ARRM Project - Accessibility Roles and Responsibilities Mapping

From Education & Outreach

Goal

Our goal is to define an adaptive framework that will guide stakeholders to integrate web accessibility in all relevant aspects of a product or project life cycle. The result will allow users to take ownership of design and development decisions related to creating accessible content.

Working Documents

EOWG Reviewed Drafts

  1. Github repo
    1. w3c/wai-arrm GitHub repo main page, pull request 3
  2. Core pages
    1. ARRM starting page (ARRM starting page to edit)
    2. ARRM Introduction page
    3. Decision Tree placeholder page (decision tree to edit)
    4. Roles Definition page (Roles page to edit)
    5. ARRM Matrix page
    6. ARRM FAQ page preview
  3. Quick Starter pages
    1. Content Authoring Starting page
    2. User Experience Starting page
    3. Visual Design Starting page
    4. Front-End Development Starting page

Core Documents

  1. ARRM overview - A high-level overview of the resource, its framework and related documents. (AARM OVerview - Github)
    • ARRM framework introduction - A landing page for the resource, explaining how to use it and providing some context.
    • ARRM Success Criteria Matrix - A table with every Success Criteria and how they pertain to various roles in the lifecycle.
    • Role-Based Decision Tree - A framework to define accessibility ownership in a cross-functional product team (primary, secondary, contributor levels).
    • Role definition document - A list of all of the different roles that can exist within a cross-functional product team: business, design, implementation and QA Testing roles.
  2. Accessibility Checkpoint Full List - A somewhat comprehensive list of checkpoints to understand the WCAG Success Criteria (more to be added as we go). Structured by content types.

Supporting Documents

  1. Decision Tree Examples - A series of examples illustrating how the decision tree model can be used to determine ownership of accessibility checkpoints (and ultimately, Success Criteria).
  2. ARRM Frequently Asked Questions - ...

Purpose

The purpose of the Accessibility Roles and Responsibility Mapping (ARRM) Matrix is to broaden the understanding of web professionals who work on any aspect of a project's development and maintenance cycle about the impact they can have on accessibility. The matrix is being developed to help stakeholders create better, more accessible solutions for the products they work on. It helps support their ability to quickly identify and use WAI documents relevant to their specific roles. Where gaps exist, the matrix will suggest new resources to be developed by WAI to further support accessibility practice across roles.

Audience

The intended audience for this project could be as diverse as the cross-functional teams involved in any given project lifecycle, but the project will focus on a series of predefined roles as a starting point. While the focus of this project is on those roles that directly impact web accessibility, it will define and assign levels of accountability for the WCAG success criteria associated with the design decisions they currently make - often without realizing their impact on people with disabilities.

Deliverables

Overview

There are three main deliverables, some with sub-deliverables.

  1. Role definition document of key stakeholders in the project lifecycle (later harmonized with other W3C/AG documents),
  2. Criteria ownership matrix - with all defined roles covered in the project lifecycle (primary, secondary, informed),
    • A set of role-specific grids for each role scoped in the resource (with UX designers as our initial proof of concept),
    • A set of one-page, ownership assignments per WCAG criteria, to demonstrate which roles should be involved, and to what degree,
    • A set of sample considerations prioritizing responsibilities based on WCAG Success Criteria and who it refers to (for internal reference),
  3. A Role-Based Decision Tree - a customizable framework to help anyone define a matrix of their own within their organization.

Scope

Beyond the listed deliverables, multiple other resources and documentation could be developed to build on top of this foundation. As a result, here is what is expected to be in scope for the 2017-2020 charter.

