Overview
ISO 17069:2020 - Accessible design - Consideration and assistive products for accessible meeting provides guidance for organizing physical meetings so that older persons and persons with disabilities can take part actively. The second edition (2020) outlines planning, management and practical supports - including assistive products and support staff - and highlights teleconference/web conference options (captioning, auditory/text alternatives) as important inclusion methods.
Key topics
- Scope and purpose: Identifies considerations and supports to remove barriers to participation in meetings for older persons and persons with disabilities.
- Planning phases: Guidance for actions before, during, and after the meeting (information formats, venue checks, briefing staff, emergency communication, post‑meeting materials and feedback).
- Human‑function categories: Accessibility considerations are organized by abilities, including:
- Seeing (braille, large print, audio, colour schemes, braille displays, image‑enlarging systems)
- Hearing (amplification, microphones, captioning, interpreters)
- Touch, taste/smell, hand & arm use
- Mobility (seating, ramps, circulation)
- Voice & speech, cognition
- Immunological sensitivities (allergen notifications)
- Support roles and services: Defines roles such as support staff, guide assistant, communication assistant, attendant, and information services (e.g., live captioning, sign language interpreting, AAC support).
- Practical tools: Examples include alternative document formats (large print, braille, digital), assistive devices, and procedures like signaling systems for breaks and accessible seating arrangements.
- Annexes: Annex A offers detailed guidelines and an organizer checklist; Annex B provides a prior registration form template to capture participant needs.
Applications and users
Who benefits from or uses ISO 17069:
- Event and conference organizers, meeting planners and venue managers
- Accessibility officers, HR and inclusion teams
- Public authorities organizing consultations or hearings
- Assistive technology suppliers and support‑service providers
- Conference platform vendors (for hybrid/remote accessibility features)
Practical uses:
- Creating an accessibility checklist for events
- Specifying assistive products and staff needs during planning
- Preparing alternative formats of meeting materials and emergency procedures
- Designing accessible seating, circulation and AV arrangements
Related standards
- ISO/IEC Guide 71 (design for all / accessibility considerations)
- ISO 9999 (assistive products classification)
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidance for digital formats (referenced for document formatting)
ISO 17069 is a pragmatic resource to help organizations operationalize meeting accessibility using assistive products, inclusive planning, and staff supports.