people not making changes. That can be demotivating and it can be difficult to keep going.
However, for each one of those there is someone who will have taken interest and started to make changes. Those people then inspire others, and implement changes. The ripple effects cannot be measured, but once in a while someone will say something encouraging. That is an amazing boost and is what keeps you going.
So, don’t let tiredness and lack of visible traction deter and demotivate. Instead, focus on the fact that YOU are amazing, and are having an impact. It’s just not always visible!
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Thanks for reading this post, and for showing an interest in accessibility. I really hope this A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition series is helpful to you. This post has been about You, and is the letter Y in the series (nearly at the end now!). The rest of series is available by clicking here for the main category page. There is also the introductory article available from this link here.
The series itself is © Mike Hartley. People are more than welcome to use short extracts (with attribution). If anyone would like to use larger portions then please contact me using the links on this site. The series has taken a lot of work to compile so please respect that.