Brightline is redefining modern rail travel with a clear promise: a brighter, more seamless experience for every rider. Delivering on that promise requires more than premium trains and accessible stations. It demands a fully connected journey where digital and physical experiences work together without barriers.

With accessibility a core element of its brand promise and already embedded into its physical infrastructure, Brightline partnered with Allyant to elevate its digital ecosystem to the same standard. The result is a unified approach where accessibility is no longer a checkpoint, but a core part of how products are built and delivered—now included in the team’s ‘definition of done.’

Accessibility at Brightline is about an end-to-end inclusive experience—ensuring every guest can independently discover, book, navigate, and complete their journey.”

Jennifer Rogers, VP, Digital Product and User Experience

Key Highlights

• Accessibility is embedded in Brightline’s definition of done, making it a requirement for every digital release—not a post-launch fix.
• Cross-functional ownership ensures accessibility is shared across Product, Design, Engineering, Legal, and Operations.
• Integrated into design systems and QA workflows, accessibility is addressed during development—reducing rework and accelerating releases.
• A unified approach connects digital and physical accessibility, creating a seamless, end-to-end rider journey.

Objective

Brightline’s investment in physical accessibility has long-been an organizational priority, from station design to boarding experiences. In 2023, when the company re-built its digital channels, they recognized an internal skills gap: knowing how to build websites and apps that were accessible for riders with disabilities.

“With evolving ADA and WCAG expectations, we knew we needed to put accessibility at the forefront of our digital transformation, and we needed an expert partner for support,” says Brightline’s VP of Digital Product and User Experience, Jennifer Rogers.

But the challenge extended beyond one-time validation that its experiences met the accessibility standards of the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Brightline needed to ensure accessibility scaled alongside rapid product innovation, and that every touchpoint—digital or physical—felt like part of a single, cohesive experience. From the company’s Product Manager Durim Dermaku, “Our customer journey involves both digital and physical touchpoints—from discovery to booking to arrival at the station and beyond. A breakdown anywhere creates friction everywhere.”

Solution

Brightline partnered with digital accessibility solution provider Allyant.

“From our first meeting with Allyant, we were impressed with the team’s commitment to the end-user experience and its deep specialization in digital accessibility. And Allyant’s solutions scale across both website and mobile app environments,” Rogers adds.

Allyant’s team provides ongoing auditing, code-level validation, internal training, and support for Brightline’s developers, helping close knowledge gaps and accelerate progress. The accessibility management platform reveals audit findings, prioritized by issue, enables on-demand scanning of digital environments, and provides code-level guidance for recommended fixes.

Plus, with Allyant’s commitment to user testing—blind engineers using their native assistive technologies to validate real-world usability—Brightline has confidence its digital touchpoints don’t just meet compliance requirements, but they actually work for riders with disabilities.

Results

With Allyant’s expertise, Brightline’s team now embeds accessibility directly into every phase of a product’s development lifecycle. Teams are no longer retrofitting fixes after launch.

“Accessibility is now part of Brightline’s definition of done—a non-negotiable requirement for every digital release,” Dermaku says.

Design systems are built with accessible, repeatable components, and accessibility checks are integrated into both automated and manual QA processes. This ensures that accessibility issues are identified and resolved during development, not after deployment. Brightline has reduced rework, enabling faster, more confident releases.

Rodgers adds, “Also important to our success, accessibility is not centralized to just one team. Our Digital Product and UX teams are responsible for accessible design and delivery. Engineering is responsible for implementation. Legal and Compliance monitor risk and ensure alignment with laws like the ADA. Operations monitors the accessibility of our physical experience, and governance is maintained through shared standards, design systems, and our partnership with Allyant.”

The most impactful outcome is a more seamless journey for its end-users. Customers can move from digital interactions—searching schedules, booking tickets, receiving updates—to physical travel without encountering barriers or inconsistencies.

Accessibility isn’t something we bolt on—it’s part of how we build.”

Durim Dermaku, Product Manager

The post Building Accessibility into Every Definition of Done  first appeared on Allyant.

