How do we convince stakeholders to invest in assistive tech testing before launch when budgets are tight?

One of the most powerful ways to get stakeholder buy-in is to show, not just tell. Running a short assistive technology demo, even just with a screen reader, can be incredibly eye-opening. When stakeholders see firsthand how difficult it is for users with disabilities to navigate an untested site, it can lead to a shift in perspective.

If you haven't done any accessibility work yet, these demos can uncover a lot of issues quickly. While that might feel overwhelming, it is exactly the kind of awareness that leads to real investment in fixing things the right way, before launch, rather than after.

Also, remember—assistive tech users involved in these demos understand the purpose is educational. It is not about judgement, it is about helping teams understand the user experience and improve it. That kind of insight is invaluable.

And ultimately, you have to ask: Who do you want discovering these problems, your internal team or one of your customers? Giving stakeholders a window into the real-world experience makes it much easier to prioritize accessibility from the start.