Accessibility writing
Accessibility has been a key focus at USAA since I joined the company in 2022. Within the Claims team, we’ve worked extensively to remediate existing accessibility defects and ensure that all new product launches align with WCAG guidelines from the start.
Web pages
The Claims Digital team manages over 70 unique pages, all of which required some level of accessibility remediation. From a content perspective, the most significant improvements included:
Repositioning inline links to the ends of sentences to support a more seamless screen reader experience.
Eliminating sensory-based language like “see more” to ensure content is inclusive for users of all abilities.
Ensuring all images had appropriate alt text, so that visual content was perceivable and meaningful to users relying on assistive technology.
PDF Conversion
Product stakeholders asked our team to digitize an old paper warranty brochure, but we knew that simply uploading a PDF wouldn’t meet accessibility standards. PDFs are notoriously difficult to make fully accessible, so from the outset, we prioritized creating an operable and inclusive experience for all members.
Our first step was to involve our accessibility tester early in the process. By collaborating from day one, we were able to correctly tag images and structure the PDF content to work seamlessly with screen readers—rather than retrofitting accessibility after the fact. As of a year later, this remains the only fully accessible PDF in our product line.
As the content writer on the project, I partnered with Legal to distill complex warranty language into plain language. We created a companion FAQ that translated dense legal terminology into member-friendly content, making sure that all users—not just those with legal backgrounds—could understand their coverage.
Mobile flows
In this example, the original loading screen featured only the company logo and a spinning circle, which provided no meaningful content for screen readers and left blind or low-vision users without context. To support the Perceivable principle of accessibility, I added descriptive text—“Finding repair shops in your area”—so that assistive technologies can convey what’s happening on the screen. This ensures all users understand that the app is actively locating nearby repair options, creating a more inclusive and informative experience during the loading state.
