Mind the Digital Gap Join the Revolution! Nigel Lewis, CEO - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Mind the Digital Gap – Join the Revolution! Nigel Lewis, CEO AbilityNet

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Mind The Digital Gap - Its bigger than you think

• Strategy premise
• More and more people have to

digital self serve

• People’s capabilities not keeping

pace

• 6 key policy areas to try and make step change
• One of these is Professionalising the IT industry on

inclusion

Professionalising Inclusion

• Key challenge is to educate and embed inclusion

into learning

• NOT just for key specific IT roles
• But all IT professionals need an appropriate level of

understanding on inclusion and accessibility

• Designers, developers, testers, project managers,

marketing, support etc.

• But we have to go further than IT, need to engage

early

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The Challenges

• Inclusion and accessibility is seen as niche
• Business doesn’t get inclusion and accessibility
• Seen as an IT issue for web designers & developers
• No formal / recognised learning and accreditation

exists

• Courses exist, but lack consistency and pervasiveness
• No recognised body (Listen to Rob later!)
• Organisations don’t demand IT professionals with

inclusion skills

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What Have AbilityNet Done – Inclusion is Niche

• We have to break out
• Inclusion challenge is where Global Warming was

20 years ago

• We need a very clear consistent message
• One we all sign up to, and can articulate
• We have to join forces
• We have One Voice in the UK
• Working to join digital inclusion groups

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What Have AbilityNet Done – Learning & Accreditation

• We recruit experienced staff
• But they are a scarce commodity
• Need personal development time, research, play with tech
• Created our own 15 module training pack
• Used for existing staff, stay fresh
• Graduate recruitment, make our own professionals
• A product we sell
• Work to educate the market
• Online learning Digital Accessibility: Web Essentials

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What Have AbilityNet Done – User Centric Design

Why User Centric Design Is Important

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What We Have To Do

• Work together
• Same message, consistently used
• Join together to drive inclusive digital take up through such
• rganisations as One Voice
• We have to generate demand
• Training is key, for experts, IT professionals and wider

business and government people

• Join Association of Accessibility Professionals
• Individuals
• Organisations
• We need your support for this initiative

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Contact Nigel Lewis CEO, AbilityNet nigel.lewis@abilitynet.org.uk www.abilitynet.org.uk/mindthegap

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