Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) Making Public Sector Reports Accessible for All
Image: Screen-Reader User
The Challenge
For years, NIAO had published important audit reports as printed documents and PDFs. While these reports were available online, they weren’t accessible to users who rely on assistive technology, meaning they didn’t meet the UK Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (2018).
NIAO approached us initially to cost up converting their backlog of reports into accessible, tagged PDFs. But we knew there was a better, more scalable solution.
The Obstacles
PDF Limitations: Many of the reports had complex layouts that didn’t translate well into accessible PDFs making retrofitting expensive, time-consuming, and often only partially effective.
CMS Compatibility: Their CMS wasn’t originally set up for publishing long-form HTML content, so we needed to explore what would work.
Legacy Design: Older documents had been designed for print, not digital and reflowing them for screen readability and accessibility was no small task.
Capability Gap: There was a need to build internal confidence and capability around baking-in accessible content to all new document creation.
The Approach
I led the project with a cross-functional team of accessibility consultants, designers, and content specialists. Together, we focused on a long-term, sustainable solution:
From PDF to HTML: Instead of fixing PDFs, we proposed converting reports into accessible HTML, a far more user-friendly and cost-effective format.
Proof of Concept: We worked with NIAO’s web team to trial different HTML formats in their CMS and found a repeatable method to export clean HTML directly from InDesign.
Efficient Conversion: We converted over 50 reports much more efficiently than traditional PDF tagging, and restructured content where needed to ensure usability.
Training and Enablement: One of our Accessibility Consultants ran an in-person workshop in Belfast with NIAO’s senior report writers and data visualisers. It focused on building accessibility into content creation from the very beginning.
The People Behind the Success
This was a real team effort. Our Editorial and Accessibility teams collaborated closely to streamline the technical process, and we had excellent engagement from NIAO’s comms and web teams. The workshop in Belfast was a highlight: great conversations, thoughtful questions, and a shared commitment to inclusive publishing.
The Outcome
Accessible by Default: NIAO now publishes new reports as fully accessible HTML pages, ensuring a better experience for all users, including those using screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Scalable and Cost-Effective: HTML delivery has replaced PDF tagging as the go-to approach, saving time and budget.
Culture Shift: The workshop led to new internal guidance and checklists, helping NIAO build accessibility into the process not bolt it on at the end.
Future-Ready: Every report we produce for NIAO from now on is delivered as print and accessible HTML, by default.
Conclusion
This project is a great example of how a small shift in approach can have a big impact. By working together, sharing knowledge, and focusing on long-term outcomes, we helped NIAO move from compliance to confidence and made their valuable work more accessible to the people who need it most.
