Be flexible with meeting time and timelines

Dominant “expert” culture

Some committees treat long-time members and technical experts as the most important voices.

This can lead to:

• A few people dominating meetings while others stay quiet.
• New members feeling unsure about speaking up or feeling they have to prove themselves before being taken seriously.
• Jargon and insider language making it hard for new members to understand.
• Questions from new members being dismissed instead of answered.
• Non-technical people feeling less valued and pressured to speak like technical experts instead of sharing their real-world knowledge of marginalization or disability.
• Long-time members having more influence, even without formal authority.
• Decisions being made during side conversations instead of openly.

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Empower chairpersons and facilitators to manage conflict
• Host onboarding meetings before committee work begins
• Use inclusive approaches when making decisions

Inaccessible hybrid meetings

During hybrid meetings, where some people are physically in the room and others are online, people in the room often have an advantage. If the meeting is not set up well, remote and disabled participants can miss important information or have their input overlooked.

Common problems include:

• Poor sound, background noise, or people speaking without microphones.
• Cameras not showing who is speaking.
• Slides or visuals not described out loud, which is also a problem for blind and low vision people who are in the room.
• Captions missing or incorrect.
• People providing sign language/interpretation not visible to everyone.
• Documents and tools that do not work with screen readers or other assistive technologies.
• Materials shared only during the meeting, not in advance.
• No clear system for taking turns.
• Facilitators focusing mostly on people in the room.
• Online contributions being missed or ignored.
• Side conversations happening in the room that remote participants are left out of.
• Technology delays or platform problems.

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Choose accessible meeting spaces
• Make online meetings accessible
• Manage access conflicts
• Plan meetings so people worldwide can join
• Provide translation and interpretation for everyone
• Set meeting language captions correctly
• Use accessible hybrid meeting practices

Inaccessible in-person meetings

In-person meetings often take place in spaces that are not accessible to everyone. This can make it hard for some people to attend, participate, or feel included.

Common problems include:

• Travel that is long, costly, or hard to access
• Fatigue from travel, especially for people with chronic pain or low energy
• Buildings without ramps, elevators, or accessible restrooms
• Not enough space for wheelchairs or assistive devices
• No power outlets for assistive devices
• No captions or sign language interpreters
• Poor lighting or uncomfortable seating
• People speaking over each other or no microphones used
• No quiet space or flexible breaks
• Networking in informal spaces that aren’t accessible

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Build in travel funding
• Choose accessible meeting spaces
• Help with travel planning
• Provide translation and interpretation for everyone

Inaccessible online meetings

Online meetings can create barriers if they are not planned with accessibility in mind. This makes it difficult for everyone to participate. An online meeting will not be able to meet all accessibility needs, but they should be set up to address the accessibility needs of the people participating.

Common problems include:

• Materials not shared before the meeting so people have time to prepare.
• Poor sound or no microphones.
• No video of the speakers or poor lighting which makes lip reading impossible.
• Slides or images not described aloud.
• Small or hard-to-read text.
• No captions, or captions that are wrong.
• No sign language/interpretation.
• No chat monitoring.
• Chat used in such a way that it interrupts screen readers, forcing people who use screen readers to either ignore the chat or miss the content in the main meeting.
• Documents that don’t work with screen readers or other assistive technologies.
• Fast-paced live editing, which is not clearly described as it is happening.
• Online tools like polls, whiteboards or chat services that are hard to use or don’t work with assistive technologies
• Internet or platform problems, or incompatibility with assistive technologies

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Check and improve accessibility
• Make online meetings accessible
• Plan meetings so people worldwide can join
• Set meeting language captions correctly

People don’t start at the same place

Standards work is often very technical and complex, and assumes people already know how things work. When information is too technical, it is hard for newcomers or people without a technical background to participate. Efforts to diversify participation need to recognize that people have different levels of experience and knowledge. Without proper support, many people will be left out.

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Empower chairpersons and facilitators to manage conflict
• Ensure all documents are accessible
• Help with information management
• Host onboarding meetings before committee work begins
• Plan for regular check-ins with new members
• Provide a welcome package for new members
• Provide diverse, accessible knowledge-building opportunities
• Provide guidance and ongoing support to new members

Too much background information for new members

New members must learn a lot before joining the standards process, including how the process works, how decisions are made, what the committee roles are, the standard history and versions, meeting rules and tools, and technical and legal language. This information is often long, complex, and not in plain language. It can be especially hard for people who are new, have learning disabilities, limited digital skills, or come from different professional backgrounds. This can make members feel confused, overwhelmed, or excluded, which may lead them to leave.

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Ensure all documents are accessible
• Help with information management
• Plan for regular check-ins with new members
• Provide a welcome package for new members
• Provide diverse, accessible knowledge-building opportunities
• Provide guidance and ongoing support to new members

Underestimated workloads

Committee work often takes more time than people think. This can become too much for people to manage, leading to fatigue and distress. It can be especially hard for people with disabilities, who may have changing energy levels, caregiving responsibilities, or need more time because of access needs.

Many members experience:

• Too many meetings
• Tasks that take longer than planned, like reading, writing, or editing
• Pressure to do both technical work and advocate for underrepresented communities

• Be flexible with meeting time and timelines
• Ensure all documents are accessible
• Help with information management
• Plan for regular check-ins with new members
• Set clear and realistic timelines for reviews, drafts, or revisions