In Scope

  • Process definition
    • Role selection, creation of UX decision tree, testing of decision tree to create RACI matrix and related sample materials.
  • Deliverables
    • Decision Tree, RACI matrix, role-specific references, sample materials (Success Criteria RACI assignments, checkpoints)

Out of Scope

  • "Get Started" quick tips
  • Complete set of accessibility considerations derived from WCAG
  • Role-specific training or documentation on accessibility

Tasks / Milestones (High Level)

  1. Define roles to be included (considering roles defined in Silver),
  2. Include new Success Criteria from WCAG 2.1,
  3. Define decision tree(s) to apply to Success Criteria and considerations in order to determine ownership,
  4. Internal decision tree(s) testing (role-specific checklists),
    • Iterate on measuring the roles checklists against the Success Criteria,
    • Refine & revise decision trees based upon experience and external contributors’ input,
  5. Deliver role-specific matrices that represent the core responsibilities of each role for accessibility,
    • Deliver tested versions of the decision trees,
    • Deliver sample Success Criteria ownership document (as foundation for ra11y matrix),
    • Deliver sample considerations ownership document (as an internal tool to support our process),
  6. Support documents for roles
    • Identify decisions affecting accessibility are made in the project accessibility lifecycle,
    • References where existing domain knowledge aligns with WCAG,
    • Supplemental accessibility references for information not part of role domain knowledge,
      • Requirements, Wireframes, Comps, Style guides, code, etc.

Project Role Definitions & Assignments

Groups & roles in creation of this resource (as per recently defined EOWG’s processes).

  • Resource manager - Denis Boudreau
    • Responsible for "herding the cats", accountable for weekly progress and reports back to the working group, leads overall vision of the project. Expected to provide a monthly progress report to the chairs and W3C staff representatives.
  • Core editing team - Denis Boudreau, Bill Tyler, Sean Kelly, Jennifer Chadwick, Michael Mistak.
    • Responsible for developing and creating the resource materials, provides the resource manager with regular updates in content to keep the progress constant and the information flowing with the chairs and W3C staff representatives, meets every other week to make progress on the resource components, with expected deliverables in between meeting sessions.
  • Additional contributors - Sharron Rush, Sarah Pullis, Andrew Arch, Amanda Mace, Kris Anne Kinney, Brent Bakken, Eric Eggert, Robert Jolly.
    • Represent the end user roles, consulted for role subject matter expertise (as the core editing team plows through the different roles), provides focused feedback including perspectives on the language used, its utility for audience, structure and organization of content & material.
  • Content reviewers - SME representation for each role. Bring in as needed. Crowdsource as needed.
    • First line of feedback within EO about progress made and future direction, performs bulk of the reviewing, before review by larger group, comments and edits to be shared through GitHub
  • EOWG as a whole
    • Periodic reviews, comments through GitHub and regular EOWG teleconferences.
    • Final approval for publications.

Time Line (Revised as of 2021/12/10)

2018

  1. A first iteration of our Role Definitions Document, covering key roles in accessibility decision-making. DONE
  2. A first iteration of our Role-Based Decision Tree, covering a model to determine primary ownership of accessibility requirements. DONE
  3. A series of Decision Ownership Examples to support the application of the Decision Tree Model. DONE
  4. A WCAG 2.0 Checkpoints Master List, defining primary ownership of content types and checkpoints (focus on Images and Graphs). DONE

2019

  1. An expanded Roles Definition Document, covering key roles in accessibility decision-making to support the Decision tree framework. DONE
  2. An expanded Role-Based Decision Tree, improving the model to determine primary ownership of accessibility requirements. DONE
  3. An expanded Role-Based Decision Tree, defining a model to determine the second and third tiers of ownership of accessibility requirements. DONE
  4. An expanded WCAG 2.0 Checkpoints Master List, defining overall ownership of content types. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Keyboard Access. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Document Structure. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Forms Interactions. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for CSS Presentation. DONE