What You'll Learn

As organizations invest more in mobile-first experiences, accessibility must be built into design and development workflows.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• Why mobile accessibility matters and where organizations often fall short.
• The differences between native mobile apps and responsive web experiences.
• How WCAG applies to mobile environments.
• Common mobile accessibility challenges and how to address them.
• Best practices for designing and developing accessible mobile apps.

The post Mobile App Accessibility: Standards, Challenges, and Best Practices first appeared on Allyant.

Featured Speakers

• Aaron Page, Vice President, Accessibility

• Randy Warren, Team Lead, Digital Services
• Mike Sivill, Technical Lead, Digital Services
• Leslie Squires, Senior Accessibility Engineer
• Sol Escobar, Team Lead, Digital Services 

Why Engage?

Too often, accessibility is discussed as a requirement instead of a lived reality.

GAAD gives us a chance to pause and reconnect this work to people.

In this panel discussion, Allyant accessibility professionals will speak from personal experience about the digital barriers they face, why days like GAAD are important, and why awareness must lead to action.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• Why accessibility matters on a deeply human level, beyond compliance and policy.
• How inaccessible websites, apps, software, and documents affect real people in real moments.
• What accessibility champions can say and do to build empathy, urgency, and internal support.
• Why days like GAAD matter, and how they can help move organizations from awareness to action.

The post A GAAD Conversation: Real Stories for Real Change first appeared on Allyant.

Global Excel Management, Inc. (Global Excel), a worldwide provider of travel risk management and travel insurance technology solutions, knew accessibility was becoming increasingly important to its clients. But like some organizations beginning their accessibility journey, the team recognized the need to partner with outside expertise to address accessibility issues consistently.

Partnering with Allyant, Global Excel implemented a structured accessibility process supported by Allyant’s software platform, remediation guidance, and ongoing expert support. Over time, accessibility moved upstream—from audit findings to everyday development practices.

Today, accessibility is embedded directly into the company’s workflows. Developers, QA specialists, and product teams consider accessibility from design through deployment, dramatically improving outcomes.

The results speak for themselves: The number of issues surfaced in audits has dropped more than 97%, from hundreds of issues to a handful, and accessibility has become a sustainable part of Global Excel’s product development culture.

Key Highlights

• Objective: Build internal accessibility expertise and integrate accessibility into development workflows to support WCAG conformance and evolving client expectations.
• Solution: Partner with Allyant to implement a structured accessibility program supported by the Allyant Platform, expert guidance, developer education, and ongoing WCAG-based audits.
• Products used:
  • Allyant Platform (audit management and Knowledge Base)
  • Accessibility Audits
  • Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPAT) and Letters of Conformance (LOC)
  • Accessibility consulting and support
• Results: Audit findings reduced 97%, while accessibility became embedded across development, QA, and product workflows.
• Impact: Accessibility is now integrated into Global Excel’s development lifecycle, enabling teams to design, test, and launch digital experiences with accessibility in mind while confidently responding to client accessibility requirements in procurement and RFP processes.

The combination of Allyant’s platform, expertise, and support helped us turn accessibility into an essential component of how we develop digital experiences.”

Jeffrey Renon, Director of Information Systems

Objective

Canada-based Global Excel first began exploring accessibility in 2017 when clients started asking questions about compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). While the company recognized accessibility was important, the team quickly realized that understanding the standards, and implementing them effectively, was more complex than expected.

“When we first learned about accessibility, we were focused on compliance with one law, the AODA,” explains Development Team Lead Mandi Bailey. “We didn’t know how complex accessibility was to solve or how to solve it sustainably. We lacked the internal knowledge as well as the tools to support.”

At that time, the team had little exposure to accessibility concepts such as screen reader compatibility or how design decisions impact users with disabilities. Without a structured process, accessibility issues were difficult to identify and even harder to resolve.

At the same time, Global Excel wanted to ensure its platforms and digital products met the expectations of clients around the world, not just in Canada. Instead of focusing narrowly on AODA requirements, the team chose to align with the broader, and most recent, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the global framework underpinning most worldwide digital accessibility regulations.

