CategoryAccessibility

December 6, 2024 — Few things are as frustrating to a user as when a site won’t respond. Unfortunately, it’s also an all-too-common scenario. Many websites and apps depend on so many elements that one of any number of errors could cause the whole thing to fail. As prevalent as such instances may be, they’re preventable through the practice of graceful degradation. Read more…

October 4, 2024 — You can’t overstate the importance of accessible website design. By the same token, bottom-up philosophies are crucial in modern site-building. A detail-oriented approach makes it easier to serve a more diverse audience along several fronts. Making the most of this opportunity will both extend your reach to new niches and make the web a more equitable place. Read more…

July 19, 2024 — WCAG provides guidance for making interactive elements more accessible by specifying minimum size requirements. In this article, Eric Bailey discusses the nuances of interactive element sizes and clarifies what it looks like to provide accessible interactive experiences using WCAG-compliant target sizes. Read more…

June 26, 2024 — Gaining buy-in for accessibility can be challenging due to common myths and misunderstandings. For many, accessibility remains a big mystery. Here are some practical techniques for winning stakeholder support. Part of Smart Interface Design Patterns by yours truly. Read more…

June 4, 2024 — The web is still a young platform, and we’re only now beginning to recognize what “success” looks like for large projects. In his recent Smashing book, Success at Scale, Addy Osmani presents practical case studies featuring the web’s most renowned companies and their efforts to make big changes to existing apps and sites. In this article, Addy shows some of the key insights he has learned. Read more…

April 25, 2024 — Conducting UX research that includes participants with a variety of disabilities is vital to building inclusive technology, but most prototypes used for testing are inaccessible. Rather than continuing to leave out feedback from disabled consumers, which ultimately leads to exclusive technology, researchers must get creative in their workarounds and be relentless in their efforts. Read more…

February 26, 2024 — Digital designer Yichan Wang has put together this collection of strategies and selling points to help you encourage and advocate for accessibility in your place of work, including useful scripts you can use as starting points. Read more…

February 20, 2024 — Color accessibility is more than just ticking boxes. Even with good contrast, some color palettes can make interfaces challenging for users. Here are some practical guidelines to ensure more inclusive design for colorblind people. An upcoming part of Smart Interface Design Patterns. Read more…

February 19, 2024 — Accessibility goes beyond making products user-friendly. It can significantly impact the quality of life for people with disabilities. Kate Kalcevich shares lessons she learned from assistive technology users — challenges and barriers they encounter on mobile devices. Read more…

February 14, 2024 — Accessibility for data visualization extends well beyond web standards, at least if you’re trying to create an experience that’s actually useful. This article focuses on techniques for creating useful and accessible visualizations that extend well beyond compliance. Read more…