2020

  1. An Overarching Framework, to define who should be responsible for what in the project lifecycle. DONE
    • A finalized Roles Definition Document, covering key roles in accessibility decision-making to support the Decision tree framework. DONE
    • A finalized Role-Based Decision Tree, describing the framework to various levels of ownership of accessibility requirements. DONE
  2. An improved WCAG 2.0 Checkpoints Master List, defining addiitonal ownership of content types. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Data Tables. DONE
  3. A first draft of our Accessibility Roles and Responsibilities Mapping resource, with all roles and existing content types covered at a high-level. DONE
  4. A UI/UX Designers Accessibility Overview Matrix (proof of concept) with high-level overview of what designers should own, and the responsibilities they share in the lifecycle. DONE
    • A series of additional role-based matrices for UI Designers, Content Creators and Front-End Developers to take the proof of concept further. DONE

2021

  1. An improved WCAG 2.0 Checkpoints Master List, defining additional ownership of content types. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Navigation. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Multimedia Content. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.0 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Forms Interactions. DONE
  2. A finalized version of the ARRRM presentation (slide deck), to be used as promotion across various accessibility conferences (such as axe-con, AccessU, CSUN, etc.). DONE
    1. A finalized version of various documents used for workshop activities to build a better understanding of the use of the framework. DONE
  3. A finalized version of our Accessibility Roles and Responsibilities Mapping resource, with all roles and existing content types covered at a high-level. DONE
    1. A finalized version of the ARRM Decision Tree poster, explaining the ARRM framework (decision tree for Primary) at a high-level. DONE
  4. An upgraded version of Generic Checklists by Roles with high-level overview of what each should own, and responsibilities shared in the lifecycle. DONE
  5. A proof of concept of the ARRM Success Criteria Matrix, to define who should be responsible for which SC (and to what degree) in the project lifecycle. DONE

2022 - 2023

  1. A finalized WCAG 2.1 Checkpoints Master List, defining additional ownership of content types. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.1 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Dynamic Interactions. DONE
    • A series of WCAG 2.1 checkpoints, defining primary, secondary and contributor ownership for Static Content. DONE
    • An expanded WCAG 2.1 Checkpoints Master List, defining overall ownership of existing content types. DONE
    • A series of Sample Charts Per WCAG Guidelines, to demonstrate which roles should be involved (and to which degree). NOT STARTED
    • Examples to contextualize checkpoints prioritized through the dedicated roles' pages. IN PROGRESS
  2. An upgraded version of the ARRM Decision Tree poster, complete with snapshots of the different roles for context. IN PROGRESS
  3. Mapping existing WAI user stories and impact to checkpoints' responsibilities for each dedicated role pages. IN PROGRESS
  4. Moving all our materials over to Github, so it can finally show up in production. IN PROGRESS

2024 (and beyond)

  1. A baseline to create a series of related Accessibility QuickTips to add to the existing EOWG resource. NOT STARTED
  2. Align the framework with future developments related to WCAG 3.0. NOT STARTED
  3. Align the framework with future developments related to WCAG 2.2 NOT STARTED
    • An expanded WCAG 2.2 Checkpoints Master List, defining overall ownership of existing content types. NOT STARTED
    • An expanded Automated-related Checkpoints Master ListCheckpoints Master List to complement all existing content types. NOT STARTED

Future Developments

To be determined, with the EOWG members based on interest, needs and resources available.

Older files (for archiving purposes)

Acknowledgments

Current contributors

As of this writing, the following people are actively contributing to the ARRM project (in alphabetical order):

  • Denis Boudreau (Inklusiv),
  • Jennifer Chadwick (Independent),
  • Sean Kelly (UnitedHealth Group),
  • Michael Mistak (independent),
  • Bill Tyler (UnitedHealth Group),
  • Karen Hawkins (Level Access), and
  • Mike Gifford (Civic Action).

Past contributors

The ARRM team would like to thank the following people for their precious contributions over the years:

  • Stéphane Deschamps (Orange Telecom),
  • Caitlin Geier (Deque Systems),
  • Lewis Phillips (Deque Systems), and
  • Julianna Rowsell (Adobe).
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