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Thread: VPAT for Services
Number of posts in this thread: 7 (In chronological order)
From: Vaibhav Saraf
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 1:44AM
Subject: VPAT for Services
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Hello Folks,
I have a VPAT question. Recently, my team was working on
a piece of work, and there was an ask if we could provide a VPAT. VPAT, to
what I know, is provided for products only, and here we were offering a
service.
However, looking at one of the FAQs on ITIC's website:
Does ITI review or approve VPATs?
No, ITI does not review or approve VPATs. ITI provides the VPAT templates
as a free resource for anyone to use. We provide extensive instructions and
training slides/videos on our website regarding how to complete the VPAT.
VPATs shouldn't require a third party review - the product/service owner who
completes the VPAT will likely have the most accurate information about the
unique features represented on the VPATs. This is always something you can
choose to do as part of an extra compliance check, but is not required.
(Caveat: If you are completing a VPAT in response to a government or other
solicitation, follow the specific directions receive in the solicitation,
which may require a third party audit or review as part of its terms. If
you have any questions about what is being required, ask the entity that
issued the solicitation for clarification).
Looking at a particular part "...the product/service owner who completes
the VPAT will likely have ...", gives me an impression that VPATs can be
for services as well. Is that right, or I am just being pedantic here?
Please throw some light.
Thanks,
Vaibhav
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 1:55AM
Subject: Re: VPAT for Services
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It would help if you were more specific...what do you mean by "we were
offering a service"? Is this service given and presented to the user
with some sort of site, system, application? Or is this purely a service
in the abstract sense ("we're giving consultancy/advice")?
The ACR (the output of a filled-in VPAT) provides an
evaluation/statement about "something" tangible, were it makes sense to
make statements against it...
P
--
Patrick H. Lauke
* https://www.splintered.co.uk/
* https://github.com/patrickhlauke
* https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
* https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
From: Vaibhav Saraf
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 2:11AM
Subject: Re: VPAT for Services
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Hi Patrick,
Thanks for your prompt response.
First of all, let me express my admiration to you now that I am writing. I
attended your WCAG rant at the Accessibility Toronto conference in October
last year and it was mind blowing.
This is an accessibility remediation service for documents and
testing/consulting service for web and mobile apps provided to an
organization.
Speaking of tangibility, I cannot see really something tangible or
measurable to report.
Thanks,
Vaibhav
On Fri, 12 Jul 2024 at 03:55, Patrick H. Lauke < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:
> It would help if you were more specific...what do you mean by "we were
> offering a service"? Is this service given and presented to the user
> with some sort of site, system, application? Or is this purely a service
> in the abstract sense ("we're giving consultancy/advice")?
>
> The ACR (the output of a filled-in VPAT) provides an
> evaluation/statement about "something" tangible, were it makes sense to
> make statements against it...
>
> P
> --
> Patrick H. Lauke
>
> * https://www.splintered.co.uk/
> * https://github.com/patrickhlauke
> * https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
> * https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
>
> > > > >
From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 5:09AM
Subject: Re: VPAT for Services
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Hi Vaibhav
I have seen this question in the past. My general advice is:
1. Explain that a VPAT/ACR cannot be created for something that doesn't
exist, as Patrick said. In its place, offer some level of documentation
that highlights the skills/experience/process of your group.
2. Offer a sample document that is similar to what the client may want you
to work on. If your organization is newer, this may be a little more
complicated - since there's not a library you can pull, so reliance on #1
may be necessary.
Ideally your client has an accessibility team who can help review. Being
part of an accessibility team, I have told many people if the proposal was
good or full of smoke and mirrors.
--
Ryan E. Benson
On Fri, Jul 12, 2024 at 4:12 AM Vaibhav Saraf < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:
> Hi Patrick,
> Thanks for your prompt response.
> First of all, let me express my admiration to you now that I am writing. I
> attended your WCAG rant at the Accessibility Toronto conference in October
> last year and it was mind blowing.
>
> This is an accessibility remediation service for documents and
> testing/consulting service for web and mobile apps provided to an
> organization.
>
> Speaking of tangibility, I cannot see really something tangible or
> measurable to report.
>
> Thanks,
> Vaibhav
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, 12 Jul 2024 at 03:55, Patrick H. Lauke < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
>
> > It would help if you were more specific...what do you mean by "we were
> > offering a service"? Is this service given and presented to the user
> > with some sort of site, system, application? Or is this purely a service
> > in the abstract sense ("we're giving consultancy/advice")?
> >
> > The ACR (the output of a filled-in VPAT) provides an
> > evaluation/statement about "something" tangible, were it makes sense to
> > make statements against it...
