Measuring Accessibility Success Beyond Compliance
Why Accessible Websites Must Work in the Real World
For many municipalities and public organizations, accessibility work has focused on one central question:
Are we compliant?
That question matters. But it is no longer enough.
Across Canada, organizations are realizing that websites can meet accessibility standards and still fail the people they serve. Residents may struggle to complete forms, understand eligibility requirements, or confidently access services, even when the site has passed an audit.
True accessibility is not proven by a checklist. It is proven by outcomes.
Compliance Is a Starting Point, Not the Goal
Accessibility standards play an important role. They establish a baseline and reduce legal and reputational risk. However, compliance alone does not guarantee that a website is usable in real life.
Many organizations discover this only after launch, when staff begin receiving phone calls, emails, and in-person visits from residents who could not complete a task online.
At that point, the website may be compliant, but the service is not accessible.
For municipal leaders, this creates a disconnect. Even after meeting every requirement and investing in compliance, the organization still absorbs the cost of workarounds and public frustration.
Why Accessibility Often Breaks Down After Launch
Most accessibility challenges are not caused by technical failures. They are caused by everyday decisions that seem reasonable at the time.
Common examples include:
- Instructions written in complex or legal language
- Forms that are technically accessible but difficult to understand
- Important information buried across multiple pages
- Heavy reliance on PDFs that are hard to navigate on mobile devices
These issues rarely show up in compliance reports. They show up in real use.
Accessibility is not only about whether someone can access content. It is about whether they can understand it, act on it, and trust they have done so correctly.
A Shift in How Leading Organizations Measure Accessibility Outcomes
Forward-thinking municipalities and public organizations are changing how they define success.
Instead of asking only, “Does this meet standards?” they are also asking:
- Can residents complete key tasks without assistance?
- Do they understand what to do and what happens next?
- Are fewer people contacting staff for help after improvements are made?
This approach treats accessibility as part of service quality, not just technical compliance.
It aligns accessibility with outcomes leaders already care about: efficiency, trust, and effective public service delivery.
How Leading Organizations Measure Accessibility Success
To move beyond compliance, organizations are beginning to track a small set of experience-based indicators.
These do not require deep technical expertise.
Task completion
Can residents successfully complete important actions such as submitting a request, booking an appointment, or finding eligibility information?
Clarity and confidence
Do users understand the information the first time they read it, or do they hesitate and abandon the process?
Error recovery
When something goes wrong, are people clearly told what happened and how to fix it?
Reduced support demand
After improvements are made, do staff receive fewer calls and emails related to the website?
These measures reveal whether accessibility improvements are actually removing barriers or simply checking boxes.
Why Measuring Accessibility Outcomes Matters for Municipal Leaders
Accessibility that works has tangible benefits.
Organizations that focus on outcomes often see:
- Lower demand on frontline staff
- Fewer repeated inquiries and complaints
- More consistent service delivery
- Increased trust from residents
Just as importantly, this approach aligns with the spirit of accessibility legislation, not only its technical requirements. The intent is to remove barriers in everyday life, not just in code.
measuring accessibility success as a Strategic Asset, Not a Requirement
When organizations measure accessibility by real-world success, it stops being a compliance burden and becomes a leadership tool.
It helps organizations:
- Prioritize website investments more effectively
- Make better decisions during redesigns
- Reduce long-term remediation costs
- Demonstrate accountability and transparency
Most importantly, it ensures digital services work for the people who rely on them most.
The Accessibility Question That Really Matters
The most important accessibility question is no longer, “Are we compliant?”
It is, “Is our website actually working for the people who need it to?”
Organizations that ask and answer that question honestly are better positioned to meet legal obligations, serve their communities, and build digital services that truly remove barriers.
