Accessibility in Workvivo
At Workvivo, we are deeply committed to creating an inclusive digital experience that caters to the diverse needs of all our users. Recognising the variety of ways individuals interact with our platform, we prioritise accessibility throughout our design, development, and testing processes. Our aim is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their unique challenges and requirements, can effectively and efficiently use our products. By keeping the broad spectrum of user needs at the forefront of our minds, we strive to deliver solutions that are not only functional but also empowering for everyone.
Our Approach
Workvivo ensures that Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.2 is at the core of our software development process. We are committed to meeting Level A and AA aligning with WCAG 2.2 Version 2.5, addressing key accessibility barriers and ensuring our software is accessible to users with accessibility needs. Alongside this we are working to ensure that our platform aligns with the European Accessibility Act which is coming into effect in June 2025.
What we do
1. When building Workvivo, we always keep the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the core of our software development process to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for all users. With the recent release of the WCAG 2.2 guidelines, our team is diligently reviewing these updates to see how we can best position our platform to align with the guidelines. Our VPAT documentation is now version 2.5 following the latest WCAG updates.
2. One of the core principles of our design team is to build inclusive software that caters not only to individuals with accessibility needs but also people who speak different languages, have different cultural backgrounds and different use cases for our platform. Our commitment to inclusivity drives us to create experiences that are accessible across various platforms, including web, mobile, TV, and email, ensuring that Workvivo is accessible in the most convenient manner for every user whether they be based at the office, at home or wanting to post something from the top of a mountain.
3. We actively engage with our engineers, emphasising the importance of adopting best practices in accessible web development. This includes the use of semantic HTML, appropriate ARIA labels, and other critical considerations that contribute to making our platform accessible. By focusing on these practices and having a constant emphasis on accessibility across our engineering team it helps drive constant improvement.
4. Engagement with our user community, is a priority for us. We regularly meet with users of Workvivo, including those with accessibility needs to gather their feedback and identify opportunities for enhancement. This collaborative approach allows us to continually refine and improve our platform, ensuring it remains accessible and user-friendly for everyone.
5. Our commitment to maintaining and enhancing accessibility is underscored by our approach to testing.
Automated Testing: We employ nightly automated tests in collaboration with our automation team, which helps us ensure that our platform does not regress. These tests also flag any potential issues, allowing us to address them proactively. For web automation testing we rely on Google Lighthouse - an open-source tool. On android we use the Googles Accessibility Scanner App and Xcode for iOS.
6. Manual Testing: In addition to automated testing, we conduct manual testing of our application using screen readers and other assistive technologies. This hands-on approach ensures that our platform is not only compliant with accessibility standards but is also genuinely usable and navigable for those relying on these technologies. This manual testing led us to the introduction of skip links to more easily access content within Workvivo and allowing users to quickly skip over menus
By engaging with our users and continuously refining our platform, we strive to create an empowering experience for everyone.