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Accessibility and ArcGIS systems

Accessibility is the practice of ensuring that digital content, accessed through information and communications technology, is accessible to people with disabilities or to those who have limitations on how they access technology. Accessibility is an important consideration for people internal to an organization, as well as for the assets and content that are produced and shared publicly from an organization. Many organizations are also either already subject to, or expect to be subject to regulations, rules and laws that relate to accessibility.

Preparing the organization to address both internal and external requirements for accessibility generally requires planning and coordination from several different teams or individuals, typically including Software Development and Design, Legal and Compliance, and Marketing as well as other teams that contribute content for the public such as the GIS team.

The managers and professionals supporting these teams will need to understand the requirements for accessibility to ensure the required skills, tools, and time are planned for and utilized according to the organizational requirements. Ample planning for digital accessibility is key during the design and implementation of any ArcGIS-based system or application, along with the creation of recommended processes and patterns for the organization, in order to maintain an effective and successful accessibility program in compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

Existing Esri resources about accessibility include:

Building an accessibility program

An effective and sustainable accessibility program requires support from many teams throughout the organization, including but not limited to design professionals, legal, marketing, IT and data management groups. For anyone involved in these activities, it is important to be aware of the components that are foundational to a successful accessibility program, including these four general areas of work:

  1. Understand the requirements – knowing the accessibility standards needed for the organization is a key responsibility for the managers and professionals leading it. Accessibility laws vary throughout different countries, provinces, and local governments and it is important to be aware of the laws protecting people with disabilities and preventing discrimination. Management in the roles of legal, procurement, and development can support the accessibility program to ensure requirements are adhered to with the introduction of new technology and the implementation of that technology.
  2. Support the entire organization – support users across the organization with information, training, and resources that help them to author accessible content, providing both guidance and reassurance. For teams that primarily create GIS content or assets, it will be important to provide information and training that is relevant to this role to support accessibility. Key resources for the GIS team can be available from other groups or organizations or custom-developed for the specific team.
  3. Evaluate tools with IT Support – the IT team needs to review and evaluate the types of tools that will be used to develop and test accessibility for published content. These options could include free tools, paid subscriptions and licenses, or hired consultants that provide expertise and support to specific initiatives. Several teams in the organization should participate in deciding and procuring the tools to be used as well as systems and processes that would support best practices for accessibility.
  4. Monitor feedback carefully – awareness of and responsiveness to accessibility feedback from customers and users key functions of an accessibility program along with ensuring there are methods and processes to receive that feedback. Gathering and monitoring feedback about accessibility allows the organization to ensure their users feel heard, prevent potential legal issues, and learn how to correct content for better accessibility.

Understanding compliance

Accessibility compliance has important legal and ethical aspects and implications, and investment in continued improvement can support a stronger compliance program overall. While legal implications primarily focus on adhering to laws and avoiding penalties, ethical implications incorporate commitment to inclusive policies and social responsibility. Therefore, organizations should strive to integrate both legal and ethical aspects into the digital accessibility strategy to foster inclusivity and support all individuals.

It is important to note that accessibility compliance is not binary – it is not a pass or fail objective or a project that can be considered ‘completed’. Compliance with accessibility standards can be considered subjective and, in some instances, the standards for accessibility are up to interpretation as to how they manifest in different types of interfaces. This can be more challenging for new and advancing technology such as interactive mapping and geospatial applications. Understanding that the pursuit of accessibility is an ongoing initiative is key - it is a direction, not a destination.

Many organizations across the world are subject to laws and regulations which mandate accessibility standards for digital content. Depending on the nation, state, or local government, non-compliance can lead to legal action, monetary penalties, or requirements for redevelopment of the non-compliant assets such as websites or applications.

In many cases, laws and standards reference the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), produced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The WCAG guidelines are an internationally recognized set of coding standards that support digital accessibility and provide recommendations to ensure that information and communications technology are accessible to people with disabilities. By building on these guidelines, organizations can better understand how ready they are to meet global legal requirements.

WCAG version 2.2 is the most current version, which was updated in December 2024 and incorporates and replaces the previous versions. WCAG criteria are organized into Levels A, AA, and AAA. These criteria are further organized into 4 Principles of Accessibility:

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Failure to provide accessible digital assets can expose organizations to lawsuits from individuals or advocacy groups. These cases can originate from a perceived discrimination of people with disabilities based on digital accessibility failures. The costs associated with litigation can be significant, which makes compliance with accessibility laws and regulations a necessary activity to reduce financial and liability risks.

