Slide2-4 Bridging the Disability Divide
Design is all around us, but for the most part it reflects the perception of the designer, and if the product or service fails your need then the design concepts are flawed. Design is the bridge that overcomes barriers between the delivery of information and the understanding knowledge that impacts life decisions.
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
George Bernard Shaw, British playwright and Nobel Prize recipient
Design flaws are the barriers that keep people from benefiting from products and services. You are designing for real people with solutions that reflect their communication experiences due to visual, hearing, cognitive, motor and other disabilities. When your team has a basic understanding of whom web accessibility affects and how it affects them, then your organization is enabled to create better communication experiences. That is, bridging the digital divide is about closing the gap between leadership understanding of Accessibility, and management implementation of Accessibility, through effective productivity, inclusion, and communication strategies.
FreeCodeCamp: How to get your team on board with accessibility, James Rauhut
Goals:Performance: A stable, consistent, and fast access.
Security: A safe, risk free, and high quality delivery access.
Accessibility: A fully inclusive, easy to use, and productive access.
FreeCodeCamp: How to get your team on board with accessibility, James Rauhut
Goals:
A lived experience is gained through an interactive engagement with our environment with the appropriate knowledge.
Accessibility Guidelines
Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. This means that users must be able to perceive the information being presented. User agents, like screen readers, require clearly defined HTML elements within a structured web page. The ARIA (Accessibility Rich Internet Application) Landmarks and a hierarchy of Headers should be used to define page regions and content context. The Banner, Navigation panel, Main section, and Footer are visually perceivable on a standard computer screen, but not necessarily on a screen reader device.
Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. This means that users must be able to operate the interface. All web page elements must be operable by a keyboard, speech input, and other non-mouse devices. Some of the Java scripts may not be keyboard accessible, and preventing non-mouse users from performing some functions. Many people do not use the mouse and rely on the keyboard to interact with the web. This requires keyboard access to all functionality, including form controls, input, and other user interface components.
Understandable: Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. This means that users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface. Page Titles must be unique and meaningful. Links and Buttons must have concise and clearly marked text labels. Images must have descriptive alternative text. The page foreground and background – and icons – must have contrasting colours for low vision users. The web page must have clearly defined user instructions, and a separation of information content.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, like browsers and assistive technologies. This means that users must be able to access the content as technologies advance. Meeting this requirement helps maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, like screen readers. In particular, it enables assistive technologies to process the content reliably, and to present or to operate it in different ways. This includes non-standard (scripted) buttons, input fields, and other controls. To deliver a desirable user experience, there must be a separation between web page design and user content. The web page may not render as expected in all browsers, and will not perform as expected in differing screen readers. A design utilizing style sheets and Java Script widgets may improve the robustness. Note, the Accessibility Rich Internet Application (ARIA) code should only be used on a web page if the native HTML code cannot implement the desired effect. ARIA code will not have any effect on older browsers.
Conformance: Conformance to a standard means that you meet or satisfy the requirements of the standard. In WCAG the requirements are the Success Criteria. To conform to WCAG, you need to satisfy the Success Criteria. In order to accommodate different situations that may require or allow greater levels of accessibility than others, WCAG has three levels of conformance. There are five requirements that must be met in order for content to be classified as conforming to WCAG.
Accessibility Guidelines
Inclusive design goals are based on the four core principles of globally accepted human rights.
Usability Guidelines
Dignity:
From information to knowledge (Knowledge is power).
Independence: From accessibility to usability (Usability is enabling).
Integration: From passive to active (Active is inclusive).
Equality: From chaos to stability (Stability is Satisfaction).
Usability Guidelines
From information to knowledge (Knowledge is power).
Universal design, which often refers to inclusive design, is broad-spectrum ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to older people, people without disabilities and people with disabilities. The design starts with an innovative idea and then molds it to meet specific human needs. Typically, universal design innovators create a technology solution and then create a market for that solution.
Equitable Use means everyone uses the same website, without a separate
Flexibility in Use means people can operate websites using different input methods, such as touch, speech, gaze, a mouse, or a keyboard.
Simple and Intuitive Use means websites are straightforward, with clean layouts, consistent interaction, and clear information.
Perceptible Information means content is provided in text as well as visually or audibly, so that the information is accessible using different senses.
Tolerance for Error means interactions are designed to promote success and minimize risks, for example, by providing confirmations and feedback.
Low Physical Effort means people can efficiently operate websites using their preferred input device (such as a keyboard).
Size and Space for Approach and Use means the necessary tools to operate a website interface are visible and readily available.
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accessibility mode.
Human Centered design is a creative approach to problem solving, and building a deep empathy with the people you are designing for. It is a process that starts with the people you are designing for and ends with new solutions that are tailor made to suit their needs. Typically, Human Centered design focuses largely on the production of interactive technology designed around the user's physical attributes rather than social problem solving. Every design challenge is an opportunity to make products and services better for everyone.
Increasing the productivity of users and the operational efficiency of organizations
Being easier to understand and use, thus reducing training and support costs
Increasing usability for people with a wider range of capabilities and thus increasing accessibility
Improving user experience
Reducing discomfort and stress
Providing a competitive advantage, for example by improving brand image
Contributing towards sustainability objectives