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TechShare Pro 2024 | Day One: Accessible Ads Summit Day Two: Accessibility Leadership Day | TSP Archive

TechShare Pro 2024

Day Two: Accessibility Leadership Day

14 November 2024

Day Two at TechShare Pro 2024 focused on the need for accessibility experts to become leaders in their organisations. Not just waving the flag for accessibility but embedding change in how things are done.

Every session featured people with a huge amount of experience sharing their thoughts on what can change the way people do things - including one of the co-founders of GAAD, which has arguably done more than anything on the planet to shift perceptions of accessibility outside our community.

We heard many different ideas about how to change the way we work. How Teach Access is embedding accessibility in higher education, how the Figma Accessibility plug-in connects with designers, or how to inclusive thinking makes user research more valuable.

But for most people in the community accessibility is passion, not just a job. The session on burnout reflected on why so many accessibility experts feel exhausted by the constant effort to make change happen - and different ways to manage the stresses and ill-health which is all too common.

Key takeaways include:

  • changing culture and processes needs us to look beyond testing and think about how to change processes and mindsets;
  • accessibility specialists need to build skills in communication and strategy;
  • think about working outside your silo - make an effort to speak to marketing or procurement about what they do and how you can help them with their pain points;
  • the European Accessibility Act is a perfect opportunity to put accessibility on the table at senior level - and for accessibility experts to seize the opportunity for change;
  • we are part of an amazing community who believe in helping one another for the good of all.  

Watch recordings of all the sessions here

  • Panel sessions are 30-minute sessions with industry leaders from all kinds of organisations;.
  • Spotlights tell the story behind changes that move the dial for accessibility;
  • Lunch and Learn sessions offer practical tips on key topics.

Thank you

A huge thank you to the many people who took part in the day, including:

A huge thank you to many people who took part in the day, including:

Alastair Moore, RNID; Aleksandra Melnikova, Cosmic Velocity; Amy Caton, BT Group; Amy Low , AbilityNet; Anna Zaremba, eBay; Ashley Peacock, AbilityNet; Becks Brindley, NatWest; Bryn Anderson, Sainsburys; Carol Massay, BASDA; Charlie Turell, Ministry of Justice; Chris Bailey, HSBC; Christopher Patnoe, Google; David Williams, Sony; Dylan Barrell, Deque; Frankie Garforth, RNID; Gareth Ford-Williams; Heather Hepburn, Skyscanner; Hector Minto, Microsoft; Ioana Tanase, Microsoft;  James Jacobs, Jadu; Jared Clayton, HSBC; Jennison Ascuncion, Co-Founder, GAAD; Jessica Cahill, AbilityNet; Kate Sonka, Teach Access; Lucy Woodcock, AbilityNet; Mali Fernando, HSBC; Mark Lapole, eBay; Mark Walker, AbilityNet; Matthew Luken, Deque; Michelle Jacques; Mike Fooks, elsevier; Mike Pluke; Mim Mahdaoui, Stepstone; Paul Bepey, Deloitte; Paul Smyth, Barclays; Regine Gilbert, Teach Access; Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet; Romana Pugh, BBC; Sarah Herrlinger, Apple; Susanna Laurin, IAAP; Ted Drake, Intuit; Ulrike Haltrich, Sony; Vayia Malamidou, AbilityNet; Will Sutton, AbilityNet; Yasmin Keats, Open Style Lab.

TechShare Pro 2024 | Day One: Accessible Ads Summit Day Two: Accessibility Leadership Day | TSP Archive