Greenlines, Design Validation, and ADA Compliance are interconnected concepts in the context of enabling digital accessibility and inclusiveness. Greenlines are very helpful to design accessibility implementation of digital applications by determining the expected behavior of UI with assistive technologies, accessibility settings and configurations. Accessibility design validation involves assessing digital accessibility implementation approaches and planning to make sure the right things are done the first time based on all the applicable accessibility guidelines. Designing digital applications compliant to ADA guidelines will make them legally compliant, usability enabled for all, increased user base, increased reputation and other benefits.
With a career spanning over a decade, Anand Sarangam has been at the forefront of driving accessibility in product development, focusing on making digital platforms more user-friendly for people with disabilities and impairments. His work is marked by a commitment to integrating accessibility at the initial stages of product design, which has significantly impacted both usability and inclusiveness across major tech platforms.
He collaborated closely with UX designers, UI developers, and content writers to ensure that digital interfaces meet high standards of accessibility and usability. With a proactive approach of validating UI design mockups and greenlines for potential accessibility non-compliances, saving time and resources during later phases, he led to a refined process that enhances the accessibility of complex UI controls, making them easier for users with disabilities to interact on a wide range of devices and platforms.
One of Sarangam’s significant achievements is his ability to bring contemporary solutions to address design and framework limitations. He has introduced alternative accessibility solution options in the design and development phases, accommodating various assistive technologies and display configurations. This adaptability is crucial in ensuring that digital products remain inclusive and compliant with industry standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
By implementing best practices across multiple applications, the organization got significant reduction, up to 35%, in terms of effort and time that would otherwise be spent on accessibility validations and revalidations. His efforts have resulted in improved post-migration adaptability and application usability, boosting user satisfaction and productivity. Additionally, the documentation and remediation of prevalent accessibility non-conformances have prevented barriers in user experience upfront, ensuring a smoother transition to market release.
His work has extended beyond individual projects through HCL to major platforms in Google and Microsoft, where he has played a key role in enhancing accessibility across digital marketing websites and productivity tools. For instance, in collaboration with Google’s and Microsoft’s development teams, he contributed to the accessibility enhancements of products such as Android parental controls and family-link, Microsoft Windows, and Office 365. These efforts have not only improved the user experience for millions but have also supported these companies’ commitments to digital inclusion.
During his career, Sarangam paid great attention to difficult challenges that have set new standards in digital accessibility. Arguably the most significant task was the identification of frequent cross-platform non-compliance issues as this laid the groundwork in trying to improve on the future designs. He collaborated with UX designers to get actionable interface designs that can be attained without future issues or impedes. This tactical measure ensured that many of the developmental challenges were prevented upfront.
Sarangam was also instrumental in enhancing complex UI controls to work as per the accessibility guidelines. Working with different teams, he developed a practical screen reader ARIA Label Content that enhanced usability of the end product. This not only helped to improve the user experience but also allowed him to achieve his vision of making technology more accessible to the masses.
In conclusion, Anand’s exploration of the domain of digital accessibility is a true story of passion and commitment to developing more innovative designs for everyone across different platforms. His work has influenced large digital platforms, guaranteeing that everybody within the disabled and impaired community can use products being developed. With his experience of the issues and applying creative workarounds, Sarangam nurtures enhancements in the area of digital access and remains one of the leading creators in the industry. His contributions not only make life easier for users, especially kids but also represent his well-thought-out responsibility to make technology friendly to everyone.