> >
> > P
> > --
> > Patrick H. Lauke
> >
> > * https://www.splintered.co.uk/
> > * https://github.com/patrickhlauke
> > * https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
> > * https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
> >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >
From: Vaibhav Saraf
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 6:47AM
Subject: Re: VPAT for Services
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Many thanks, Brian!
On Fri, 12 Jul 2024 at 07:10, Ryan E. Benson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Hi Vaibhav
>
> I have seen this question in the past. My general advice is:
>
> 1. Explain that a VPAT/ACR cannot be created for something that doesn't
> exist, as Patrick said. In its place, offer some level of documentation
> that highlights the skills/experience/process of your group.
> 2. Offer a sample document that is similar to what the client may want you
> to work on. If your organization is newer, this may be a little more
> complicated - since there's not a library you can pull, so reliance on #1
> may be necessary.
>
> Ideally your client has an accessibility team who can help review. Being
> part of an accessibility team, I have told many people if the proposal was
> good or full of smoke and mirrors.
>
> --
> Ryan E. Benson
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 12, 2024 at 4:12 AM Vaibhav Saraf < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Patrick,
> > Thanks for your prompt response.
> > First of all, let me express my admiration to you now that I am writing.
> I
> > attended your WCAG rant at the Accessibility Toronto conference in
> October
> > last year and it was mind blowing.
> >
> > This is an accessibility remediation service for documents and
> > testing/consulting service for web and mobile apps provided to an
> > organization.
> >
> > Speaking of tangibility, I cannot see really something tangible or
> > measurable to report.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Vaibhav
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 12 Jul 2024 at 03:55, Patrick H. Lauke < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > It would help if you were more specific...what do you mean by "we were
> > > offering a service"? Is this service given and presented to the user
> > > with some sort of site, system, application? Or is this purely a
> service
> > > in the abstract sense ("we're giving consultancy/advice")?
> > >
> > > The ACR (the output of a filled-in VPAT) provides an
> > > evaluation/statement about "something" tangible, were it makes sense to
> > > make statements against it...
> > >
> > > P
> > > --
> > > Patrick H. Lauke
> > >
> > > * https://www.splintered.co.uk/
> > > * https://github.com/patrickhlauke
> > > * https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
> > > * https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
> > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >
From: Hayman, Douglass
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 9:19AM
Subject: Re: - VPAT for Services
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Vaibhav,
I concur with Patrick and Ryan's replies.
I'd add to what you mentioned about not needing 3rd party review. So often on the VPATs I've seen they'll say something like "familiarity with the product" and not much else. If the internal person at the company was both familiar with the product AND knowledgeable on accessibility then that would go further in my book. I've seen some VPATs done internally where a knowledgeable person mentions using JAWS, NVDA and Voiceover etc.
Too often though I'll see the questionably perfect VPAT where everything passed. Or they'll have nothing found in comments section. Some even pare down the VPAT, leaving out whole sections. I'd much rather see the blemishes and what it is that they are doing to remediate those in the near future.
Moving beyond the person requesting a VPAT for your service, it does seem like what they'd really want is to know the background of your people and the methodology that you all use to do your work. What comes to mind are companies like Deque, Level Access and others where you can also see the staff and what their expertise is.
Doug Hayman
IT Accessibility Coordinator
Information Technology
Olympic College
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
(360) 475-7632
From: Vaibhav Saraf
Date: Fri, Jul 12 2024 11:56AM
Subject: Re: - VPAT for Services
← Previous message | No next message
Thanks Doug!
On Fri, 12 Jul 2024 at 11:20, Hayman, Douglass < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Vaibhav,
>
> I concur with Patrick and Ryan's replies.
>
> I'd add to what you mentioned about not needing 3rd party review. So
> often on the VPATs I've seen they'll say something like "familiarity with
> the product" and not much else. If the internal person at the company was
> both familiar with the product AND knowledgeable on accessibility then that
> would go further in my book. I've seen some VPATs done internally where a
> knowledgeable person mentions using JAWS, NVDA and Voiceover etc.
>
> Too often though I'll see the questionably perfect VPAT where everything
> passed. Or they'll have nothing found in comments section. Some even pare
> down the VPAT, leaving out whole sections. I'd much rather see the
> blemishes and what it is that they are doing to remediate those in the near
> future.
>
> Moving beyond the person requesting a VPAT for your service, it does seem
> like what they'd really want is to know the background of your people and
> the methodology that you all use to do your work. What comes to mind are
> companies like Deque, Level Access and others where you can also see the
> staff and what their expertise is.
>
> Doug Hayman
> IT Accessibility Coordinator
> Information Technology
> Olympic College
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> (360) 475-7632
>
>
>
>