selfish accessibility: uxsg 2014
DESCRIPTION
We can all pretend that we're helping others by making web sites and software accessible, but we are really making the experience better for our future selves. Learn some fundamentals of web and software accessibility and how it can benefit you (whether future you from aging or you after something else limits your abilities). We'll review simple testing techniques, basic features and enhancements, coming trends, and where to get help. This isn't intended to be a deep dive, but more of an overall primer for those who aren't sure where to start nor how it helps them. Insights: - Broader context for how all users are or will be disabled, whether temporarily or permanently. - Basic tests and best practices that can be integrated into development team workflows to make interfaces accessible. - Introduction to standards and tools already available.TRANSCRIPT
Selfish AccessibilityPresented by Adrian Roselli for UX Singapore 2014
#uxsg
About Adrian Roselli
• Co-written four books.• Technical editor
for two books.• Written over fifty
articles, most recentlyfor .net Magazine andWeb Standards Sherpa.
Great bedtime reading!
About Adrian Roselli
• Member of W3C HTML Working Group, W3C Accessibility Task Force, five W3C Community Groups.
• Building for the web since 1994.• Founder, owner at Algonquin Studios (
AlgonquinStudios.com).• Learn more at AdrianRoselli.com.• Avoid on Twitter @aardrian.
I warned you.
What is a11y?
• A numeronym for “accessibility”:• The first and last letter,• The number of characters omitted.
• Prominent on Twitter (character restrictions):• #a11y
• Examples:• l10n → localization• i18n → internationalization
Ain’t language funsies?
Accessibility Gets No Respect
In fairness, Sherwin-Williams needs to come up with a lot of color names...
“Cyberspace” (gray)
“Online” (blue)
“Lime Rickey” (green)
Accessibility Gets No Respect
…however I think the team could have done better than this.
What We’ll Cover
• Boring Statistics• How to Be Selfish• Some Techniques• Resources / Questions (ongoing!)
Work with me, people.
Boring Statistics
1 of 4 sections.
Any Disability
• In the United States:• 10.4% aged 21-64 years old,• 25% aged 65-74 years old,• 50% aged 75+.
• Includes:• Visual• Hearing• Mobility• Cognitive
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012
Vision Impairments
• 285 million worldwide:• 39 million are blind,• 246 million have low vision,• 82% of people living with blindness are aged 50
and above.• 1.8% of Americans aged 21-64.• 4.0% of Americans aged 65-74.• 9.8% of Americans aged 75+.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012
Hearing Impairments
• 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss.
• 17% (36 million) of American adults report some degree of hearing loss:• 18% aged 45-64 years old,• 30% aged 65-74 years old,• 47% aged 75+ years old.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/Pages/quick.aspx
Mobility Impairments
• In the United States:• 5.5% aged 21-64 years old.• 15.6% aged 65-74 years old.• 32.9% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012
Cognitive Impairments
• Dyslexia,• Dyscalculia,• Memory issues,• Distractions (ADD, ADHD),• In the United States:• 4.3% aged 21-64 years old.• 5.4% aged 65-74 years old.• 14.4% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012&subButton=Get+HTML
How to Be Selfish
2 of 4 sections.
WebAIM’s Hierarchy for Motivating Accessibility Change
http://webaim.org/blog/motivating-accessibility-change/
My Hierarchy for Motivating Accessibility Change
Is better, no?
Getting Older
• Affects (nearly) everyone,• Carries risks and side effects,• Is not for the young.
I’m still experimenting with it.
Accidents
• Broken limbs,• Eye injuries,• Hearing injuries,• Head trauma.
All of these have happened to me, multiple times.
Paul Townsend on Flickr.
But I’m Invincible!
• Multi-tasking,• Sunlight,• Eating at your desk,• No headphones handy,• Content is not in your native language.
The sun is trying to kill me.
https://twitter.com/aardrian/statuses/388733408576159744
Bitznbitez on Flickr.
Mariëlle on Flickr.
barockschloss on Flickr.
Seb on Flickr.
A.Davy on Flickr.
Raul Lieberwirth on Flickr.
Tim Norris on Flickr.
Steve Rhodes on Flickr.
SuperFantastic on Flickr.
Jacob Enos on Flickr.
World Bank Photo Collection on Flickr.
Lars Kristian Flem on Flickr.
Tech Support
• Think of your family!• Think of your time spent helping them!• Think of the wasted holidays!
This is why we hate the holidays.
The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve future you.
There is no try.
The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve future you.
• Supporting accessibility now helps injured you, encumbered you.
There is no try.
The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve future you.
• Supporting accessibility now helps injured you, encumbered you.
• Getting younger developers to buy in helps future you – if you teach them well.
There is no try.
Some Techniques
4 of 4 sections.
Checklist
• Accessibility is not a checklist.
http://accessibility.net.nz/blog/the-problems-with-ramps-blended-into-stairs/
Checklist
• Accessibility is not a checklist.• Accessibility is an ongoing process.
Some might call it a continuum. Some.
Stairamp
Dean Bouchard on Flickrhttp://accessibility.net.nz/blog/the-problems-with-ramps-blended-into-stairs/
User Stories
• Components:• User,• Outcome,• Value.
