Making the self-storage industry more accessible for individuals.
People with disabilities continue to face challenges in accessing the full range of opportunities available to people without disabilities. Specifically, barriers to standard computer software limit opportunities in employment for some people with disabilities.
We have a mission to design software that is accessible to individuals with disabilities in self-storage and unlock new opportunities in the industry.
See our current state and future plans below.
The current state
At OpenUnit, we know there are many areas in which we can make the software better and fully inclusive — especially in terms of accessibility.
OpenUnit currently does not meet the requirements of fully accessible software. We have full WCAG AA 2.1 compliance as our target and our team is committed to improving OpenUnit until it is fully compliant.
First principles
- It should be easy to get around. We offer keyboard-based shortcuts to navigate throughout OpenUnit and structure the app’s layout with function in mind.
- OpenUnit designs with accessibility at the forefront. OpenUnit uses easy-to-read fonts and we prioritize high contrast in our designs.
- Accessibility is a ongoing effort and investment. We’re never “done” working on the accessibility of OpenUnit.
Current accessibility review process
The following outlines some of the ways our team reviews the accessibility of our software and features:
- The OpenUnit engineering team uses Chrome browser extensions such as axe, reviewing on both desktop and mobile viewports
- The OpenUnit engineering team checks color contrast with the aim of passing at least WCAG 2 level AA standards.
- The OpenUnit engineering team tests views with a screen reader. Currently, we test across the following screen readers: VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS and Talkback. OpenUnit is tested on MacOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Future plans for accessibility improvements
OpenUnit is committed to hiring external WCAG 2.1 AA compliance auditors on a periodic basis to help our team improve the software. We will continue to fix our backlog of documented a11y issues, adding new issues as we discover them.
In the future we will begin a formal user research program centered on customers who live with disabilities to further inform our accessibility reviews and product design.
We would like to add an additional automated layer of accessibility testing into our build pipelines.
FAQ
- What does ADA compliant mean for software or websites?
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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that your website and software needs to be accessible to people who have disabilities that affect their hearing, vision or physical capacities.
- My software is not accessible. What can I do to make my self-storage software accessible?
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Your current provider should be willing to invest in making their software compliant and accessible to people who have disabilities. If you are looking for a new solution, contact the OpenUnit team.
- What can I do to make my self-storage facility more accessible?
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To make your self-storage facility more accessible, work with your staff to understand their labour needs. If you want a checklist, contact the OpenUnit team.
- What can I do to ensure my self-storage website is ADA compliant?
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OpenUnit websites are optimized for ADA compliance and web accessibility. Our team is committed to continune investing resources to ensure our software meets the standard for accessibility.
- Where can I find qualified employees with disabilities?
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You can find information about Jobs for People with Disabilities in America and Hiring Persons with Disabilities in Canada.