Sheri Byrne-Haber (disabled)

Check out the newest draft of the WCAG 3.0 Guidelines. It is currently in the exploratory phase and the final version will probably be ready sometime between 2026-2028. These new guidelines are meant to apply broadly to devices like wearables and mobile devices, which weren't part of the scope of WCAG 2.0. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 A and AA standards should meet the minimum requirements for WCAG 3.0. The rating system itself is changing too as WCAG 3.0 will use bronze, silver, and gold categories. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/dzQFBmzu

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This research article provides a lot of helpful foundational accessibility tips for creating accessible online courses. This includes design principles like creating an online course that is organized predictably and uses consistent navigation. It also defines concepts like universal design and authentic assessment. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/g2Vj3d3E

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This. I mostly do strategic facilitation these days, which evolved out of my team’s research and discovery practice. The gap was so stark in effective strategy development that as a facilitator, more and more clients would ask us to facilitate the strategy setting phase as a way to ensure the research findings were put to meaningful use. Strategic planning is difficult and requires effective stakeholder engagement and thoughtful interpretation and deliberation on discovery findings. Most leaders and teams do not have this capability or capacity, and UX or other research teams should learn to guide them through this process, but it requires us to develop those skills in effective strategic planning facilitation and leadership advising. Design research insights by nature will have broader business relevance. If a leadership team is open to it, building this capability can profoundly improve their product market fit, value proposition, and impact. But it does require developing competence in strategy development, not just research. #strategy #leadership #research #servicedesign

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#CoDesign according to the #NDIA #NDIS Doesn't look like #CoDesign. No mention of #UNCRPD in *OUR* (ie #NDIA's) #CoDesign principles. A little hint: the #UNCRPD is *THE* design determinant. #CoDesign *CAN'T* happen without explicit commitment to #UNCRPD. Explains why the #NDIS Bill breaches #HumanRights The #CoDesign Advisory Group - which "provides strategic advice to the NDIA on the implementation of co-design and engagement processes in the disability community" -  hasn't met in 9 months. As I explained in my recent article, #CoDesign has been weaponised. https://lnkd.in/d8VMKkvZ Take a look. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #RoboNDIS #ClassAction #RoyalCommission robondis.org Mark Toomey Tony Ridley, MSc CSyP FSyI SRMCP Karen Kline Samantha Connor Mark Sweeney Nick Avery Graham Taylor Tara Hannon Muriel Cummins Georgia van Toorn Dr George Taleporos (GAICD, PhD) Shirley Humphris Peter Gregory Jordon Steele-John #BillShorten David Pocock Vinod Ralh Paul Flintoft 👇 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/dKq7mdzZ

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If I can’t find an accessibility statement on your product’s site, I’m not looking at your product. 🤯 #Acessibility isn’t just a nice to have it’s a must have. Here’s why having an accessibility statement on your website is crucial: 1️⃣ Legal Compliance: Stay in compliance with laws and regulations like the ADA and WCAG by committing to accessible digital products. 2️⃣ Inclusivity and Equity: Show your dedication to providing equal learning opportunities for everyone, including users with disabilities. 3️⃣ User Trust and Transparency: Build trust by being transparent about your accessibility efforts and showing users you take their needs seriously. 4️⃣ Corporate Social Responsibilities: Reflect your ethical responsibility and promote digital inclusion as part of your broader CSR strategy. 5️⃣ Feedback and Improvement: Create a feedback loop to continuously improve your products, ensuring they remain accessible to all. Here is a great of an accessibility statement from Yellowdig https://lnkd.in/enuqdqYz 👏👏👏 Shaunak Roy 👏 Link in the comments for a great resource from Deque Systems, Inc on digital accessibility 🔗 #EdTech #Accessibility #Inclusion #DigitalInclusion #CorporateResponsibility #LegalCompliance #UserExperience #EducationTechnology

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Curious about what roller-skating can teach you about digital accessibility? If you missed my session at John Slatin AccessU, check out the first in my blog series on the topic. https://lnkd.in/gVhKyf-h

