Banks increasingly recognise the importance of enhancing their website accessibility to serve their clients and prospects better. Recognising the pivotal role of digital platforms in modern banking, institutions are investing in user-friendly interfaces and streamlined content presentation. With a need similar to this, Commonwealth Bank set out to improve its accessibility to clients and users with special needs.
Commonwealth Bank’s Vision
Commonwealth Bank has a vision of becoming the ‘Most Accessible Bank’ in Australia. To fulfil this vision, it started from the very basics, i.e., amending its current framework and documentation that was available to its clients and users via its website. Infinikey Solutions Principal Consultant had the fortune to work on this assignment with a dedicated team of professionals, and together, they brought the project to fruition over fifteen months.
Step 1: The Audit
To kick off the project, an exhaustive audit was conducted to meticulously evaluate the status of the PDF documents, discerning between those that had become obsolete and those that remained pertinent and relevant. The client also employed an in-house team consisting of SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) in website accessibility, who worked with the external team in the areas of audit, developing processes, and conducting training.
Step 2: Checking of Relevant PDFs for Incongruities
Once all obsolete PDFs had been identified and siphoned off, the in-scope PDFs were checked for inconsistencies and inaccessibility, and a vendor was engaged to remediate said incongruities. Furthermore, a comprehensive risk framework was established in collaboration with the risk and compliance teams. This framework outlined the potential risks associated with non-compliant documents and defined the parameters and processes future authors and stakeholders had to meet in order for prospective files to meet accessibility criteria.
Step 3: Setting of SOPs and Communication Guidelines
To ensure that the publishing teams are on the same page with content authors, guidelines or SOPs were established to ensure that all future content abides by the accessibility standards and to eliminate any possibility of a future occurrence where PDFs do not abide by the set principles.
More often than not, measures or requirements set by an organisation may slip through the cracks due to ineffective communication by the stakeholders. In this case, a comprehensive communications plan was put in place to make all stakeholders aware of the initiative, ensuring they are performed impeccably.
Step 4: Closing the Project
Once it had been ensured that all of the now-accessible PDFs had been uploaded onto the Commonwealth Bank Australia website and that the scope of the project had been fulfilled, the project was formally closed.
The Impact
With the guidelines and checks put in place to ensure only PDFs compliant with accessibility standards would be uploaded for viewership by the broader audience, with an almost 100% success rate.
Conclusion
We Believe that making documents and materials accessible for those with impairments isn’t just about compliance; it’s about empathy and equity. It’s a testament to our commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that everyone can access information and participate fully, regardless of ability. Embracing this proactive approach reflects values and compassion, fostering a more empathetic and supportive community.
