Achieving accessibility through a shared commitment (WCAG)

Creating an inclusive e-commerce experience is a collaborative journey. Viskan delivers the structural foundation, while we work together during the design phase, the initial onboarding, and through the daily content updates that keep your store alive. Whether we are assisting you with a new feature or your team is updating a campaign, success relies on combining our technical framework with mindful, ongoing content management.

The technical foundation provided by Viskan

Our platform is designed to provide a robust, accessible starting point. We manage the core technical and structural elements to ensure your site is built on a solid base:

• Structure and code: We utilize semantic HTML5, including header, navigation, main, and footer, and correct heading hierarchies so that screen readers can easily interpret your page structure.
• Navigation and keyboard accessibility: Core user flows, such as navigation, search, and checkout, are built to be operable via keyboard. This includes maintaining a logical reading sequence and programmatic focus order.
• Visual adaptability: Our platform supports text resizing up to 200% and reflows into a single column at 400% zoom to maintain full functionality.
• System language and page titles: We ensure unique page titles are generated programmatically and that the correct language attributes are applied based on your specific store settings.
• Collaborative design standards: During the build phase, Viskan works closely with you to ensure your unique theme utilizes appropriate spacing, font sizes, and UI elements. We provide expert advice to help your brand identity align with WCAG guidelines before you take over the daily management of the store.

Maintaining accessibility in your daily operations

While Viskan delivers an accessible foundation, the ongoing compliance of the store is a result of the daily design and content choices made within the CMS. We are here to advise you on how to maintain these standards as your store grows:

• Color contrast: During the design process, we help select accessible palettes. When adding new brand elements or custom banners, it is important to ensure they continue to meet the minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio.

• Alt-text for media: To help all users understand your visual content, descriptive Alt Text should be added to all uploaded images, product photos, and logos within the CMS.

• Descriptive linking: Choosing clear, descriptive link text ensures that users navigating via screen readers understand the destination of a link without needing surrounding context.
• Video content: Since our platform focuses on core e-commerce functionality, we recommend using specialized services like YouTube or Vimeo for video hosting, as they offer the necessary tools for captions and audio descriptions.
• Text-based content: To ensure maximum readability, we recommend using our text-based CMS components for announcements rather than uploading images with text embedded in the file.

A living partnership: Growth and feedback

Accessibility is not a one-time project but a continuous process of improvement as your business evolves. We view our relationship as a long-term partnership in keeping your store inclusive:

• The post-launch lifecycle: As you launch new campaigns, add product lines, or update your webstore, we provide the technical foundation and components needed to keep those additions accessible. We encourage you to talk to us if you need help applying these standards to new content or if you are unsure how a specific update impacts your site's accessibility.
• Shared feedback loop: We encourage you to share any accessibility-related feedback you receive from your visitors. This allows Viskan to understand real-world user needs and helps us refine our platform tools for everyone.
• Regular check-ins: We are available to discuss how new features or design changes might impact your accessibility goals, ensuring that your store remains compliant as it grows.

Defining your conformance level

Transparency with your visitors is a key part of digital trust. Viskan can support you by generating technical reports to identify potential gaps or by providing guidance on what to include in your public Accessibility Statement.

Ultimately, the decision regarding the official conformance level rests with you. By evaluating the complete experience, which combines the Viskan platform with your specific design and content, you can determine if your site aligns with standards such as WCAG 2.1 Level AA.