According to Ran Ronen, 2024 will be the year in which technology leaders innovate by example to help create more inclusive experiences and broaden the base of potential users and customers of their technology services and solutions by prioritizing digital accessibility.
Accessible websites and online experiences offer businesses a range of benefits, from ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices, to more users and customers accessing the site, to improved website SEO and brand trust and credibility. Prior to advancements made possible with AI, the technical process of ensuring a website operates as accessible has been a difficult goal for many website owners to achieve due to challenges to manage end to end accessibility compliance.
Ran is the Co-Founder and CEO the world’s first no-code web accessibility solution designed to help businesses of all sizes meet regulatory compliance. This conversation was an enlightening one as he and I spoke about the positive shift he’s seeing in the tech field to embrace more accessibility guidelines as best practices.
He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Equally AI, the world’s first no-code web accessibility solution designed to help businesses of all sizes meet regulatory compliance.
M.R. Rangaswami: What is the state of digital accessibility; and why, in today’s tech-driven world do you think adoption is still lagging to make accessibility a priority in user/customer experience?
Ran Ronen: The state of digital accessibility is evolving, yet its integration into mainstream tech remains slower than it should be. Although AI-driven accessibility tools are emerging, many companies still see accessibility as a complex and costly process, often overlooking or delaying it in favor of rapid development. This overlooks the opportunity to appeal to a wider, more diverse customer base and enhance product usability for everyone from the onset.
Slow adoption also stems from limited awareness of diverse user needs and the wider benefits of accessibility beyond legal compliance. There’s a critical need for tech leaders to see accessibility not just as a necessity for individuals with disabilities, but as a key factor in improving overall user experience and innovation, which in turn boosts brand reputation and customer satisfaction.
M.R.: What are some challenges faced by organizations in managing the technology implementation side of digital accessibility?
Ran: Organizations implementing digital accessibility often face several challenges, including a lack of in-house expertise on accessibility standards and implementation, which makes integrating these practices into existing tech frameworks difficult. Resource allocation is another challenge, as accessibility often competes with other business priorities and can be seen as an additional cost. Also, ensuring consistent accessibility across a diverse range of products and platforms presents a scalability challenge, requiring a strategic approach to meet various tech and user needs effectively.
M.R.: As an innovator in the space, what is your hope for the impact of AI in making more companies and their offerings more digitally inclusive?
Ran: As an innovator in the digital accessibility space, my aspiration is that AI will enable a shift in perspective, where digital accessibility becomes not just an aspiration but a practical reality for more companies, especially small and medium-sized businesses. This will help them proactively create accessible products and services, which not only enhances the user experience for all but also opens up new markets and opportunities for innovation.
M.R. Rangaswami is the Co-Founder of Sandhill.com