18: Not Accessible = Not Ready

In this episode of Engineering Quality, Veronika, Ale, and Royalee are joined by accessibility leader and advocate Crystal Preston-Watson to explore why accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental part of software quality.

Together, they unpack how accessibility often gets deprioritized in organizations, why it’s frequently treated as a “nice-to-have,” and what it actually takes to embed it into the development lifecycle. The conversation dives into the realities of accessibility testing, the limits of automation, and the importance of involving real users with lived experiences.

We discuss:

• Why accessibility is often treated as an afterthought and how to change that

• The real balance between automated tools and human-driven accessibility testing

• Why hiring and paying people with disabilities is critical for meaningful testing

• How accessibility and testing share the same challenges in proving ROI

• The role of leadership in making accessibility a priority (top-down vs. grassroots)

• Practical ways to start accessibility testing even without specialized tools

• The risks companies ignore when they deprioritize accessibility

The episode also explores how teams can measure success in accessibility, avoid regressions, and shift from reactive fixes to proactive practices. Crystal shares both personal and professional insights, highlighting how inclusion, empathy, and real-world usage should shape how we build software.

Connect with Crystal:

🌐 Website: https://crystalprestonwatson.com

💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalprestonwatson/ 

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