I led the research, design, and development of a role-based accessibility guide referenced widely across government and industry as a best practice. Working closely with accessibility experts from Section 508, we created a resource that clarifies responsibilities, builds awareness, and fosters consistent, sustainable accessibility across teams.
What I did
- Conducted stakeholder interviews, accessibility audits, and workshops across GSA to identify knowledge gaps and common challenges faced by designers, developers, content authors, and project managers.
- Defined clear roles and responsibilities for accessibility across the product lifecycle (design, development, content, QA) so everyone understands their role in ensuring accessibility.
- Authored guidance content, templates, checklists, and training materials to support the front-end development role — making the guide usable in day-to-day work.
- Collaborated with Section 508 accessibility leaders to ensure the guide aligned with existing mandates and had visibility / buy-in across stakeholder groups.
Outcomes & impact
- The guide was adopted as part of official onboarding at GSA, embedding accessibility awareness early in team workflows.
- Teams report improved clarity on who is responsible for what, reducing overlap and missed obligations.
- Facilitated better compliance with Section 508 standards.
- Helped shift culture: accessibility became less of an afterthought and more of a shared priority among all roles.
Why it matters
Accessibility isn’t only a legal or technical requirement — it’s a path to more inclusive, usable products. By defining roles clearly and integrating practices early, teams can avoid expensive retrofits, reduce misunderstandings, and deliver better experiences for everyone.
