Re: Business Case - add link to Gartner report "New Technologies Benefit Employees and People With Disabilities"?

Hi all,

In many cases, it feels as though the Gartner article looks at the issue of accessibility from a perspective that is currently lacking from our business case document - that is, there isn’t so much in there about the benefits of accessibility from a business perspective. That’s not surprising, considering we’re mostly focused on the user, not the business. However, I believe there are a few good hooks we can bite into.

Pros: I believe Gartner to be in the top what, 5? 3? of credible sources when it comes to technology-related insights. 
Getting this kind of support from them is amazing for the credibility of our business case. When folks at Gartner speak, CEOs listen, wouldn’t you agree?

Cons: To some people, this may make us look like we’re putting business incentives before people. But while I would be the first to make sure we don’t err too far on that side, I’d argue that this is a BUSINESS CASE, therefore, that this argument would be irrelevant in this case. It is possible to talk business and not lose our soul in the process.

I think we could support link to this page from a few places:

* the Web Accessibility Benefits People With and Without Disabilities section http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc#groups for a passage like "People with disabilities make up 15 percent of the world 's population and some of the assistive technology marketed to people with disabilities can also be sold to the other 85 percent of the population that is "situationally disabled" by their environmental conditions, at work and at play”.

* the Web Accessibility is an Aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) section http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc#responsible for a passage like “Additionally, businesses that create a workplace environment that is accessible for PWD can realize increased productivity from nondisabled employees. Assistive tools by definition are designed to improve the work environment. Some employers fear that accommodating PWD will result in high accommodation costs, but evidence does not support these fears."

* the Increased Web Site Use section (Increases potential use in more situations sub section) http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/fin#increase-use again, for a passage like "People with disabilities make up 15 percent of the world 's population and some of the assistive technology marketed to people with disabilities can also be sold to the other 85 percent of the population that is "situationally disabled" by their environmental conditions, at work and at play.”

My $0.05 (since we ditched pennies in Canada a while ago).

/Denis





On Feb 3, 2014, at 12:31 PM, Shawn Henry <shawn@w3.org> wrote:

> Hi EOWG,
> 
> Please share your perspectives on adding to our Business Case <http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/> links to the Gartner report "Market Trends: New Technologies Benefit Employees and People With Disabilities" to the EOWG wiki page at:
> 	<https://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/wiki/Business_Case_Notes#Link_to_Gartner_report.3F>
> 
> Please see that wiki page for more background and specific questions for your input.
> 
> Thanks!
> ~Shawn
> 	
>

Received on Monday, 3 February 2014 18:05:12 UTC