TechComm NZ

New Zealand’s digital accessibility rules are expanding.

The draft Digital Accessibility Standard could cover websites, mobile apps, documents, software, and hardware.

In Intopia 's latest blog, Praneita Narayan and Steve Barnett explain what’s proposed, what it means for government agencies and how they can start preparing.

https://intopia.digital/articles/whats-in-new-zealands-draft-digital-accessibility-standard-and-what-it-means-for-government-agencies/

Join Intopia this week to learn about WCAG-EM 2.0.

WCAG-EM, the established method for evaluating digital accessibility, has just had its first major update in over a decade. Version 2.0 arrived in July 2026.

The method gives you a structured process for evaluating a product against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): how to scope the work, sample what to test, and report what you find. The result is evaluations that are consistent, comparable, and easier to defend.

Join Intopia's experts, Sarah Pulis and Julie Grundy, as they take you through Version 2.0 which introduces several important updates. The biggest change is scope: the method now extends beyond websites to digital products, including apps, documents and kiosks.

In this session you will:
• learn what WCAG-EM is, and why a defined method beats ad hoc testing
• see what changed from 1.0 to 2.0, starting with the expanded scope from websites to digital products
• understand how the update affects the way you plan, run or commission an evaluation

Date: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Time: 12:30 PM
Where: Zoom

Whether you are new to accessibility or already running evaluations, you will leave knowing what WCAG-EM is and what 2.0 brings.

Register here: https://intopia.digital/articles/free-webinar-wcag-em-2-0-the-accessibility-evaluation-methodology-updated/

Our September webinar focuses on 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈.

Join us on Friday 18 September to learn:

• how the team members have brought AI into their work
• what’s made advanced AI use possible
• how it’s helping the team produce significantly more high-quality documentation
• how they keep humans in the loop.

This is the case study that could inspire you and your team to go deeper with AI.

Register now at https://techcomm.nz/Event?Action=View&Event_id=371

Photo by Steve A Johnson on Unsplash

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬!
Thanks to all members for contributing your time to help us gather this data.

Congratulations to Kate Dasler and Jenny Drayton, who won this year's Prezzy Card draw for filling in the survey!

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

The latest newsletter from the International Journal of Technical Communication (IJTC) hit inboxes yesterday. The July newsletter includes:

✔️ Why does AI want to know what's in your sandwich?
✔️ Articles on URI, SPARQL, SHACL, and SKOS skills
✔️ Members wanted for interviews about a standard "day in the life"
✔️ A call for articles

If you're not yet receiving the IJTC newsletter and you’re a paid TechCommNZ member, you can opt in. Just:
✅ email [email protected] with the subject line "Opt-in to IJTC"
✅ in the email, confirm your full name and email address to use for the journal subscription.

When your subscription is activated, you’ll receive an email from ijtc.net with more information. You can unsubscribe at any time.

If you're a member, you'll have received a link to our 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲.
💡 This is the only survey of its kind in Aotearoa.
💡 When we publish the result, our paid members will be able to see where they stand relative to others in our industry.
💡 They'll also see the tools and methods people are using, which can help them decide where to upskill next.

It only takes a few minutes to complete and closes on 25 July 2026. You could also win a $100 Prezzie card (two to be won).

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐶𝑎𝑛𝑣𝑎

On 2 September, learn how to move from talking about AI to actually building with it, with NZATD.

EVENT 📅
Using AI to Build Power Skills – From Strategy to Storyline Simulations

Are you ready to move from talking about AI to actually building with it?

In this NZATD webinar, we combine big-picture thinking with practical application.

Discover why AI is reshaping how we develop critical Power Skills, and see how organisations are already using simulated conversations to create more human, impactful learning.

Then we’ll show you how it’s done.

Step-by-step, you’ll learn how to embed ChatGPT into Articulate Storyline to create adaptive learning simulations where learners can practise coaching, feedback and difficult conversations in a safe, realistic environment.

It’s not just about using AI. It’s about using it well to build capability that sticks.

Join the kōrero and leave with ideas, workflows and inspiration to start creating your own AI-powered learning experiences.

When: 6.45pm Wednesday 2 September
Where: Online

Register here: https://nzatd.org.nz/event-6511335

You’ve asked AI to write your caption, generate a logo, or code your landing page… but who owns the result? You? The platform? No one?

Join Write Group and Mutatis Legal for a live (free) Q&A to explore these questions on 2 July at 11am.

You’ve asked AI to write your caption, generate a logo, or code your landing page…but who owns the result? You? The platform? No one?

Copyright law wasn’t built with AI in mind, and that creates a blind spot for everyone.

Join us for a live Q&A on Thursday, 2 July with:
• Una Cox from Write Group
• Sophie Everarts de Velp, Lawyer at Mutatis Legal

We’ll break the topic down with clear, practical insights and explore the following questions.
• Is your AI-generated content protected?
• Why is a human in the loop essential for your legal protection?
• Who owns the rights?
• How else can you stay legally protected?

You don’t need to stop using AI — just understand what you own.

A bonus to this Q&A: Simply by showing up live, you’ll make a positive impact. For every attendee, we’ll contribute through our B1G1 partnership to help protect the Indonesian rainforest from wildfires.

Tune in on:
📅 Thursday, 2 July
🕛 11am to 11.30am
📌 On Zoom

Register for free and select ‘Add to calendar’ for a reminder on the day.

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HoNlKs_cQOq_CKnCX3ELMg

We look forward to seeing you there!

𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐍𝐙 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕

This was a very tough decision, but with a drop in board and volunteer capacity recently, it's not possible to put on a conference to the standard we all expect. We’re sorry for any inconvenience if you were already making plans to come along this September.

We still want to offer worthwhile experiences to our members, so we’re working on other options instead, including:
✅ running webinars with the amazing presenters we’d organised for the conference
✅ smaller and more local networking events.

That gives us more time to plan for a conference to happen in the second half of 2027 instead.

We’re still going to be delivering other staples this year too, like the Annual General Meeting and the salary survey.

For more TechCommNZ news, check out the latest newsletter, hitting your inboxes now.