• Writing:• As user, I want outcome.• As user, I want outcome so that value.• In order to get value as user, I want outcome.
How to Write User Stories for Web Accessibility
Selfish User Stories
• As a user on a sun-lit patio, I want to be able to read the content and see the controls.
Add beer and as a user I may have trouble focusing.
Selfish User Stories
• As a user in bed with a sleeping spouse, I want to watch a training video in silence so that I can get caught up at work.
As a user who doesn’t want to get punched for having slacked off at work.
Selfish User Stories
• In order to click links as a user with no elbow room in coach class with a tiny trackpad, I want click areas to be large enough and adequately spaced.
As a user in coach class who also paid too much for the drink he’s spilling on his keyboard.
Selfish User Stories
• As a user distracted by the TV, I want clear headings and labels so that I don’t lose my place.
As a user who really should be finishing his work in the office.
User Stories
• Physical Impairment• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.
This includes seeing what has focus and not getting lost in off-screen elements.
User Stories
• Physical Impairment• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.• As a keyboard-only user, I want to navigate a
product list with the tab key so that I can find the right option.
Arrow keys are acceptable as well, making sure that it is clear to the user.
User Stories
• Physical Impairment• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.• As a keyboard-only user, I want to navigate a
product list with the tab key so that I can find the right option.
• In order to click links as a limited-mobility user, I want click areas to be large enough and adequately spaced.
Else I may click the wrong item and have to hit the back button, which can be time consuming.
User Stories
• Visual Impairment• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.
Underlines are important, but users also like to know what they clicked already.
User Stories
• Visual Impairment• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.• As a low-vision user, I want to zoom the page so
that I can read the content.
Without the text overlapping itself or every other item on the page.
User Stories
• Visual Impairment• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.• As a low-vision user, I want to zoom the page so
that I can read the content.• In order to use the site as a blind user, I want to
use a screen reader to navigate.
Good headings, clear structure, landmark roles to jump around the page.
User Stories
• Hearing Impairment• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.
From a clear link, not through some acrobatics to find them.
User Stories
• Hearing Impairment• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.• As a low-hearing user, I want access to closed
captions so that I can use training videos.
Timed to match the video is important.
User Stories
• Hearing Impairment• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.• As a low-hearing user, I want access to closed
captions so that I can use training videos.• In order to participate in a webinar as a deaf user,
I want real-time captioning or transcripts.
This can be tricky, since you’ll need to have a resource typing in real-time.
User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.
But you don’t just use it for no reason, right?
User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.• As a user with dyscalculia, I want distinct number
fields for each block of digits in a credit card number so that I can purchase a product.
You can auto-detect card type. Do the same for expiration date.
User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.• As a user with dyscalculia, I want distinct number
fields for each block of digits in a credit card number so that I can purchase a product.
• In order to not get confused on pages with long text passages as a user with dyslexia, I want control over text size, spacing, and/or alignment.
At the very least, turn of justified text.
Personas
Adrian• Works when he should be relaxing, relaxes
when he should be working.• Lives between motorcycles.• Works late at night with the TV on.• Uses sub-titles in Netflix.• Keeps all screens as dark as possible.
That photo is from official ID.
Personas
Book Excerpt: A Web for Everyone, by Sarah Horton, Whitney Quesenbery
Manifesto for Accessible UX
• Coming Soon! (The Paciello Group)• Looking to these examples:• Lean UX Manifesto• Manifesto for Agile Software Development• UK Gov. Data Services Design Principles
Watch this space: http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2014/08/developing-a-manifesto-for-accessible-ux/
Accessible Design Maturity Continuum
• Coming Soon! (The Paciello Group)• Variation on Jess McMullin’s Rough Design
Maturity Continuum:1. No Conscious Design,2. Style,3. Function and Form,4. Problem Solving,5. Framing.
Watch this space: http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2014/06/accessibility-maturity-continuum/
Resources / Questions
This isn’t a section, you should have been asking all along.
Resources
• Web Accessibility and Older People:Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Usershttp://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users/Overview.php
• Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibilityhttp://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/preliminary
• How People with Disabilities Use the Web: Overviewhttp://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/Overview.htmlIn addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.
Resources
• 2.11 ARIA Role, State, and Property Quick Referencehttp://www.w3.org/TR/aria-in-html/#aria-role-state-and-property-quick-reference
• 2.12 Definitions of States and Properties (all aria-* attributes)http://www.w3.org/TR/aria-in-html/#definitions-of-states-and-properties-all-aria--attributes
In addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.
Resources
• a11yTipshttp://dboudreau.tumblr.com/
• How to Write User Stories for Web Accessibilityhttp://www.interactiveaccessibility.com/blog/how-write-user-stories-accessibility-requirements
• Book Excerpt: A Web for Everyonehttp://uxmag.com/articles/book-excerpt-a-web-for-everyone
In addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.
Selfish AccessibilityPresented by Adrian Roselli for UX Singapore 2014
My thanks and apologies.
Slides from this talk will be available at http://rosel.li/uxsg