Some government agencies may scrutinize organizations and other government agencies for their accessibility practices. Depending on the specific compliance standards required and the regulatory boards monitoring and enforcing standards, accessibility audits and changes to published content may be required to meet those compliance standards.

Ethical implications

Digital accessibility is not only a legal requirement but also an ethical imperative. The ethical benefits of accessibility include ensuring inclusion, reducing barriers, providing better user experiences, and being socially responsible.

Including people of all abilities in the creation of any content, whether being provided internally or publicly, can encourage more equitable access to information and services. Inclusion of people with disabilities is an essential activity to bridge any digital divide and provide access to all, and digital accessibility best practices reduce barriers for people who are historically excluded from digital access.

For an organization to be considered socially responsible, it needs to plan for the content and services available to all members of society. By ensuring that content is digitally accessible, it is a demonstration of a commitment to social responsibility and ethical business practices.

Usability implications

Better digital accessibility in web and mobile applications can also bring significant usability benefits. It can enhance the overall user experience and foster a more compassionate digital environment. When designing with accessibility in mind, the design process usually results in clearer communication to the users of a given interface, and shows empathy to users with diverse needs.

Accessibility and usability often compliment each other. By including people with disabilities in the design process, accessibility can often lead to innovation in technology. The implementation of accessibility can lead to innovative solutions and there is an opportunity for increased market reach and providing a competitive advantage.

Designing for accessibility

Identifying and setting appropriate guidelines for digital accessibility in content creation is key to supporting accessibility in ArcGIS systems. There are several key activities in this area, including: creating a clear commitment for accessibility, providing guidance and training for teams, and creating organizational best practices.

Commitment to accessibility

Accessibility can sometimes start with internal advocacy, but to ensure that accessibility is implemented effectively, commitment from top management and leadership is critical. Goals for accessibility should be evident in communication throughout the organization and coincide with policies, resource allocation, and regular training for reinforcement. A dedicated team of identified personnel can be responsible for overseeing the activities, but this team will be challenged without support from leadership.

Training and education

Learning and understanding the standards for digital accessibility can be almost as challenging as learning a new programming language – it requires a similar level of education and training to obtain that knowledge. Providing ongoing training to employees, especially those that are designing, creating, and publishing content, can support the implementation of accessibility standards and best practices. By providing this training, the commitment to accessibility can be integrated into an organization’s culture and align with design practices.

Education for teams can come from a variety of sources other than traditional classes or educational materials. When an accessibility audit or evaluation is completed, the results of that testing process will often educate teams on how to improve content for better accessibility. Additionally, providing the opportunity to review feedback from users can support a better understanding of the requirements for digital accessibility. However, one of the best ways to learn about accessibility is to include people with disabilities in the design and development processes. Learning from people who regularly encounter barriers in accessing technology can enlighten and educate more fully and add perspective to the design process.

Creating organizational best practices

Designing systems, applications and interfaces with ArcGIS is a professional area of knowledge with a long history. Adding accessibility requirements into that process can result in a lack of clarity if best practices are not identified. Beyond following established guidelines from WCAG, organizations should consider creating accessible themes, color schemes for symbols, basemap recommendations, and design checklists. Incorporating accessibility testing and approval methods into the content publishing workflow is another best practice recommendation. By identifying some GIS specific guidelines for the organization, teams will have clear direction on how to approach accessibility in the ArcGIS system.

Organizational best practices do not have to be created from scratch. While today there are many more accessibility guidelines for general purpose applications, more government organizations are recognizing the importance of GIS specific best practices. There are several teams that have been publishing their GIS accessibility guidelines for the public in the spirit of creating a more inclusive web experience for all. As guidelines are applied across an organization, the practice of accessibility in GIS can become standardized across teams.

Testing for accessibility

Testing for accessibility in GIS content early and often can prevent many accessibility issues. Finding the right methods for implementing testing processes can not only support organizational goals but also prevent any non-conformance to standards and guidelines. The main methods to test for accessibility are through automated testing, manual testing, and end user testing.