But before they could achieve that goal, the company needed a strategic partner to support building internal accessibility expertise and integrating accessibility into everyday development work.

We didn’t know how complex accessibility was to solve, or how to solve it sustainably.”

Mandi Bailey, Development Team Lead

Solution

Global Excel partnered with Allyant to establish a scalable accessibility program built around education, structured remediation, and accessible tooling.

Turning Audit Findings into Learning Opportunities

Allyant began by auditing Global Excel’s digital platforms against WCAG standards. The first results revealed hundreds of accessibility issues.

“It was overwhelming at first,” Bailey recalls. “But the way in which the Allyant Platform prioritizes high-impact issues by severity made it clear to us where to start.”

Charmi Virani, a Business Analyst and QA Specialist, began using the Platform daily. “The Allyant Knowledge Base became our go-to resource for whenever we needed to understand how to address an accessibility issue,” she says. “When we needed code-level support to understand how to address an accessibility issue, we’ve found easy-to-follow guidance, and access to support for more complex problems.”

Instead of vague recommendations, the platform provides developers with actionable explanations, examples, and multiple implementation approaches for resolving accessibility issues.

That clarity accelerated the team’s internal understanding, helping team members close knowledge gaps and build accessibility directly into design and development.

The Allyant Knowledge Base became our go-to resource for whenever we needed to understand how to address an accessibility issue”

Charmi Virani, Business Analyst / QA

Ongoing Support and Expert Guidance

In addition to software, Allyant’s accessibility experts provide ongoing support as the team implements changes.

When developers encountered complex accessibility questions, or when clients raised concerns about specific issues, Global Excel could consult directly with Allyant’s team.

“Allyant’s third-party validation has been instrumental to our success,” says Director of Information Systems Jeffrey Renon. “Allyant-produced VPATs and Letters of Conformance add much-needed credibility to our work. But beyond documentation, having Allyant subject matter experts join our client conversations often saves us months of back-and-forth when the client has questions about accessibility standards. That access saves us time, and time is money.”

This combination of software, guidance, and education helped Global Excel move beyond reactive remediation toward proactive accessibility practices.

Shifting Accessibility Left

Over time, accessibility moved upstream into the company’s development lifecycle.

Designers began evaluating accessibility implications during the design phase. Developers considered screen reader compatibility and semantic structure before releasing new features. QA teams incorporated accessibility checks into testing workflows.

“For every design we suggest, we’re thinking accessibility first,” explains Product Owner Oluwaseun Popoola. “It’s now part of our refinement, testing, and definition of done.”

Results

Five years into its journey, Global Excel has fundamentally changed how it approaches accessibility.

The most significant improvement is in audit outcomes. Early accessibility audits identified nearly 200 issues across the company’s digital properties. Today, the most recent audit surfaced just five, a more than 97% reduction.

“When we saw five, we threw a party,” Bailey adds.

With annual audits in place, the Allyant Platform remains central to Global Excel’s accessibility program, helping teams identify issues, prioritize remediation, engage support, and maintain accessibility standards over time.

And now, as clients ask about accessibility during procurement processes or in their RFPs, Global Excel can confidently demonstrate its commitment to accessibility with Allyant-validated documentation.

What began as a learning curve has become an operational strength. By embedding accessibility into its workflows, Global Excel has not only improved digital experiences for users, it has built a sustainable accessibility program that will continue to evolve alongside its technology.

The post Embedded Accessibility: How Global Excel Reduced Audit Findings by 97% with Allyant first appeared on Allyant.

When a multi-property independent hotel group received an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) demand letter alleging website accessibility violations, the leadership team initially saw it as a nuisance legal issue. But after investigating the claim and examining their existing accessibility practices, they discovered their approach to accessibility relied solely on automated tools—leaving significant accessibility gaps undetected. 

