September 2020 - Sheri Byrne-Haber's Blog

Woman at desk and man in stuffed chair both wearing masks and using computers

Inaccessibility is a disease. Why aren’t we doing more to cure it?

How many developers must know how to develop accessible code before “herd immunity” protects people with disabilities against inaccessibility? In the carbon-based lifeform world, herd immunity is achieved when the majority of a population is immune (either through infection or…

Chalkboard steps with the words Never on the lowest step, Maybe on the middle step, and Yes on the highest step.

Convincing People to Be Accessible

I’ve broken the suggestions I am making below many, many times. I’m trying harder not to do that in the future. Product owners and people above them in the executive hierarchy frequently hold the position that current customers and what…

Stacks of full shelves in a library, table full of study materials

Accessibility issues that can’t be solved by tech

You can’t consider yourself accessible in the broadest sense of the word without considering non-technical factors that disproportionately impact people with disabilities There are two different categories of thought on the WCAG accessibility guidelines: WCAG is a goal, something that…

A cartoon of a woman in a dark suit holding a briefcase and using a telescope to look out over a wilderness vista

Female leaders are better at ensuring people with disabilities aren’t excluded

Good news, but simultaneously depressing because female leadership is so vastly underrepresented in both government and private business In the article “What Do Countries With The Best Coronavirus Responses Have In Common? Women Leaders,” the female leaders of Denmark, Iceland,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Month: September 2020