The fourth phase of the industrial revolution is touching all aspects of our lives. According to Mr. McKinsey; the pandemic has fast-tracked the process of digital transformation in every sector. It has changed and improved almost every segment including the people who are living with disabilities.
As we are driving towards a digitally ignite world; it has been very important to make technological advancement inclusive for all. Here are three best ways that can be utilized to make the technologies accessible for all.
- Apply Accessible Design on Every Digital Product: Since 2020, the use of tech products is increasing constantly. However, to enable everyone to enjoy the benefit of technology, you must make it accessible. It is the responsibility of the industry leaders to show the way by designing inclusive products. If you check minutely, you can see that Microsoft is leading the way for its video meeting platform by introducing closed captioning functions and Immersive Reader functionality support. Mobile-oriented services are getting popularity all over but making them inclusive is the key to making the reach even broader. When the application or service is accessible to people with disabilities; then you can expect more audiences to use the product or service. Inclusive technologies inspire broader audiences. There are several instances that the technologies have reached more customers after becoming accessible.
- 4IR Technologies: Technologies like AI and blockchain are known as 4IR technology. With time, it has evolved and become a support system. Different types of disabilities challenge human invention limits and they are coming up with new creations. To explain it more, AI technology helps visually impaired people describe their surroundings. For any technology-driven company; it is very important to collect data on all possible customers. In case, they miss the opportunity to include people with any sort of disability, then they are losing their business. Along with the public sector; the private sector must come forward to take initiative to design and craft technologies or products that are inclusive. Technology becomes only advanced when it is designed for everyone irrespective of their capability or disability.
- Assistive Technologies with 4IR: When frontier technologies have the support of assistive equipment; it will accelerate the quality of life and uplift the productivity of people with disability.
If you have a website that is accessible to all people with disabilities and equipped with assistive technologies like a screen reader; then it will have more traffic than your competitors.
It is not only restricted to the internet; as 4IR can ease the way of life of disabled people. These endeavors will make a positive impact and eventually push the advantage of technology to everyone so that no one is left behind.
Prioritizing inclusiveness in technology is not only good for people with disability but also for the business as well. We know that “inclusivity is the right thing to do” and at Accessible Minds, we follow the belief religiously to make the world a better place.