Working with Allyant, the organization implemented a structured accessibility program combining automated scanning with expert manual testing, remediation guidance, and ongoing monitoring. The effort resulted in a Letter of Conformance for each of its hotel and retail websites, stronger internal accessibility knowledge, and the confidence that their digital experiences will continue to meet compliance requirements. 

Today, accessibility is an embedded practice—with the Allyant Accessibility Badge on each site signaling a clear commitment to accessible, compliant digital experiences for all.  

Key Highlights 

• ADA demand letter prompted the organization to reevaluate its website accessibility strategy. 

• Automated-only scanning from a prior vendor failed to identify many accessibility issues, heightening legal risk. 

• Allyant’s combination of expert auditing, remediation guidance, and critically, legal defensibility helped the organization achieve Letters of Conformance across multiple websites. 

• The Allyant Accessibility Badge now acts as both a deterrent against nuisance lawsuits and a public declaration of an accessibility commitment. 

• Internal teams gained practical accessibility knowledge they now apply to ongoing content updates. 

Objective 

For a multi-property independent hotel group, website accessibility wasn’t initially a primary area of focus—not because it wasn’t important, but because the team believed the accessibility vendor they initially engaged was properly managing it. 

Like many organizations, the marketing team relied on external support to oversee the accessibility of its websites. They received reports on an ongoing basis suggesting compliance was on track. With limited internal expertise, there was little reason to question progress.

That changed when the organization received a demand letter alleging that one of its websites was not accessible—claiming that’s a violation of ADA Title III. 

While the letter itself appeared to be part of a broader wave of nuisance claims targeting hospitality organizations, it exposed a more important reality: Their portfolio of websites was not fully compliant—and their existing approach wasn’t sufficient to catch the gaps. 

“We thought we were covered because we were getting monthly reports,” said the Area Director of Sales and Marketing. “But we didn’t realize those reports were based only on automated scans. We didn’t know what we were missing.” 

A second demand letter ultimately followed, reinforcing the need to take a more proactive and informed approach. But rather than settling after this second letter, the organization turned to legal counsel to better understand its risk and its options. 

That process revealed a critical insight: Without manual testing and expert validation, significant barriers can remain undetected—leaving organizations exposed to costly legal action. At that point, accessibility shifted from a reactive concern to an organizational priority. 

The team set out to: 

• Understand the accurate state of accessibility of its portfolio of websites. 

• Identify an accessibility partner capable of delivering both technical expertise and support for legal counsel. 

• Establish a repeatable process for auditing, remediation, and ongoing maintenance. 

• Ensure its websites remain accessible for all guests, including those with disabilities using assistive technologies. 

What began as a response to a legal trigger quickly evolved into an ongoing commitment—ensuring their digital experiences reflected the same level of inclusivity they strive to provide in their physical locations. 

Solution 

Following guidance from legal counsel, the organization selected Allyant as its accessibility partner. 

The engagement began with comprehensive accessibility audits across the organization’s hotel and retail websites. Unlike their previous vendor, Allyant combined automated scanning with expert manual testing to identify issues that scanning technology alone would miss. 

“We learned that automated tools only flag a small percentage of accessibility issues. Without manual testing, including testing done by people with disabilities, critical barriers can easily go undetected,” said the Area Director of Sales and Marketing. 

Working collaboratively with Allyant’s team, the organization began a phased remediation process across multiple sites. Their internal marketing team coordinated with external web developers, while the Allyant Platform served as the hub—providing detailed issue tracking, prioritization, code-level guidance, and access to remediation support. 

“The platform was intuitive and user-friendly, even when we had several projects running ag once,” added the group’s Marketing Manager. “The dashboard gave us high-level visibility into the status of each project—which is great for leadership. And more in-depth reports gave our development team the level of detail they needed to prioritize and address outstanding issues.”

Allyant also provided a key capability their previous vendor could not—legal defensibility. 

The team’s Director adds, “Allyant’s team offered support for our legal counsel, standing firmly behind the defensibility of their work, should we receive another demand letter or even a subpoena for required court appearance. The level of confidence we had because of Allyant’s commitment made a huge difference in our approach to completing this process.” 

