I’m feeling completely exhausted today. You all likely understand the struggle. Pushing for accessibility is always a tough fight, and some days feel even more challenging than others.
All my clients seem to have chosen the same time to throw anti-accessibility fits, and I’ve been bombarded from every angle over the past few weeks. It doesn’t faze them that they’re prime candidates for lawsuits, that key site features are unusable for some users, or that they’re legally obligated to ensure accessibility… No. They insist on their highly inaccessible features, color schemes, or illogical menus, claiming they can’t function without them (sarcasm intended). I just don’t understand – why hire me for an accessible website and then ignore everything I suggest?
The simple advice is to stay detached emotionally – but how is that possible? I don’t want to become cynical and settle for inaccessible options just because a client is acting childishly and I want to end the drama.
How do you all manage these scenarios? Both in dealing with clients and maintaining your own mental health. Do you have any tactics that help convince them to see reason? Is there a personal mantra you use to stay centered during these moments? Or do you take a firm stand and just say a straight “No” to clients pushing for clearly poor practices?
I understand how exhausting it can be to advocate for accessibility, especially when clients resist essential changes. To support you in these challenging scenarios, Wally offers a suite of tools designed to streamline accessibility efforts and provide concrete data to back your recommendations .
Key Features of Wally:
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Automated Accessibility Testing: Quickly identify issues across your website to ensure compliance with standards like WCAG and Section 508 .
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Real-Time Issue Detection: Monitor your website continuously to catch and address accessibility problems as they arise .
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Comprehensive Reporting: Generate detailed reports that highlight accessibility issues and suggest actionable fixes, making it easier to communicate the importance of changes to clients .
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Community Support: Engage with Wally’s Beyond Barriers initiative, which fosters collaboration among accessibility advocates to promote inclusive design practices .
By incorporating Wally into your workflow, you can provide clients with tangible evidence of accessibility issues and the benefits of addressing them, helping to shift the conversation from resistance to collaboration. This not only aids in achieving compliance but also supports your mental well-being by reducing the emotional toll of advocacy.
For more information and to explore Wally’s features, visit wallyax.com.