A pretty unbelievable accessibility faux pas this week has marred the solemn occasion of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh for visually impaired people.
The faux pas in question is when rail websites went uniformly greyscale overnight—an appropriate and even touching tribute and mark of commemoration in one way, but in another an all-too-familiar example for UKAAF members of brands making website changes that just don’t take our needs into consideration at all.
As The Guardian reported on Monday, Network Rail and National Rail websites turned from colour to greyscale in a tribute to the Duke, but “the gesture backfired” after customers highlighted accessibility issues and complained they could no longer use the website.
This problem was compounded when other train operators, including CrossCountry and Northern Rail, also removed colour from their websites.
The decision attracted criticism from long-time UKAAF sponsor partner RNIB, which notes that good colour contrast on a website is incredibly important and not having it can make it hard for people to read the content and even causes headaches and eye strain.
The move is being rowed back now, but just as we had to remind the banking industry in 2018 when it ploughed ahead with website changes that froze out those who don’t have 20-20 vision, this all leaves too many of us feeling unwelcome and ignored as a customer.
Time for accessibility ‘internal warning’ systems?
“Clearly—or in this case not so clearly—the well-intentioned desire of the organisations involved was to show a mark of respect,” comments UKAAF chair Roger Firman.
“However, the unintended results were decidedly unhelpful, and could so easily have been avoided had people given it a little more thought.
“We know that accessible and usable websites are crucial in this day and age and to have essentially broken one, was not what we would expect,” he added. “Perhaps organisations need to have an internal warning system to prevent such incidents happening in future?”
Couldn’t agree more. What a silly own goal, on such a sad occasion!
Carina Birt
