Author: Phoebe Simon
In today's digital landscape, creating inclusive, data-informed and high-quality websites is more than a best practice—it's a responsibility. North Carolina is committed to ensuring that all users, including those with alternative needs, can access digital content and services. This is why Digital Commons provides a three pronged approach for modern web strategy: DubBot, Website Accessibility and Google Analytics.
DubBot Automating Quality and Accessibility Monitoring
Even with the best intentions, issues can slip through. That's where DubBot comes in. As part of North Carolina's website quality monitoring strategy, DubBot helps teams:
- Identify accessibility issues
- Catch broken links and spelling errors
- Monitor quality across large sites
DubBot runs automated scans and provides dashboards that make it easy to prioritize and fix problems. It's a powerful tool for maintaining high standards and ensuring continuous improvement.
Google Analytics: Data that Drives Decisions
Google Analytics (GA4) helps web teams understand how users interact with their sites. From page views to bounce rates, GA4 provides insights that inform content strategy, navigation design and user experience improvements.
But GA4 can also support accessibility. By tracking how users engage with accessible features—like keyboard navigation or screan reader-friendly layouts—teams can measure the real-world impact of their accessibility efforts. This data helps ensurea that accessibility isn't just implements—it's effective. For most sites we have provided in the Teams Content Ninja channel an analytics dashboard using PowerBI that you can access here.
Website Accessibility: Designing for everyone
North Carolina is committed to the accessibility of information technology. That means the digital content you create must be accessible to all users, including people with alternative needs.
Why it Matters:
- Everyone deserves equal access to information and services.
- Accessibility is a legal requirement—and a moral imperative.
What You Need to Know:
- By April 24, 2026, all state government web content must meet WCAG2.1 Level A & AA standards.
- The U.S. Department of Justice has issued new rules reinforcing these requirements for state and local governments.
How to Get Started:
- Ensure proper color contrast to all content added to your site.
- Make PDFs and other documents accessible.
- Test your content with real users and assistive technologies.
- Join the N.C. Accessibility Community of Practice (A11y CoP) to learn from others and share best practices.
Whether you're new to accessibility or a seasoned advocate, the A11y CoP is a smart, welcoming space to grow your skills and stay informed.
Websites demand a structured, proactive approach. By combinging the insights of Google Analytics, the inclusivity of accessibility standards, and the automation of DubBot, NCDIT is building a digital future that works for everyone.