Originally presented at OpenWebCamp 6 in 2014 and then again (shortened) at CSUN 2015. When you design for everyone, do you really mean everyone, or do you actually STILL mean that you're designing for people like you? Do you still mean the Western world? Do you still mean building for screen reader users? For many of my early years as a web developer, I called what I created accessible, but in many ways, I meant screen reader compatible. Through working with different people with disabilities and different assistive technologies, you'll learn new things that don't have anything to do with guidelines, rules, or success criteria. And that's okay -- those rules and success criteria are an incredible starting point. But they aren't our end point. Not if we truly mean "everyone." In this session we'll look at designing for audiences other than screen readers. In fact, you'll hear NOTHING about screen reader accessibility in this talk. You'll hear about other audiences: people with mobility or dexterity impairments, low-vision, and even different literacy or cultural differences. You'll learn several practical takeaways to help you design and build things that go beyond screen reader compatible.

1. Accessible Design:
Which everyone do you mean?
@feather
#csun2015

4. Derek Featherstone
feather@simplyaccessible.com
@feather

6. Accessible Design:
Which everyone do you mean?

7. What does diversity
even mean?

8. What about ability? expertise?

9. •
blind
•
low-vision
•
hearing
•
mobility/dexterity
(fine motor control, low-
strength, single-
handedness)
•
cognitive (attention,
memory-related, literacy,
routines/predictability)
•
vestibular issues
•
speech

10. 3 types of relationships

11. 1
2
3
Explicit, implicit and content based relationships.

12. Low-vision challenges

15. Windows High Contrast Mode: background images disappear.

16. Low-vision tip: review your interfaces in
High Contrast Mode to look for loss of
functionality or meaning.

19. Group closely related items.

20. PRINCIPLE OF PROXIMITY
Related items should be together.

23. Check In
1. Are you a U.S. citizen?
2. Have you ever been denied entry to the U.S.?
Yes No
Yes No
3. Do you have a TSA Redress Number?
4. If yes, please enter it:
Yes No
Quit << Previous Next >>
Layout:
Consider proximity, pattern of use for low-vision

24. Check In
1. Are you a U.S. citizen?
2. Have you ever been denied entry to the U.S.?
Yes No
Yes No
3. Do you have a TSA Redress Number?
4. If yes, please enter it:
Yes No
Quit << Previous Next >>

25. Check In
1. Are you a U.S. citizen?
2. Have you ever been denied entry to the U.S.?
Yes No
Yes No
3. Do you have a TSA Redress Number?
4. If yes, please enter it:
Yes No
Quit or Go Back
Next >>
Not sure?
Use layout to create the right chunks.
Use pattern of use to lead the eye to action.

29. Examine your interfaces using the straw
test to unearth layout and design
challenges for people with low-vision.

30. Mobility and dexterity challenges

35. To help ensure accessibility, provide
multiple means to achieve the same
goal.

36. Cognitive challenges

37. Wants pawn term, dare worsted ladle gull hoe
lift wetter murder inner ladle cordage, honor
itch offer lodge, dock florist. Disk ladle gull
orphan worry putty ladle rat cluck wetter ladle
rat hut, an fur disk raisin pimple colder ladle rat
rotten hut.

38. Once upon a time, there was a little girl who
lived with her mother in a little cottage, on the
edge of a large, dark forest. This little girl
often wore a pretty little red cloak with her little
red hat, and for this reason people called her Little
Red Riding Hood.

39. What’s the impact of
aging on what we do?

41. What’s the impact of
culture on what we do?

42. Edward T. Hall
Beyond Culture
high and low context cultures

43. High Context Culture Low Context Culture
collectivist individualist
group empowerment self empowerment
authoritarian style information
delivery
exploratory
accuracy valued over speed speed valued over accuracy
context is implied based on being
in that culture
context is explicit and self
contained
Of course, this is a continuum and not a dichotomy.

48. Accessible Design:
Which everyone do you mean?
@feather
#csun2015

49. Derek Featherstone
feather@simplyaccessible.com
@feather