Automated testing

Automated testing tools or ‘accessibility checkers’ include products that are installed as either a web browser extension or onto a desktop environment. This type of testing supports efficient and quick checks on most web-based applications and can provide feedback to identify specific issues in the code. Automated testing tools are good for answering those questions that are either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ logical answer and are best used to identify priority concerns.

However, automated testing does not have the capability to determine if a site or application is fully accessible as many of the criteria that need to be tested require a human to fully test them. At best, automated tests may only capture 20-40% of all potential accessibility issues. Reliance on only automated testing can result in a false sense of security in the accessibility compliance of the content or asset.

Training on the interpretation of the automated testing results should be made available either within the automated testing app itself or from the organization. As automated accessibility testing results can vary between different applications, standardization on a set of tools for the organization is key for better understanding and communication on improving overall accessibility.

Manual testing

Automated testing can be further supported by performing manual testing to provide more comprehensive details on the accessibility of an app or site. Manual testing ideally involves testing completed by individuals that understand the complexity of accessibility and have a background in developer technologies. For instance, manual testing on various workflows to ensure that there is a logical flow or meaning in an app will support better accessibility for users. Manual testing can include evaluating keyboard navigation, focus order, and screen readers as well as determining if alternative text for images is meaningful.

Manual testing should be conducted throughout the development process, but is most effective when completed at several key stages of development. First, when manual testing is performed in early development stages or with a working prototype, accessibility issues can be found when they are easier and less costly or time consuming to fix. Next, conduct a thorough manual testing process prior to launch to ensure that all the appropriate accessibility compliance standards are met. Finally, perform regular testing post-launch to maintain compliance and address any new or reported issues that arise.

End user testing

End user testing involves individuals with different abilities and skills as well as native users of assistive technologies to best support understanding the accessibility of the map or application that is developed. Involving users with disabilities in accessibility testing offers real world insights on how they navigate the technology and can reveal accessibility issues that automated and manual testing may have missed. By observing and learning from these users, designers and developers can better understand the practical challenges that are faced by people with disabilities.

This comprehensive approach to testing and development, where individuals with lived experience can contribute to the creation of the application can help developers to more fully support a diverse set of individuals and will benefit all users. While end user testing may not be able to be performed as often as automated or manual testing, it is a critical part of the testing process for digital accessibility and the investment in time will support designers and developers in the long term.

Choosing testing tools

There are a variety of testing tools and automated accessibility checkers that can support testing throughout the development cycle and many of them are free. As an organizational best practice, decide on a specific set of tools that GIS developers can centralize their processes around and maintain the use of these same tools through final compliance checks.

Provide training to teams to educate them on the best methods for implementation of automated and manual testing and when to use the various testing tools. Encourage the use of automated testing tools regularly throughout design and development, which provides consistent check points where designers and developers will learn the habit of accessibility testing. Additionally, training on how to complete certain manual testing activities and when to perform those tests will support the regular activity of testing for accessibility.

Monitoring feedback

Another best practice is to monitor and manage feedback from users on usability and accessibility of content. Collecting and reviewing feedback about accessibility helps those users to feel heard, prevents potential legal issues, and helps teams across the organization learn how to correct content for better accessibility. The activities in monitoring can include reviewing and responding to the reported issues and tracking issues for remediation.

Reviewing feedback on accessibility

Organizations that publish public-facing content or assets need to have an easily identifiable point of contact that people can reach out to about accessibility issues. Having a central person or team that has knowledge about digital accessibility and can provide good customer service in responding reinforces the organizational commitment to accessibility in a publicly visible way. It is okay if this point of contact does not have all the answers immediately, but they should be in a position where they can understand how to direct the questions or issues to the appropriate resources.

Tracking issues for remediation

Once the issues are received, it is important to implement a method where they can be tracked and marked completed when they have been addressed. The complexity of the system for tracking issues will depend on the amount of content and sites that are being managed. For some smaller sites, this could be a simple spreadsheet of issues – for others, it could be a more sophisticated issue tracking system.

To stay on top of the remediation of the issues, review the issues regularly and ensure that older issues are addressed or at least reviewed to see if they can be addressed. Consolidate multiple reports of issues and group similar issues together that can be addressed in the same way or at the same time. If possible, it is recommended to follow up with the person that reported the issue once it is resolved. This can ensure to users that the organization is listening to their users and taking their commitment to accessibility seriously.

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