New Accessibility Essentials Mission in Pega Academy

Pega is excited to announce the launch of the new Accessibility Essentials Pega Academy Mission. This Mission is designed to provide all the necessary information to build accessible applications using Pega Platform™.

Why is accessibility important when developing applications?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 15% of the world's population experiences some form of disability at some point in their lives. This alone is a compelling reason to take accessibility seriously during application development. However, there are many other reasons why accessibility should be considered.

The top 10 reasons why you should think about accessibility when developing your applications:

1. Accessibility is not just about a small group of users, but about all users.
2. Disabilities can arise from various barriers in the form of language, color, graphics, navigation, light, and focus.
3. Disabilities can be temporary or situational, such as an injury.
4. Inclusive design benefits everyone, removing barriers and providing a better experience for all users.
5. Accessible applications are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
6. Accessibility is a legal requirement in over 140 countries worldwide.
7. Non-compliance with disability laws can result in costly lawsuits, sanctions, or violations, and damage to your brand.
8. Companies with a focus on inclusivity and diversity have been shown to have over 20% higher revenue compared to those without.
9. Accessibility often leads to innovative solutions that appeal to a wider audience. For example, the audiobook market, worth USD 4 billion, was originally developed for visually impaired users.
10. People with disabilities have an estimated discretionary income of USD 200 billion in the US alone.

The Accessibility Essentials Mission provides an introduction to accessibility and disability, giving you a better understanding of the potential impact of your application on users. It also provides guidance for your project team and information on how to integrate accessibility into your project plan, best practices for implementation, and how to test for accessibility. Upon completion of the Mission, you will earn a badge to share with your team and network, showcasing your commitment to accessibility and encouraging others to follow suit. The Mission covers the following topics:

• Accessibility and inclusive design.
• The importance of considering accessibility in application development.
• How to integrate accessibility into your project plan.
• Best practices for implementing accessibility in your application.
• How to test your application for accessibility.

Add the Accessibility Essentials Mission to your Academy Dashboard today!

Recommended resources:

• Building for Inclusion: Becoming accessible-first
• What is the difference between building for accessibility versus compliance?
• UX for All: Designing for accessibility in 8 steps

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