Accessibility as a Design Tool

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I think some of why people don’t do Web

accessibility is a lack of awareness, but a lot

of it is because people think it’s too hard.

What would help is if you can start teaching

people HOW to integrate it into typical

workflows for specific audiences—devs.

project managers, Scrum Masters, designers

I think they just genuinely struggled to

understand the benefits. Many fail to realize

that it’s not just about people who are blind

or deaf—many people could benefit from a

more accessible site.

Derek, all this stuff that you’ve taught us...

yes, it makes this more accessible, but really,

fundamentally, this is just a better design,

period.

Accessibility as a Design Tool

Derek Featherstonefeather@simplyaccessible.com

@feather

Accessibility is not binary, all-or-nothing, black and white. We have every shade of grey in between. How you view this point frames everything that you learn and do about accessibility.

extremes extremes

IDEO: The Deep Divehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M66ZU2PCIcM

By examining the extreme ends of a set of phenomena in depth, the entire universe of relationships can be illuminated since other instances will fall somewhere on the map of

relations and links.‘‘‘‘

Tools to get the job done.

Tools to get the job done.

So, how do we useAccessibility as a Design Tool?

Always start at the beginning of the design process

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Test templates

Test functional prototypes and demos

Don’t test with people with disabilities too early (it can be very frustrating and not productive)

Fix technical accessibility issues THEN test with people with disabilities for ease of use

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Test templates

Test functional prototypes and demos

Don’t test with people with disabilities too early (it can be very frustrating and not productive)

Fix technical accessibility issues THEN test with people with disabilities for ease of use

Engage and respond to user feedback

Ensure that as part of roll-out appropriate training is given to CSRs so they can act.

On-going plans for organized learning from project, and documentation/resolution of issues that are raised

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Test templates

Test functional prototypes and demos

Don’t test with people with disabilities too early (it can be very frustrating and not productive)

Fix technical accessibility issues THEN test with people with disabilities for ease of use

Engage and respond to user feedback

Ensure that as part of roll-out appropriate training is given to CSRs so they can act.

On-going plans for organized learning from project, and documentation/resolution of issues that are raised

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Test templates

Test functional prototypes and demos

Don’t test with people with disabilities too early (it can be very frustrating and not productive)

Fix technical accessibility issues THEN test with people with disabilities for ease of use

Engage and respond to user feedback

Ensure that as part of roll-out appropriate training is given to CSRs so they can act.

On-going plans for organized learning from project, and documentation/resolution of issues that are raised

Project Definition

User Research

Design Iteration

Develop & Implement

Validate & Launch

Any special content needs?

What support/customer service needs will this bring?

Has this been done before?

What new technology & challenges are there?

Include people with disabilities in more than interviews and focus groups; use observation and walk-throughs.

Include functional needs in personas, user stories and other artifacts

Find people both in and outside your org to get subject matter expertise and perspective.

Test colours

Test concepts

Test iconography and visual language assets (particularly for low vision user)

Tend to focus on visual design, but we must examine process design.

Test templates

Test functional prototypes and demos

Don’t test with people with disabilities too early (it can be very frustrating and not productive)

Fix technical accessibility issues THEN test with people with disabilities for ease of use

Engage and respond to user feedback

Ensure that as part of roll-out appropriate training is given to CSRs so they can act.

On-going plans for organized learning from project, and documentation/resolution of issues that are raised

Overlapping Map Polygons: Non-visual access

Overlapping Map Polygons: Non-visual access

Auto-suggest: Keyboard Access

Error Messaging: Low-vision Access

SVG Maps: Keyboard Access

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Derek Featherstonefeather@simplyaccessible.com

@feather

Accessibility consulting, strategy and assessmentsAccessible development and remediation servicesTraining courses, workshops and conferences

simplyaccessible.com

feather@simplyaccessible.com@feather on twitter

(613) 599-9784

Derek Featherstone