Long Paper: Making Risk Modeling Accessible With DiAGRAM

Abstract

This paper will examine the work undertaken on DiAGRAM (Digital Archiving Graphical Risk Assessment Model) to ensure it is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG2.1) and the United Kingdom’s Public Sector Bodies Access Regulations (PSBAR). This work also supports The National Archives’ strategic goal of becoming the Inclusive Archive.
The initial development of DiAGRAM aimed to bring the power and insight of Bayesian Networks to the community of digital archivists. The prototype tool successfully demonstrated this, however, the relatively short project timeframe and adoption of a rapid prototyping approach (with R/Shiny) imposed constraints on accessibility. We offer some lessons learned from the project in how we could have approached this more effectively.
With The National Archives’ own successful use of the prototype in support of an investment business case for improving our digital archive’s resilience the tool’s utility was sufficiently clear for a further phase of work. The contract was awarded to data analytics firm Jumping Rivers, who had also previously undertaken initial usability and accessibility improvements. A full external accessibility review was undertaken by TetraLogical.
The first part of this new project phase determined that the most appropriate way to proceed was to re-architect the DiAGRAM tool to separate the web front-end from the underlying model and connect the two via a new set of API endpoints. Opportunity was also taken to review the “Advanced customisation” modeling options to improve usability.
Redevelopment is now substantially complete although the formal retest to confirm full compliance with PSBAR is to take place later this month, however ongoing dialog with TetraLogical throughout development means no major issues are anticipated.

Details

Creators

David Underdown

Institutions

The National Archives (UK)

Date

Keywords

web accessibility; risk modeling

Publication Type

long paper

License

CC-BY 4.0 International

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