Making CIOB online – open for all
When we launched the CIOB’s new branding just over a year ago it was more than just about pretty designs and new logos. It was about modernising ourselves to stay relevant and adaptable in an increasingly digital world. It has also been about making the CIOB as accessible as possible for as many people as possible. A focus for us, like many other organisations, is how we can improve the online experience users get from our websites.
As the rebrand established itself we set ourselves a target to obtain a AA rating [https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/]for accessibility on our main CIOB.org website. It has been a year in the making, with thousands of webpages and lines of code analysed, changed and enhanced so that our website is recognised as 'usable and understandable for the majority of people with or without disabilities.’ This includes optimisations for screen readers, contrast, colour blindness and magnification tools amongst many others. We are delighted that our AA rating ambition has now been met.
Quite rightly the CIOB campaigns for a more inclusive, diverse and equal industry. And we recognise digital accessibility is a vital component for a truly inclusive world. For people who have a disability it means they can have equal access to our learning, knowledge, membership and other transactions, without needing to enlist support from a friend or colleague. So, removing any barriers that we have in our own processes and systems is vital.
In the near future the way our platforms work together is an area that will have our full focus. So is our Mobile App which is still in its early phases of development. In the coming months App users will have a much easier time finding and attending CIOB events using mobile devices.
All of these developments are about improving the experience our users get from our digital platforms - in everything we do we put the user first. Some of the changes are slower and more complex than others but our ambition is to keep pace with the changes in technology and the aspirations of our members.
