Accessibility - Improvements to the mobile app and the mobile team's processes, documentation, and guidance - Q4

[kellylein]

Project Status Overview

Project Objective:

This epic is focusing on Accessibility related work for the VAHB during Q4. This would include accessibility needs on top priority items in Design System, Flagship, and Global. While also include general technical debt and maintenance of Accessibility needs. This work will include:

• External team documentation (web vs mobile differences, how to, best practices, etc)
• Defining Accessibility needs (processes, artifacts) during project lifecycle (Step 0, Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, etc)
• Pre-emptive awareness of future accessibility impacting changes (WCAG, new OS, etc)
• Identifying and defining Accessibility bugs (including not meeting WCAG standards) and handling
• Accessibility audits - defining, implementing and handling findings
• Reviewing existing processes for accessibility gaps (ex. not an Eng standard to use focus)

At least 30% will be allocated specifically todays Accessibility Technical Debt while the other 70% can be used to support Flagship, Design System and H&B or UX floater needs.

Accessibility work that other projects or teams require will fall under their specific project's epic and not here. This epic is specifically for internal Accessibility work.

Stakeholder Updates

Date	Project Health	Progress & Key Accomplishments	Issues/Risks/Blockers
11/12/2024	Green	Clean up and move MCAG documentation to the doc site.	None
10/28/2024	Green	Updated the accessibility checklist for content designers to incorporate MCAG guidelines.	None
10/28/2024	Green	Document best practices / tips for running an accessible research session on the mobile app team	None

OKRs

• Stability - Reduce Accessibility bugs by 25%
• Productivity - Enable teams to build faster through accessibility best practices, artifacts, and expectations
• Retention - Improve Veteran retention amongst Veterans with Accessibility Needs (meet WCAG / MCAG standards)
• Satisfaction - Improve Veteran satisfaction amongst Veterans with Accessibility Needs (ensure Accessibility is MVP)

Risks

Risks

• Capacity continues to be pulled away from Accessibility specialist toward other areas like UX
• Accessibility (standards, code, reviews) not being deemed a requirement or show stopper for releasing new features or changes to features
• Perception that Accessibility work does not need to be reviewed by an Accessibility specialist before going into production

Assumptions

Assumptions

• Accessibility needs and testing is just as critical as QA
• Capacity will only be used for Accessibility related work
• Non Accessibility related work will eventually be moved to the appropriate group of people

Current Dependencies / Blockers

Blockers

Blocker	Team / Owner	Est to Resolution
Internal dependency ?
External dependency ?

Team Members

Contact List

VA:

• Mobile OCTO Product Leads: Rachel Han or Ryan Thurlwell
• VA OCTO Product Leads:
• External Team 1 & Role:
• External Team 1 & Role:

Ad Hoc:

• Mobile Team: Qart
• Mobile Team Lead: Adam
• FE Engineering: NA
• BE Engineering: NA
• Design: Brea
• Accessibility Brea
• Content NA
• QA: Therese, Tom, Rachael
• Mobile Teams that are involved: Global, Health and Benefits, Design System, Qart

[kellylein]

Closing for the end of the contract 12/16/24.