PAS 78 Launch event feedback
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Hi all,
I just thought I'd quickly give some feedback from the PAS78 event today which took place in Hammersmith in London today.
The event was pretty well organised with a good choice of speakers.
Robin Christopherson of AbilityNet gave one of the most impressive and concise demos of a range of assistive technologies that I've seen, and one of the most valuable pieces of information I've heard in a long time was passed on by David Rhys Wilton of Legal and General.
David is the web site manager for Legal and General. <shameless plug> I'm pleased to say that we've worked with David on a number of their applications </shameless plug> The site has been tested by both RNIB and Shaw Trust Web Accreditation.
And as a result of making the site and it's applications (insurance, savings etc.) accessible… (from the slides):
| Quote: |
Results
Significant improvements in our rankings in google for all target keywords 75% reduction in time to load a page Browser compatibility - 13,000 visitors per month effected. not a single complaint since Accessible using PDA's, Mobiles, Blackberry and other hand held devices Speed/Effort required to manage content reduced from and average of 5 days to 0.5 days per job |
and
| Quote: |
Return on Investment
Number of visitors getting a life quote increased by 95% 90% increase in Life Insurance sales online 100% return on investment in under 12 months |
These are some pretty convincing stats.
So next time someone asks how much accessibility costs, I think I'll be giving this as an answer.
Congratulations to the team at Legal and General who have done a sterling job of providing a financial services site which is easily among the most
accessible on the web and which has come a long way from their JavaScript Menu system. This clearly demonstrates that a well thought out methodology like that set out in the PAS, and pan-disability user testing not only results in greater accessibility, but a substantial return on investment too.
There's lots more to say, but there were other forum members there that will be able to fill in the blanks. I bumped into Bruce Lawson and Patrick Lauke who make a really good double act. Nonsense gibberish spurted from their mouths, all of it very funny. It's a terrible crime that I couldn't make it to the pub with them afterwards to see the effect of alchohol on my ability to comprehend what they were saying. Never mind, @Media is just around the corner eh? I'll make up for it then. It was good to meet up with some old friends and to meet Pixel Diva in person. It was good to see a good GAWDS presence there.
An excellent event (although sadly I had to leave early). A transcript was taken and I'm sure the DRC will publish soon. Please post a link if you spot it.
Not managed to get through the finished PAS 78 document yet, but I'm sure it's going to be discussed plenty over the next few weeks.
That's all for now...
_________________
Grant Broome
Blog
CDSM
Shaw Trust
Last edited by Grant Broome on 22 Aug 2006 01:59 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Hi Grant,
Thanks for the report - excellent and very useful stats.
It's a shame PAS 78 isn't easier to get hold of... I suspect this will no doubt badly affect its success...
All the best,
--
Ian
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The PAS isn't difficult to get hold of.
It's available from BSI in the following formats:
large print
braille
audio tape
DAISY
Welsh
easy-to-read
accessible PDF
To order PAS 78 call BSI on 0208 996 9001.
However, I suspect Ian is referring to the fact that the PAS is priced at £30.
When DRC took the decision to commission BSI to produce this document it was on the understanding that BSI do not publish standards or specifications for free.
However, we successfully lobbied BSI to reduce the price of this PAS to £30 to ensure that a far greater number of people will be able to afford it. For many companies - at whom the PAS is aimed - I believe this is not an unreasonable price. I know many of us have hefty technology books on our shelves that cost more. But it does mean that we'll have to lobby extra hard to get the PAS taken up - as we're excessively talented in this regard I'm optimistic that the cover price will not be too prohibitive.
In an ideal world it would be great if everything were free, but the PAS process incurs cost and the copyright belongs to BSI, and that's how it is.
In coming weeks and months there will be much written about the PAS in the press and a number of public events - in other words, there will be a number of opportunities to learn more about the content of PAS 78.
And you're always welcome to contact me about it.
Julie Howell
Digital Policy Development Manager, RNIB
Technical Author, PAS 78
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| JulieHowell wrote: |
|
However, I suspect Ian is referring to the fact that the PAS is priced at £30. When DRC took the decision to commission BSI to produce this document it was on the understanding that BSI do not publish standards or specifications for free. However, we successfully lobbied BSI to reduce the price of this PAS to £30 to ensure that a far greater number of people will be able to afford it. For many companies - at whom the PAS is aimed - I believe this is not an unreasonable price. |
Julie, is there an official clarification as to whether or not a purchased PAS can be freely disseminated within an organisation? We plan on making reference to the PAS in an upcoming policies & procedures document...can we just purchase one and stick it on the intranet? Or do we need a "site license" or similar?
But yes, the general feeling I picked up yesterday was the slight contrast between the "we hope this will be adopted far and wide" and the "but it'll cost you".
