At AXSChat, we recently welcomed back Gina Bhawalkar from Forrester to discuss their latest WAVE report on digital accessibility platforms. This report evaluates tools that help organizations assess, track, and scale accessibility across their digital products and websites.
The conversation highlighted key trends in accessibility. It covered the role of AI. The discussion emphasized why keeping people at the heart of these efforts is critical. Here are the main takeaways.
What Is the Forrester WAVE Report?
The Forrester WAVE isn’t just another feature checklist. It’s an in-depth evaluation of accessibility platforms, based on five months of research. Vendors are assessed on their products, strategies, and customer feedback. This helps organizations choose the best platform for their needs.
But not every vendor makes the cut. To be included, vendors must meet three criteria:
- Revenue Threshold: They must generate at least $10 million in annual revenue.
- Enterprise Readiness: Their platform must support medium- to large-scale organizations.
- Relevance: They must often be mentioned by Forrester’s enterprise clients.
This ensures the WAVE focuses on mature vendors that can meet the needs of global organizations.
The Role of AI in Accessibility
AI is revolutionizing accessibility platforms. It’s being used to detect issues, suggest fixes, and even educate designers and developers in real time. For example, some platforms now use AI to generate accessibility solutions tailored to a company’s specific design system. Others offer AI-powered chatbots to give instant help fixing issues.
Nonetheless, there are challenges. AI isn’t perfect—it can produce inaccurate or misleading results. Gina emphasized the importance of “human at the helm.” While AI can speed up processes, humans must review and check the results to guarantee they’re correct and useful.
Buyers Want Simplicity
A surprising insight from the WAVE report was that buyers aren’t just looking for advanced AI features. The top demand? Simpler, more user-friendly platforms. Many tools today are designed for developers, but business users also need to understand and use these platforms. Vendors that focus on usability and adoption will lead the market in the future.
Global Trends in Accessibility
Geography and language are becoming increasingly important. Organizations prefer working with vendors who understand local laws and can communicate in their native language. For example, some vendors are chosen because they have a strong presence in countries like Italy. They also select them based on their ability to speak Italian.
Most vendors in the WAVE report are headquartered in North America or Europe. Accessibility is gaining attention worldwide. As a result, we see more regional vendors emerging. This is especially in Europe, where accessibility laws are evolving quickly.
Balancing Innovation and Responsibility
AI is a major focus for accessibility vendors, but there’s a growing need to approach it responsibly. Some companies claim AI will soon replace entire accessibility teams, but this is far from reality. Accessibility is about creating inclusive experiences, which requires empathy and human oversight.
As Gina pointed out, it’s essential to keep the voices of people with disabilities at the center of these efforts. Accessibility isn’t just about checking boxes for compliance—it’s about designing solutions that work for everyone.
Conclusion: Accessibility Is About People
The WAVE report and our discussion with Gina highlighted a critical point: accessibility is about people. Technology, including AI, is a powerful tool, but it’s not the solution on its own. We need to guarantee that accessibility platforms are easy to use, responsibly designed, and focused on creating meaningful, inclusive experiences.
By keeping humans at the center—leaders, designers, and users alike—we can drive real progress in digital inclusion.
What are your thoughts on these trends? How is your organization approaching accessibility? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments or on AXSChat!