Results 

The refreshed approach to accessibility delivered immediate impact—strengthening compliance, reducing legal risk, and establishing a sustainable path forward. What began as a reactive response to demand letters is now a structured, repeatable process for maintaining accessibility over time. And across each of its hotel and retail websites, the organization received a Letter of Conformance from Allyant.

Internal teams have also built-up practical accessibility knowledge, applying best practices as they update and manage site content. And the Allyant Accessibility Badge has become both a signal and a safeguard. 

“For us, the badge is our strongest defensive tool. It’s a public-facing declaration we have an experienced partner, and we’re committed to accessibility. And we have not received another demand letter since,” said the Area Director of Sales and Marketing. 

With a comprehensive solution provider bringing decades of accessibility experience, what was once a legal vulnerability has evolved into a competitive strength. The hospitality group’s online experiences now reflect the same standard of inclusive, accessible service they deliver to every in-person guest. 

The post Turning a Website Accessibility ADA Demand Letter into a Competitive Advantage  first appeared on Allyant.

When Allina Health launched its Hello4Health program, the goal was clear: Provide digital tools that help adults build social connections and combat loneliness. 

The populations most affected by social isolation include two sizeable demographics—people with disabilities and older adults. Because these populations are also more likely to experience barriers when they’re navigating a website, accessibility quickly became a critical requirement for the program’s website. 

To ensure the Hello4Health website could truly serve everyone in its community, Allina Health partnered with full-service marketing and development agency Trilix for design and development, and Allyant for accessibility expertise and accessibility management software. Together, the teams implemented a structured accessibility workflow that includes regular auditing, prioritized remediation, and ongoing monitoring to ensure Hello4Heath remains accessible for all. 

Highlights

• Objective: Ensure the Hello4Health website could serve 100% of Allina Health’s community, despite limited internal accessibility expertise. 

• Solution: Partnered with Allyant to audit the Hello4Health website and Trilix to prioritize accessibility remediation, together, establishing an ongoing accessibility governance process. 

• Allyant Products Used: Allyant’s Platform with issue identification, severity classification for prioritization, and code-level remediation guidance; manual testing, including testing by users with disabilities; expert support. 

• Results: Accessible Hello4Health website aligned with WCAG standards to ensure access for all, with repeatable audit and structured remediation workflows established to maintain conformance. 

• Impact: Fully accessible website supporting patients and community, strengthening trust without sacrificing functionality or design.  

If we’re building resources to reduce loneliness but those resources aren’t accessible, we’re excluding the very people who may need them most.”

Christy Dechaine, System Manager, Community Health and Measurement, Allina Health

Objective

Allina Health’s community health improvement programs focus on addressing real-world needs identified through community health assessments. One key concern is social isolation and loneliness, particularly prevalent among people with disabilities and older adults. 

Hello4Health was created to provide tools, education, and resources to help adults build meaningful social connections. Because the program and its resources are delivered through a digital platform, ensuring the website could be accessed by everyone—including individuals with visual, auditory, or mobility impairments—was essential. 

“People with disabilities represent one of the largest communities in our society—and one many of us will join as we age,” said Christy Dechaine, System Manager, Community Health and Measurement at Allina Health. “If we’re building resources to reduce loneliness but those resources aren’t accessible, we’re excluding the very people who may need them most.” 

To ensure users with disabilities can interact with digital content, a website must be designed and developed following the web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines ensure—for example—users reliant upon assistive technology can properly interact with a website, users who have limited mobility can engage with content using a keyboard versus a mouse, users who are colorblind are not reliant upon color to understand information. Ensuring every visitor could interact with the resources they needed was a non-negotiable.  

“When someone is referred to a support resource, it’s often because they’re already struggling,” explained Sydney Hobart, Community Health Improvement Program Design Consultant at Allina Health. “The last thing we want is for them to experience a barrier we’ve created, which can deepen the sense of isolation we’re working hard to help prevent.” 

