Scaling Accessibility for Government-Facing AI Product
Consultancy: LMI
Role: Accessibility Lead
Overview: I led accessibility efforts for an AI product workstream intended for government clients, where meeting Section 508 compliance was a critical requirement. But my approach went far beyond checking boxes — I aimed to embed accessibility as a sustainable, shared responsibility across the product team. This meant building trust, developing tools and processes, and guiding the team from initial audit through to strategic maturity planning.
The Challenge
The team needed to reach compliance quickly, but had limited prior experience with accessibility or 508 standards. I joined the project near the end of the initial audit, taking ownership of the VPAT and guiding the team through remediation, tool acquisition, and ongoing process development. The broader challenge wasn’t just to fix issues — it was to create clarity, confidence, and capacity for the team to carry accessibility forward in their work.
My Role
As the accessibility lead, I worked cross-functionally with designers, engineers, and leadership to build understanding, structure, and momentum around accessibility. My work included direct remediation guidance, strategy development, and team enablement.
Compliance & Auditing
Conducted a comprehensive accessibility audit against WCAG 2.2 AA using JAWS, NVDA, and browser-based tools.
Created and prioritized JIRA tickets to track remediation. Developed a framework to help the team independently assess task urgency moving forward.
Provided clear remediation guidance and secured the tools necessary to support accessible design and testing workflows.
Took ownership of VPAT documentation and Section 508 compliance tracking. Supplied long-term resources, including training materials and team documentation.
Achieved an initial state of Section 508 compliance within the project timeline, laying a foundation for continued accessibility maturity.
Team Enablement & Culture Building
Facilitated an Accessibility 101 workshop and ongoing knowledge-sharing sessions
Developed role-based accessibility workflows (from design to development)
Created checklists, best practice guides, and playbook materials tailored to the team’s needs
Celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day internally to promote engagement
Strategic Leadership
Developed a business case for continuing accessibility investment beyond initial compliance
Proposed multiple paths forward with clearly articulated benefits and risks
Fostered a collaborative, “learning together” team culture
Worked closely with the design system team to embed accessibility practices and guidance
Outcomes & Impact
By the end of the engagement, the team had successfully met compliance requirements and, more importantly, gained the tools and confidence to sustain accessible development. Accessibility became a shared responsibility — supported by practical workflows, internal champions, and a foundation for ongoing growth. This project demonstrated not only how to meet compliance quickly, but how to scale accessibility thoughtfully in fast-moving, high-stakes product teams.
“Hannah is a true self-starter with a keen awareness of her surroundings and what’s needed to move work forward. She’s deeply committed to inclusive design and accessibility, and her passion shows in every aspect of her work. Her value will continue to be felt through documentation, training and guidance that is helping ensure accessibility compliance for one of our internal GenAI tools.”