August 2020 - Sheri Byrne-Haber's Blog

Tilted sign that says “Back to Basics” hanging on black chalkboard

Ten basic accessibility facts

All accessibility managers should be comfortable communicating the following facts and the reasons behind them. Fact #1: All accessibility (digital and physical) is a civil right. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law for people with disabilities.…

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Cookie banners and accessibility

Yes, these do matter, especially if you are using a cookie banner to handle your privacy disclosures, super especially if you can be sued in California. What is a cookie? Cookies are small text files created by a website that…

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Air plant with spiky green leaves, bare roots, and purple and pink flowers

Books on Disability Resiliency

Fictional and real-life accounts of disability resiliency that pass my sniff test as a disabled person Part one of a two-part article: Read part one “My favorite books on accessibility and related topics.” What makes a good disability resiliency book?…

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Man sitting in small working space with laptop looking frustrated

All the reasons you might not have gotten that job

Many of which have nothing to do with you. I have spent some time over the last few months mentoring people finding themselves out of work courtesy of COVID. Some of them have applied to jobs at VMware; others are…

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Building an “accessibility brand”

Meaningful accessibility discussions happen when you are not in the room. Having a personal accessibility brand can help deliver your message in your absence. Branding isn’t just for companies anymore. Post-pandemic, in our almost-completely digital world, a personal brand is…

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Whiteboard that says “To-do list: Pivot!”

Pivoting to fully remote accessibility testing

Five months into the pandemic w/ no finish line in sight, temporary changes must be reassessed and made permanent to improve productivity. We are now five months into the pandemic. That is enough lived experience to have determined that: This…

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a room with an office from old science fiction movie

Sci-fi and Accessibility

There is a non-obvious connection between the two We had our monthly team meeting earlier this month. There were introductions (we had new team members) and some ice breakers where people were called on to answer a question from our…

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Groups that don’t care about people with disabilities

I can no longer support “disability as an afterthought” Authors note: Because of Medium’s refusal to address its accessibility issues for both authors and readers, I’ve moved my last three years of blogs to Substack. Please sign up there for notices of all…

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Making word clouds and polling fully accessible to all meeting attendees

If you want to be perceived as inclusive, you have to BE inclusive. Otherwise, your words and actions are merely performative. Let’s face it; Zoom meetings can be tedious. An entire business sector has popped up, focusing on making presentations…

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People with disabilities and sports

We want to be spectators. Many of us want to be or are, participants. So why is it that we face so many freaking barriers? As a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan for more than four decades and compound archery 2024 Paralympic…

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Applying Ted Lasso management lessons to accessibility

I am one of a jillion people anxiously awaiting season 3 of Ted Lasso. One of the reasons for its popularity is the life lessons it teaches on management and relationships through the lens of dramatic comedy (aka “dramady”). Here…

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When does a disability accommodation become a personal benefit?

A question that is currently winding its way through American courts Authors note: Because of Medium’s refusal to address its accessibility issues for both authors and readers, I’ve moved my last three years of blogs to Substack. Please sign up there for notices…

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Do internet-only businesses come under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

In theory, absolutely. But it’s taking federal courts a while to get there. Meanwhile, Web3 is coming, and blockchain is already here. Authors note: Because of Medium’s refusal to address its accessibility issues for both authors and readers, I’ve moved my last…

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Regaining your accessibility spark

All jobs have up and down cycles. Try these steps to get back on the upswing when you are on a down cycle in your accessibility journey. Authors note: Because of Medium’s refusal to address its accessibility issues for both authors…

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Why accessibility bugs are a good thing and how to handle them

Hint: “fix the bug” is probably the least important item on the list It is incredibly common when I do accessibility podcasts, I am asked, “what does accessibility success look like to you?” I, perhaps oddly, count beginning to get…

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Making PowerPoint decks more accessible

An essential component to maximizing remote participation by people with disabilities Part two of a two-part article. Part one focuses on how to optimize the video conference experience for the event. One of the lasting impacts of the pandemic is that business…

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Using plain language is essential for content accessibility

Using plain language is essential for content accessibility When writing for your audience, it’s essential to keep things simple at the lowest common denominator for your audience. If your audience is all Ph.D. candidates, language can be complex and require…

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