the business cases of e-accessibility: how accessible ict...

The Business Cases of e-Accessibility: How Accessible ICT is Good Business

Axel Leblois G3ict

Copenhagen Conference on Disability 5-6th of March 2012

G3ict - EU Copenhagen March 5, 2012

G3ict Mission, Business Case

“To Facilitate the Implementation of the ICT Accessibility Dispositions of the

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”

G3ict’s position: the Business Case for ICT accessibility is a useful advocacy tool but not a substitute to

promoting a Human Rights perspective


Topics

1. Business Case for ICT Accessibility: Who Is Involved?

2. ROI for private sector products and services: case studies

3. Methodologies

4. ROI for Education

1 - Business Case for ICT Accessibility: Who is involved?


ICT Accessibility: A Wide Range of Technologies and Applications

Web sites

Digital contents

Computer interfaces

Mobile and fixed phones

ATMs and electronic kiosks

Television

e-government electronic services

Public displays and messaging

Digital interfaces for consumer products


Business or Government? Who Should be Driving e-Accessibility?

Source: Survey of 34 DEEP 2012 Program Committee members

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

e-government services

Education

Assistive technologies for rehabilitation

Workplace Accommodation

Telecoms

Broadcasting and New Media

Travel and tourism

Banking and financial services

Private sector web accessibility

Private Sector Equally Driven Government

Source: DEEP 2012 Program Committee Survey


User Demographics are Compelling Example: 2005 US Census

Persons with disabilities in the United States:

54.4 million persons, 17% of the US population

35 million or 12% with a severe disability

69% of those age 21 to 64 with a severe disability are unemployed


57% of Microsoft Windows Customers Likely to Benefit from its Accessibility Features

57% of adult computer

users (age 18-64 in the US) are likely or very likely to benefit from accessibility features

1 in 4 users experiences a visual difficulty.

1 in 4 experience pain in wrists or hands.

1 in 5 has a hearing difficulty.

Study commissioned by Microsoft, Conducted by Forrester Research in 2003

Not likely to benefit

43%

Very likely to benefit

17% Likely to benefit

40%

But, is this really a market?

“Show me the money!”

2 - ROI for private sector products and services: case studies


The Raku Raku Experience in Japan: From Macro Data to Business Results

Market Situation in 2001

Mobile penetration 86%

NTT DoCoMo market share: 51%

Opportunity: mobile usage decreases significantly with age (90+% aged 20 to 50; less than 30% above 70)

NTT DoCoMo decides to tackle issue

Adoption of Universal Design across organization

Cell phone handsets and applications

Stores & services

12

31.6

85.4

96.7

85.9

76.2

62.9

33.5

9.7

29.0

49.5

67.0

82.3

90.893.195.4

78.4

24.9

12.3

93.794.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

6-12歳 13-19歳 20-29歳 30-39歳 40-49歳 50-59歳 60-64歳 65-69歳 70-79歳 80歳以上

Mar-04

Mar-05

Mar-06

Mar-07

Mar-08

（％）

Trend of Cell Phone Usage Rates by Age 04-08

Source: Report on Trends in Communications Use, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

Raku-Raku Phones sold by NTT DoCoMo by 2009?

15 Million!

G3ict Case Study on AT&T: A Review of Internal Accessibility Processes

Universal Design and

product development

AAPAA: involving persons with disabilities in designing products and services

Dedicated marketing

Special rate plans

Customer service

160,000 employees trained on disability and accessibility issues


Financial Services: L&G (UK)

Seeks to improve the accessibility of its website for ethical, competitive and business development reasons

Redesigns, restructures and redevelops its website

Tailors it to work for people with different browsers, devices and disabilities

WCAG compliant, extensive user testing

Source: One Voice Report on ICT Accessibility


L&G’s Results: Large ROI Less than Six Months Payback Period

SEO - Rise in natural search engine traffic of 30%

Market reach – 13,000 extra visitors a month from improved browser compatibility (including users with handheld devices)

Customer satisfaction, 66% reduction in customer support costs

User experience – 75% reduction in time to load a page

Increased sales – 95% increase in online life quote requests; 90% increase in online life insurance sales per year

Payback Period – 100% return on investment in five to six months.

Source: One Voice Report on ICT Accessibility

3 - Methodologies


Universal Design or Design for All

Common approach to leading business cases for ICT accessibility

Relies on in depth understanding and testing of users’ needs and abilities

Improves Supply Chain:

IBM’s procurement policy

AT&T Universal Design Guidelines for Suppliers

CRPD art. 4.1.f

Can be complemented by ROI or evaluation model


Assessing the Value of Accessibility Features: Stated Preference Method*

Based on asking people how much they would agree to pay for implementing specific features in a service or, alternatively, how much they would ask for as compensation for its absence.

Compares benefits with costs of the specific features of a product or service.

SPM used in Norway to appraise Universal Design (UD) in public transportation.

Could be be applied by corporations to assess the value of e-accessibility features of products or services

*Presented by James Odeck, Professor at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology at the 5th European e-Accessibility Forum


Leveraging ICF to Assess Users Abilities and Likelihood of Barriers

ICF - International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health

Developed by WHO, international and multidisciplinary participation, extensive field testing

Describes people’s functional abilities in various domains

Not linked to cause. For example, fluency and rhythm of speech functions could be from stuttering, stroke, or autism

A useful framework for ICT accessibility

ROI for Education


ROI of ICT Accessibility for Inclusive Education

14% of U.S. primary and secondary public schools students live with a disability of which 5% with learning disabilities

Can greatly benefit from embedded accessibility features in existing applications and/or assistive technologies

Large investment in teacher training required to fully leverage technology in the classroom

ROI: significantly higher achievements, lower drop-out rates and reduced remedial costs – anecdotal and statistical evidence


ROI of Assistive Technologies for Employability: Politecnico di Milano

Engineering students with disabilities receive free Assistive Technologies and services from the University (government funded)

School maintains high level of ICT accessibility

Upon graduation, students Assistive Technologies are made available to first employer for one year with free support by University

Result: over 15 years, full employment of School of Engineering alumni with disabilities


G3ict Advocacy Resources

Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities www.e-accessibilitytolkit.org & companion handbook (with ITU)

CRPD Progress Report on ICT Accessibility

Universal Service Funds for Persons with Disabilities

Making TV Accessible (with ITU)

M-Enabling global series for Mobile Service Providers 2011 - 2012 – 2013

Upcoming Activities:

DEEP 2012 – Toronto - Designing Enabling Economies and Policies – May 23-25 (with OCAD University)

Accessibility of the Workplace of the Future (with US DOL and Cornell University)

Accessibility of financial services

http://www.e-accessibilitytolkit.org/



Thank You

For Your Attention!

www.g3ict.org

www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org

[email protected]

http://www.g3ict.org/

http://www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org/



mailto:[email protected]

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