Brian Moore knows first-hand about the importance of accessibility.
Moore, who is a Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist at TD, is blind. Every day, he works towards making sure all TD websites and mobile apps can be accessed by all customers, including those living with disabilities.
Those who are blind or have low vision often have the hardest time independently navigating digital platforms and mobile apps, Moore says. So, when the digital accessibility team was looking to onboard a new hire, Moore stood out as an applicant with the potential to help make the Bank's services more inclusive.
Not only did he have the necessary skillset, says Jennifer Popkey, Diversity and Inclusion Talent Partner at TD, he had the lived experience, too.
"[That] set him apart as the best person for the role because he brought the lived experience to make sure we were developing our products right the first time," she continues.
For Moore, accessibility is baked into a new project from the outset; it's not just a box to tick prior to launch.
It's important to ask: "When we're making a product or building a service out for people, by our design, who are we including and who are we excluding?" he explains.
An estimated 20% of Canadians rely on assistive technologies to access the online world and even outside of that group, user preferences lean towards more accessible options when they are available – for example, using voice search on mobile or watching social media video with closed captions.
As TD focuses on inclusive innovation, the Bank is committed to creating seamless experiences – both in-person and virtually – for its colleagues and customers.
Watch Brian Moore in the video above to learn more his work to make this possible.
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