There are a gazillion articles on how to do a good job reviewing your design portfolio. None of them talk about accessibility. Portfolio reviews are the penultimate step in the design/UI/UX interview process. It’s a chance to show your work,…
Why US law effectively mandates all software design be responsive
Your employer/client can spend a lot of time and money on lawsuits and rework if you don’t follow this one simple rule. Smashing Magazine defines “responsive design” as an approach where design responds to the user’s behavior and environment based on…
How to avoid being an accessibility grinch
Maybe accessibility doesn’t come from a store. Maybe accessibility perhaps means just a little bit more? In this holiday season, here are a few notes on how not to be “Grinch-like” in your accessibility activities. Accessibility isn’t a feature, it’s…
Accessibility and Usability
Tightly related but very independent UI/UX/CX concepts. Definitely NOT interchangeable. I saw a post on LinkedIn this week that said “you can’t have usability without accessibility.” However, it is my belief that the converse — “you can’t have accessibility without…
Dark UI themes are new and cool — but are they accessible?
Dark mode is one of those new, hot design features that is generating a lot of “buzz”. Apple and Slack, for example, have been pushing dark themed pages hard lately. However, it appears that not much thought has been given…
Building a Robust Accessibility Program
VMware is building a new high-impact accessibility program for its customers with disabilities The number one reason why people with disabilities are frequently unable to use software is the failure of those that own and control the software or content…
Radical Candor about Accessibility Day-to-day Job Responsibilities
Some days you get to tilt windmills, some days the windmills tilt you So far in the category of “accessibility as a career”, I’ve written articles about: Self-study tips for qualifying to work in accessibility Questions managers should be asking if they…
Personas with Disabilities
Some people love personas. Some people hate them. But if if you have personas, and they are 100 % able-bodied, you are doing everyone a disservice Most articles on personas fall into one of three categories: Some articles think personas…
Ten Behaviors that Require no Talent
Being on Time / Being Prepared Timing and preparation are a huge components in being successful at accessibility. If you start your accessibility work at the design stage, you are only slightly late. All of your project independent accessibility preparation such…
Accessibility Checklists — Just say No
I am a Accessibility Manager with 15 years of experience. No more general A11Y Checklists, PLEASE !!! There are so many articles touting themselves as general “accessibility checklists” that I’ve literally lost track. Even respected organizations like W3Cand WebAIM have published them. WCAG 2.1…