Ensuring digital accessibility is a shared responsibility between software providers and the organizations that implement their technology. When accessibility barriers are identified in Esri products, submitting those issues through Esri Technical Support is the most effective way to document, track, and resolve them.
This blog explains when, why, and how to submit accessibility issues to ensure effective communication and documentation.
Why accessibility issues should go through technical support
Submitting accessibility issues through Technical Support allows Esri to:
- Formally document and track accessibility barriers in products
- Validate issues through technical analysts and accessibility specialists
- Route confirmed defects to product teams and track them through their lifecycle
- Provide customers with visibility into progress via their support case
This approach also ensures accessibility issues are treated consistently with other product defects and not handled informally or lost in an email inbox.
What types of accessibility issues should be submitted?
Accessibility issues should be submitted when:
- The issue creates a barrier to use for a person with a disability
- The problem cannot be fixed through configuration by the customer
- The issue prevents users from accessing content as designed
Once issues are submitted to Esri Technical support, a bug or defect may be created to log this issue with the appropriate product team.
Accessibility improvements
Some accessibility improvements may also be submitted. These items may be categorized as enhancements, particularly when:
- There is new or note-worthy features or functionality that supports accessibility
- The product currently meets accessibility standards, but could be improved
- The request represents a longer-term improvement rather than a blocking issue
Even when improvements are logged as enhancements, submitting these issues through Technical Support ensures they are formally tracked and considered in future releases.
How customers can submit accessibility issues
Most accessibility issues can be submitted through Esri Technical Support. The primary path we encourage customers to take is to submit cases through My Esri.
My Esri and Technical Support Cases are the best path forward
Customers are encouraged to submit accessibility issues through their standard Technical Support process in the My Esri case portal. This enables:
- Direct engagement with a Technical Support analyst
- Validation and replication of the issue
- Creation and tracking of bugs or enhancements
- Escalation requests and business impact statements, when needed
This is the recommended approach for product-level accessibility defects.
What information makes an accessibility issue actionable?
Accessibility issues need to be able to be reproduced to understand the issue clearly, especially when assistive technologies are involved. Documentation from customers on how and where the issue was found can support having a clear and detailed issue. Customers are encouraged to provide detailed information when creating their case in My Esri or working with a Technical Support Analyst.
Helpful information includes:
- Product name and version
- Browser and/or operating system
- Assistive technology used (screen reader, voice control, etc.) and version
- Automated scanning tool and/or testing tool used
- Description of steps to reproduce the issue
- What was expected vs. what occurred
- Any images or video to identify the issue
- URL to the application tested
- Guideline or standard that is related to the issue (WCAG)
While not all customers can provide granular reproduction steps, Technical Support Analysts can work together with customers to interpret and validate reported issues when sufficient context is available.
What happens after an issue is submitted?
Once an accessibility issue is received:
- The Technical Support team validates the issue and customer provided information
- The issue is reviewed for technical feasibility and impact
- If confirmed as a defect, it is logged as a bug and routed to the appropriate product team
- Customers can track the issue’s status through their Technical Support case
This process ensures accessibility issues are handled consistently and transparently across Esri products.
Additional resources
Final thoughts
Submitting accessibility issues through Esri Technical Support is the most effective way to ensure they are documented, validated, and addressed. Whether the issue results in a bug fix or informs future enhancements, formal submission helps improve accessibility for all users and supports customers in meeting their compliance obligations.
Accessibility is an ongoing effort at Esri and clear communication through the right channels makes meaningful progress possible.
