In software development, we version our products. We usually start with something like 0.0.1 as the first version. We call that "not production ready." When we think we're ready, we just flip a switch and call it 1.0.0. And the next version we release to the world with a fanfare is 2.0.0. We call that a major version.
This leap from 1.0 to 2.0 looks like just a one digit increase. A single step. But this doesn't happen overnight or in one swoop. What people don't see is the complex journey of incremental improvements, with patches, minor releases and plenty of beta releases before flipping that one digit.
In fact, this is where the real work happens. In these intermediary steps that are often invisible to end-users and are rarely advertised with any confetti and champagne.
Web accessibility follows a similar pattern. Going from an inaccessible site to integrating accessibility means countless small adjustments. Each change is perhaps imperceptible on its own. But these changes are what contribute to a more accessible website. It's this persistent commitment every day to be slightly better than yesterday that moves the needle over time.
What we need to do is recognise and value these incremental improvements.
Meaningful change is a journey with countless little baby steps. It's not a single huge step that we need to focus on and pop champagne over.