Signal #004 – When “accessible enough” is left to interpretation
Signal to notice
Confirm that digital accessibility standards are clearly defined and easy to find. Teams should not guess what “accessible enough” means. Can every team quickly locate and understand your WCAG-based guidance?
What this signal reveals
At this stage, accessibility is no longer ignored. It is acknowledged and expected. Teams want to do the right thing and generally agree that accessibility matters. The breakdown happens when expectations are unclear in practice. Standards may exist, but they feel abstract, scattered, or hard to apply in real decisions. When guidance is difficult to find or interpret, teams compensate. Some overcorrect to avoid risk. Others rely on past habits or personal judgment. Decisions slow down. Inconsistency grows. Not because of resistance, but because clarity is missing at the moment it is needed most. Intentional organizations reduce this friction. Accessibility standards are visible, centralized, and written for real use. Teams know where to look and how expectations apply to their work. Judgment is still required, but it is supported rather than improvised.
Accessibility expectations are defined and reinforced, but consistency depends on how usable the guidance is.
What this usually indicates
- Accessibility standards exist but are unevenly applied
- Teams interpret expectations differently under pressure
- Decisions slow when guidance feels unclear or abstract
Related signals you may notice
- Repeated debates about what compliance means
- Different teams applying standards in different ways
- Accessibility questions escalating late in delivery
What to pay attention to next
Whether teams can quickly find, understand, and apply accessibility standards during everyday decisions.
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About Denis Boudreau
Denis Boudreau is a consultant, trainer, and speaker specializing in digital accessibility and disability inclusion. He works with organizational leaders who want to equip their teams with the skills to create accessible websites and digital products – so no one is left behind. A Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA), Denis has trained thousands of web professionals over the past 20+ years and delivered hundreds of workshops in both English and French. He has helped leading brands like Netflix, Salesforce, and Victoria’s Secret embed accessibility into their digital strategies, empowering them to meet legal obligations, improve user experience, and connect with more people, more effectively.