Being as profound, we're going to be talking about accessibility for the next two days. However,
as he mentioned, we're also going to be now looking at the humanistic approach,
not just accessibility but also looking at equity, equal equity, and also a global approach overall
when it comes to humanistic accessibility. So please make sure that you have, again,
some way of capturing all of this information or the key parts of this information so that
way you can utilize this information and take it back to your own teams later on. Alright,
so next we have Mr. Mike Donnelly. Mr. Donnelly, are you available?
>> Yes, sir, I can hear you loud and clear, sir.
>> So next up we have Mr. Mike Donnelly, who is the Deputy Chief Data Officer
for the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Chief Information Officer.
So, Mr. Donnelly, if you like, you can take it away.
>>> Thanks, Vince.
So, um, you know, and I was really honored when, uh, Nicshan asked me, uh, to speak to you all today.
Um, he said he was going to tell a joke before I spoke, but then he just introduced me,
um, so I guess, uh, good morning, everybody. Um, I really want to thank, uh, this team, Nicshan,
Ribkha, and all of you for giving this opportunity to speak today, and I want to welcome all of you,
first the employees, contractors, you know, agency partners, uh, so this year's accessibility.
It's a privilege of mine to address you all on the topic of accessibility and usability
and information. This issue lies at the heart of our commitment to inclusivity and ensuring
that the technology we developed and procure is accessibility.
Today, I want to highlight the pivotal role that data-driven decision-making and customer experience
ways of propelling us towards the future for accessibility and usability for the forefront of our digital landscape.
So before we talk about where we are going, it's good to identify where we are and how we got here.
So at DHS, accessibility has always been and is a top priority. Each year, we train over 20,000
individuals in accessibility, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to create
inclusive digital experiences. Additionally, our accessibility helps us provide support to
a stack on 30,000 customers, guiding them on how to build and maintain accessible products.
We understand that an inclusive environment goes hand in hand with an accessible one.
We strive a great quote. I believe that the success we've had in accessibility is visibility.
Why is it integrating data-driven against ice to every aspect of our decision, whether it's in
the design development process or in shaping our accessibility policies and standards. Data guides
us forward to solutions that are rooted in real-world experiences. It allows us to prioritize
accessibility enhancements, allocate resources, additionally, and achieve tangible results.
However, data-driven decision-making is not abandoned itself. It is merely the
foundation upon which we build exceptional and meaningful customer experiences. Accessibility
and usability must be intrinsically linked to the customer journey, and it's through a holistic
approach to customer experience that we can truly unlock the full potential data-driven discipline.
In the years ahead, our approach to accessibility must transcend mere compliance with regulations.
Not saying compliance isn't important, but we all must strive for a higher standard, a standard
that places the customer at the center of our design process.
By adopting a user-centered approach, we all can ensure that our technology is not
only accessible but also highly usable, meaningful, and engaging.
So how do we do that? What do we focus on?
You ask me, I believe that continuing success for accessibility rests on three specific areas:
innovation, personalization, and proactive engagement.
First, with innovation, I think we must embrace emerging technologies and leverage them to
create revolutionary solutions that break down barriers and enhance the customer experience.
Technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing
hold tremendous potential in making our systems more accessible and intuitive.
We need to study how we can leverage these amazing capabilities to provide
our customers with innovative tools that meet their emerging needs.
Second, personalization. We live in an era of personalized experiences where customers expect
tailored solutions that cater to their individual preferences and requirements.
In the realm of accessibility, personalization means going beyond generic accommodations,
providing customizable options that empower each user to adapt the technology to their specific needs.
Whether it's adjusting font sizes,
color contrasts, or input methods,
personalization ensures that all our systems are not just accessible but truly inclusive.
Lastly, proactive engagement. We need to transition away from being reactionary
to having a more anticipatory and proactive mindset. We must be proactive in identifying
and addressing accessibility challenges before they manifest. By conducting thorough research,
involving individuals with disabilities in the design process, and leveraging data,
we can gain insights into potential barriers and eliminate them. Proactive engagement
also means continuously seeking feedback from our customers, incorporating their
input into our design iterations, and staying attuned to the evolving needs.
So I want to thank all of you and thank you for your time and attention. I would ask that we all
continue to champion accessibility, customer centricity, and data-driven decision-making
in all our endeavors. Together, we will shape the future for accessibility and usability and
not just goals but the very essence of our information technology that I speak. Thanks.
Alright, thank you very much, Mr. Donnelly, for those very inspirational words. Hopefully,
everybody took something from that presentation that Mr. Donnelly presented to us. Some of the
key things I took away were discussing those three major points: Innovation, especially dealing with
AI, which we all know artificial intelligence is taking over the world, and we have to figure out
a way how to leverage that within our world of accessibility. Personalization, definitely got
to figure out how to personalize the experience for individuals to make things more accessible
and usable, AU. And proactive engagement, try to figure out ways of how to fix problems
before they become a problem in the beginning. So again, thank you again, Mr. Donnelly, for
that presentation. That was excellent. Alright, up next we have Miss Abuja Bale from CRCL.