PAS 78: Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible..
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Hi everyone
PAS 78: Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites.
Maybe it's a good time for an update.
Followers of this piece of work will note a change in title. Originally, the title was 'Guide to good practice in the design of accessible websites'. After the first Steering Group meeting it was decided to change the focus to 'commissioning' rather than 'design'.
Here's why...
Last year, the Disability Rights Commission research on web accessibility found that awareness of the issue is high, but good practice is terribly low. Perhaps this indicates that commissioners want their sites to be accessible, but don't know how to go about it.
To meet this need for guidance, the Disability Rights Commission has commissioned the British Standards Institution to produce a PAS (publicly available specification) on the subject as described above.
The purpose of the PAS is to meet the needs of website commissioners.
The PAS is not 'rules', is not 'new web design guidelines' and is not 'the law'. In fact, regular contributors to Accessify and similar message boards should learn absolutely NOTHING NEW from the PAS.
The PAS is to help site commissioners (those that procure web design) to ensure that they are able to commission accessible sites. It is intended to be a document that commissioners can understand and can discuss with web design project managers. For example, heavy reference is made to WAI guidlines, usability testing, automated checking tools, etc.
So what's this got to do with RNIB?
BSI offered me the role of 'technical author'... which meant I had to produce the first draft of the document and sit on the steering panel.
Why was I offered this job? Well, there's a question...
Let me be the first to admit that I am not a web accessibility expert. RNIB has a web accessibility team who most definitely are among the growing number of experts in this field.
Me, nope. I'm a policy person and a campaigner, primarily.
There was a time I knew about code, but that time's long gone now.
Instead, I help the management at RNIB shape policy around the accessibility of IT in the public space.
Being asked to work on the PAS was a terrifying prospect, if I'm honest. I do my thing public speaking. I'm not a writer by any means. But with the support and guidance of BSI I took on the role. BSI supply editors to guide authors, so I was by no means left on my own to get on with it!
However, it should be made clear that my role was (just) to get the PAS going... not to produce an end product. Once I had delivered the first draft in Feburary the document was worked on by a BSI/DRC appointed steering group of 8 people.
I've read messages about who people think might be on the panel... BSI/DRC have not actually revealed that info and the speculation I've read has been incorrect. But I can confirm that I'm on it along with 7 representatives from the world of accessibility, usability and industry.
The Steering Panel met a couple of times and worked on the document for a few months.
Last week, the PAS was released to a Review Panel of more than 80 people, some selected, some who volunteered to be involved. Comments are invited from these people and the Steering Group will meet again to discuss the comments.
The PAS will be publised in the autumn.
The process is dictated by BSI. Standards documents follow a strict schedule and PAS 78 is no different.
Here's the basics:
- the PAS is NOT a consensus document (i.e. not all steering group members must agree on the content... this is very significant, actually...)
- the PAS will last not more than 2 YEARS before review
- the audience of the PAS will be website COMMISSIONERS. It is not a document for web designers (important).
I hope this is a least a bit helpful. Please don't send me comments about the PAS at this juncture. The Review Panel (which is huge and diverse) will send comments to BSI as per the procedure (I will get to see these via the Steering Group meeting next month).
BUT... if you want to help the PAS along its way, you most certainly can.
The PAS is a 'work in progress'. It could mature into a British Standard. If you think it SHOULD, if you think that there SHOULD be a British Standard for specifying the commissioning of accessible web design, you should let DRC know about it. Talk about it in public discussion lists. Generate enthusiasm for the process. The PAS has only come into production because DRC has sponsored it (that means PAID for it to be produced). If you think there should be other documents aimed at other audiences, PLEASE tell DRC.
To be absolutely clear.. RNIB does not own the PAS and has not 'written the PAS'. It's a DRC-commissioned document, written by a Steering Panel, reviewed by a Review Panel and valid for not more than 2 years after publication, though it does have the potential to be further developed into a British Standard. BSI holds the copyright of the document.
RNIB's role has been to kick things off with a first draft and subsequent to this to contribute to the Steering Panel along with 8 other organisations.
Bestest,
Julie Howell
RNIB
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Julie, thanks for the update.
As I understand it PAS-78 will explain to website commissioners what needs to be done to have an accessible website. How many of the participants of the Steering committee (particularly the organisations they represent) are going to be able to stand up as a role-model for others to follow? Meaning, are the sites they run meeting up, or will there a commitment that in the short term future their sites will meet the guidelines documented in the PAS?
The concern is the UK is given a standards document with the undertone of "do as we say, not as we do", which may turn out to be counterproductive. (and give another opportunity for companies like SiteMorse to attack the DRC and other disability focused organisations - which further damages the credibility of web accessibility).
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The steering panel is a panel of representatives from eight organisations, selected on the basis of experience and relevence, the eight being organisations rather than individuals.
Usability and accessibility interests are represented, as is industry (both IT and commercial generally), academia and government. Perhaps DRC/BSI will share the names at some point - that I don't know.
The Review Panel is vast, and the representation is very inclusive. I suggested at least 120 names (apologies to any people I forgot - I was already way over my limit!!).