Solution

To achieve its accessibility goals, Allina Health knew it needed external expertise. It partnered with full-service marketing agency, Trilix, to design and develop the Hello4Health website, and accessibility solution provider, Allyant, to provide accessibility testing, auditing, remediation guidance, and support. 

“Accessibility requires deep technical expertise,” said Hobart. “Partnering with Allyant provided the tools and support the Trilix development team needed to create an accessible digital experience, allowing us to keep our focus on supporting the health of our community.” 

Accessibility work started with an audit, leveraging Allyant’s automated and manual testing—including testing conducted by users with disabilities. And with audit results delivered via Allyant’s accessibility management platform, the Trilix development team was able to easily review and prioritize issues based on criticality, update the website’s code to meet WCAG standards, and submit those updates for Allyant’s review and validation. 

“When we first began, there was some uncertainty about what the process would involve,” said Jenny Peters, Senior Project Manager at Trilix. “But once our team started working in Allyant’s platform, errors and recommendations were clear and intuitive. Accessibility issues were well prioritized, and remediation was manageable thanks to the code-level guidance and access to the support Allyant provides.” 

“What stood out to us about Allyant’s approach was the importance of users with disabilities testing our site,” said Ellie Henderscheid, Manager of System Community Engagement and Impact at Allina Health. “Meeting technical accessibility standards is important, but having people who actually rely on assistive technologies validate the experience gave us confidence that the site will work for everyone in the community we serve.” 

Once our team started working in Allyant’s platform, errors and recommendations were clear and intuitive. Accessibility issues were well prioritized, and remediation was manageable thanks to the code-level guidance and access to the support Allyant provides.”

Jenny Peters, Senior Project Manager, Trilix

Results 

With audits scheduled every six to eight months, and structured remediation workflows established between Allina Health, Allyant, and Trilix, accessibility remains a central focus as site content evolves. 

“And importantly, accessibility wasn’t a trade-off. We’ve never had to sacrifice functional quality or a warm and welcoming design to meet accessibility standards,” said Dechaine. 

By recognizing its strengths and limitations, and aligning with the most effective, knowledgeable partners, Allina Health has built a sustainable model for delivering inclusive digital health resources—supporting its mission to serve 100% of its community.  

Meeting technical accessibility standards is important but having people who actually rely on assistive technologies validate the experience gave us confidence that the site will work for everyone in the community we serve.”

Ellie Henderscheid, Manager of System Community Engagement and Impact, Allina Health

The post Serving 100% of its Community: How Allina Health Ensures Hello4Health Remains Accessible for All  first appeared on Allyant.

From Obligation to Opportunity

A focus on accessibility differentiates a digital agency. However, getting clients on board can be challenging.

In this webinar, agencies and the brands hiring them will learn how to:

• Position accessibility as a business priority.
• Secure budget as a proactive investment.
• Integrate accessibility into digital strategy and delivery, without sacrificing design.
• Strengthen outcomes by partnering with accessibility experts.

The post The Growth-Minded Agency’s Approach to Accessibility first appeared on Allyant.

Request the PDF Accessibility Index

Whitepaper: PDF Index

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The post The State of PDF Accessibility—Why Measurement Matters  first appeared on Allyant.

Request the PDF Accessibility Index

Whitepaper: PDF Index

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Request the Report

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The post New Industry Report Finds 95% of Public-Facing PDFs Are Inaccessible, Highlighting Urgent Need for Change  first appeared on Allyant.

Beyond Benchmarks

The PDF Accessibility Index uncovers industry-specific patterns, cross-sector trends, and clear benchmarks organizations can use to measure progress, prioritize remediation, and strengthen long-term accessibility programs.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• What the data really tells us: We’ll go beyond topline stats to understand the systemic problems driving PDF inaccessibility across industries.
• How your industry compares: We’ll explore why healthcare leads, why education and government are struggling, and what these differences reveal about workflows, governance and compliance pressure.
• How to turn benchmark data into a process roadmap: We’ll discuss how to use Index data to champion change, creating sustainable accessibility programs.

The post The State of PDF Accessibility: Insights, Analysis, and Action Items first appeared on Allyant.