_________________
Patrick H. Lauke / webmaster / University of Salford
co-lead: WaSP Accesibility Task Force
take it to the streets ... WaSP Street Team
personal: splintered | photographia | redux
co-author: Web Accessibility - Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance
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Hi, I'm not just referring to the cost, though it probably won't help, but to availability. It's not available for immediate download and for that reason some people just won't bother.
I'm still waiting for a response from the orders email address some 24 hours later. I'm sure they've probably been overwhelmed with queries but contrast that with sales of 37 Signal's "Getting Real". 1,750 copies sold and immediately downloaded within 24 hours.
All the best,
--
Ian
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Hi Patrick
BSI own the copyright of PAS 78. I strongly advise against the copying or sharing of the document in any manner prior to BSI's explicit consent.
I don't know if it's possible to get a site license, you can but ask. Call BSI on 0208 996 9001.
Julie
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Hi Ian
We got the PAS produced in accessible PDF for BSI. I will enquire as to how they will make this available for sale.
Julie
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I may have spoken to soon.
Buried away, BSI have a instant download shop - but PAS 78 isn't listed there yet.
All the best,
--
Ian
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just to confirm that i spoke to a friendly chap at BSI's copyright department, and site licenses are available. you need to provide information on how many people will need constant access to it, how many casual users you expect to have, and whether it's only for viewing, viewing and printing, or viewing/printing/transferring (i.e. copy/pasting into other documents).
prices are per annum, and not too unreasonable.
_________________
Patrick H. Lauke / webmaster / University of Salford
co-lead: WaSP Accesibility Task Force
take it to the streets ... WaSP Street Team
personal: splintered | photographia | redux
co-author: Web Accessibility - Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance
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Write up of launch day and contents of PAS. Bottom line is that it's pragmatic, commercially-oriented, with an emphasis on user-testing. Nothing in it that's likely to offend an Accessify reader; plenty to please them. Julie looked lovely, in white outfit like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
http://www.brucelawson.co.uk/...
Contains (hopefully) fair-use quotations to give a feel of what it says without upsetting the BSI, as there's loads more information in the PAS than in my write-up. If you're from the BSI, and this gets on your norks, please let me know - but if I've written it right, it demonstrates to any waverers on this board that it's not flimsy nonsense or olde-worlde practice and they'll badger their organisations to buy some PASes.
_________________
www.brucelawson.co.uk
Web Evanglist, Opera, WaSP Accesibility Task Force
Study the Web Standards Curriculum
International Lothario (retired)
Last edited by brucelawson on 09 Mar 2006 03:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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I think Bruce's account is very fair. I shouldn't imagine reviewing the document is a problem to anyone. Great stuff, Bruce. Really excellent account on Out-Law.com today as well:
http://www.out-law.com/...
Note: A member of my team who has very servere sight loss (registered blind) can actually see me in that white suit. How accessible was YOUR outfit, or are we working with fragrance alone...?
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Oooooooh handbags at dawn! And me saying such lovely things about you in the pub, too.
It was great finally meeting Grant, Mike, the unfeasibly yummy Paula, David, Justin, Pixeldiva. I didn't note it on my write up, in case business types found my write up and treated my discussion of the PAS as somehow less objective if there were lots of personal information in it.
Eagle-eyed readers will note that there's no swearing at all in the write-up.
_________________
www.brucelawson.co.uk
Web Evanglist, Opera, WaSP Accesibility Task Force
Study the Web Standards Curriculum
International Lothario (retired)
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| brucelawson wrote: |
| Eagle-eyed readers will note that there's no swearing at all in the write-up. |
Indeed, I had noticed this and was very impressed at your restraint although I notice your rude rabbit still makes it onto the page. Actually I think every web page should should have a rude rabbit or other suitable care free mammal.
_________________
Grant Broome
Blog
CDSM
Shaw Trust
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| brucelawson wrote: |
| It was great finally meeting Grant, Mike, the unfeasibly yummy Paula, David, Justin, Pixeldiva. |
Good to meet you too (and Grant, Paula (Hi Paula!) and David), and to catch up again with Mike, Pat and Justin.
| brucelawson wrote: |
| I didn't note it on my write up, in case business types found my write up and treated my discussion of the PAS as somehow less objective if there were lots of personal information in it. |
Understandable, but a shame nonetheless.
| brucelawson wrote: |
| Eagle-eyed readers will note that there's no swearing at all in the write-up. |
Indeed. Very impressive.
_________________
pix
http://www.pixeldiva.co.uk
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| ifenn wrote: |
| Buried away, BSI have a instant download shop - but PAS 78 isn't listed there yet. |
I did a search on www.bsonline.bsi-global.com for 'PAS 78' (note the space) and it comes up trumps. I added it to my cart but it comes up as £60. After calling BSI Online they claim it's a temporary error and it will actually go through as £30. After a rather painful form experience I managed to order it. Will wait and see now.
Rather ironically I notice the BSI site's e-commerce is dependant on Javascript form submits. The guy on the phone said they're planning to update it sometime later this year...
Simon
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