When recruiting for these panels I don't believe the aim was to recruit organisations that were already 'getting it right'. Rather, the intention was to get opinion on what the document should contain. In a sense, it could be said to be better to enlist organisations that are getting wrong, because they are in a stronger position to tell us why they're getting it wrong and what they need from a document like the PAS.
The Steering Group have of course done our very, very, very best to get the document right, but I would hope the Review Panel will take it upon themselves to alert BSI to any errors or ommissions.
(General remark) Can I make a plea to members of this forum to get behind the PAS in as constructive a manner as possible - I think we are all in agreement that we need a credible document of this nature. DRC plumped for a PAS because it's a very fast track document. However, doing something quickly, something that is not consensus-based does involve some 'compromise', I willingly admit that.
If criticism is raised (after publication) that organisations were invited to participate that do not practice what the PAS suggests, I feel we can easily respond to the effect that this is exactly why the PAS came into being, and that these organisations may now follow the PAS and get their house in order. If they can't/don't/won't then I suspect we'll need to take a serious look at the document again, because it ain't doing what it was created to do.
Julie
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Julie,
I might of missed it, but when do you expect the initial PAS drafts to be publically available? The BSI event "Defining and Developing a Profitable web accessiblity strategy", seems to have Giles Colborne and Jonathan Hassell talking about it a couple of presentations before yours, will it be available before then?
_________________
Red Ant
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Hi Richard
The draft will not be 'publicly' available.
The draft is currently being reviewed by a Review Panel that has already been appointed. (This is the BSI process for PAS documents.)
The PAS will be published in November (or thereabouts). As it is on a 2-year cycle, it will be subject to an almost continuous process of review.
You may well hear myself and others talk 'generally' about the PAS before it is published (at time of writing the PAS is still in draft and subject to change so on-one can be specific about the final contact as yet).
Julie
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Thanks for the post Julie. Can you please keep us posted on developments and how we can add our weight (in my case quite considerable 
) to the process
BTW, welcome to our community
and congratulations on the award, you deserve it._________________
Mike Abbott
Accessible to everyone
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Thanks Mike. I'll try to do that. The process is laid out by BSI and quite structured, so the info in my two previous messages just about covers it. But I have dropped a line to Nigel offering myself for another Accessify interview... so there may be an opportunity to ask some challenging questions then. 
Julie, RNIB
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Hi everyone
I just posted this message on the PSF noticeboard and thought to post it here too because it gives an update on the forthcoming PAS 78.
Enjoy.
The correct title is PAS 78: Guide to Good Practice in COMMISSIONING Accessible Websites.
The PAS is aimed at website commissioners, not designers. A crucial difference.
I was 'technical author' (I wrote the first draft and head up the steering panel).
The steering panel comprised the following organisations:
Abilitynet
BBC
Cabinet Office
DRC
IBM
RNIB
Tesco.com
University College London
Usability Professionals Association
It did not include CX Partners (as was reported) - that's an error.
BSI processes meant the steering group was strictly limited to nine organisations and the nine were chosen because DRC and BSI wanted representation from the various industries. A Review Panel of 120 gave many more individuals and organisations the opportunity to submit comment.
FYI, the document is now completed and is awaiting publication. Expect an announcement very soon.
I'm aways happy to take questions about the PAS. Drop me a line at julie.howell@rnib.org.uk
Maybe Accessify would like to gather your questions and do an interview. Having worked on the PAS since January, I'm more than ready to start talking about it (well, almost!).
Julie Howell
Digital Policy Development Manager, RNIB
Peterborough, UK
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Looking forward to reading it 
_________________
Red Ant
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Publication is now pencilled in for Monday 14 November 2005. I stresss PENCILLED. Not 100% confirmed but if it's not then it will be very soon after so please stay tuned for announcements.
Best regards
Julie Howell
Digital Policy Development Manager
RNIB
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I searched the BSI site for PAS 78 and the main search result was the accessibility page http://www.bsi-global.com/... which begins
"Following the publication of PAS 78 Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites, developed in conjunction with the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), BSI is working towards full compliance with the consensus on accessibility best practice as detailed in this document.
For further information on PAS 78, please contact Corinne Erasmus on +44 (0)20 8996 7090."
So I phoned Corinne, who told me that it will be delayed until January or February 06.
_________________
www.brucelawson.co.uk
Web Evanglist, Opera, WaSP Accesibility Task Force
Study the Web Standards Curriculum
International Lothario (retired)
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but that's aaaages away! we wants it now my preciousss 
_________________
Karl Dawson
http://www.thatstandardsguy.co.uk
http://www.accessites.org
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Look forward to it! Thanks for keeping us informed
David
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I have been informed by Corinne Eramus (BSI) that PAS78 will be available for public access from Mid March.
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Launch conference is 8 March. http://www.brucelawson.co.uk/..._________________
www.brucelawson.co.uk
Web Evanglist, Opera, WaSP Accesibility Task Force
Study the Web Standards Curriculum
International Lothario (retired)
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