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This article by Adrian Roselli highlights why it is important to keep your alt text short and to the point. It also provides a lot of helpful articles with alt-text tips at the bottom of the page. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/gc8tg4Nk

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As the digital world races ahead at the speed of light, Justice is finally catching up. Better now than never, right? 👀 "More than 30 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act took effect, federal officials are imposing first-ever rules clarifying how the law applies online." #Accessibility #A11Y #WebDesign  #ContentCreators #WebDeveloper #UXDesign  #ProjectManager

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And perhaps the crème de la crème for this event is that the “Accessibility Community Listening Session” will not have accurate and usable captions. And I’m sure no ASL. A short case study in performative privilege. How many dozens of members can’t pay the money (financial privilege), can’t risk their health (medical privilege), can’t afford to or have resources for child care or parental care (more financial and resource privilege) to go. How many organizations do NOT fund for team members that are not senior, c-suite, or directors to go to a conference that costs more than $1200 ++ Now make that exponentially larger for disabled members. The actual ask for this accessibility town hall was made last fall and denied… unless you go to the annual meeting. You know, the one with no concrete actual accessibility information… The one with the huge disability tax. The ask was for an accessible online discussion so that EVERYONE could participate. The ask for an accessible and equitable discussion was denied by the CEO and the DEIA Director. I have it in writing. As with so many other things… Denied. How far removed do you have to be to deny a meeting with your disabled members to discuss accessibility? And no, there’s no indication (yes there is an entire online community for disabled members and accessibility supporters) that there is any intention to invite people to join this session remotely. You know - to be inclusive…. Nor was this “community” invited to the DEIA Planning Meeting to ensure disability inclusion was built into programming. Yes the online community was formed and organized PRIOR to that DEIA meeting. DEIA eh?

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Lucy Woodcock spends much of her time at work 'doing' diverse usability testing. She has recently blogged "#UserTesting Unveiled: A Step-by-Step Exploration" and aims to demystify the process. Here are #KeyTakeaways from her blog: 1. Importance of #InclusiveDesign and #Accessibility: Inclusive design and accessibility are crucial factors in shaping user experiences. User testing with people with disabilities can help reach a broader audience and cater to diverse needs. 2. Meticulous Planning: User testing begins with meticulous planning, including setting dates, arranging calls, and recruiting diverse participants. A clear research plan aligned with client objectives ensures a valuable and inclusive testing project. 3. Remote Usability Testing: Remote usability testing provides flexibility for testers and clients alike. It gives clients the opportunity to observe sessions first-hand, turning the testing day into a collaborative experience. 4. Analysis of Results: Analysis of user testing results is a crucial part of the process, highlighting key issues and forming recommendations. Different tools and methods may be used for analysis, but the goal remains insightful insights and recommendations. 5. Comprehensive User Testing Report: The user testing report is the end deliverable for clients, containing evidenced insights and relevant recommendations closely linked to client objectives. A clear, justified, and measurable report increases implementation and improves accessibility. 6. Continuous Improvement: A #retrospective allows the team to review successes and identify areas for improvement, ensuring #adaptability to evolving client needs and making each project a stepping stone to future success. 7. Enquiring about User Testing Service: User testing services with companies like Accessible Me Ltd, eLaHub Ltd, or AbilityNet ensure you asking the right people the right questions at the right time and making the best use of their feedback. 8. Self-Conducting User Testing: Learning how to conduct user testing can provide reassurance in making accessibility improvements and focusing resources in the right areas. Like AbilityNet, Accessible Me Ltd offers training courses (both online and offline) for those interested in starting their own #AccessibilityTesting. Accessible Me Ltd's focus is in the #eLearning, #LearningAndDevelopment, and #BrandMarketing areas; helping to make learning accessible to everyone. These takeaways highlight the importance of meticulous planning, remote usability testing, thorough analysis, and continuous improvement in creating inclusive and accessible user experiences through user testing.

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Craft is work done with intuitive expertise - learned deeply by conscious practice through mentorship. Craft is expensive. The mimicry and pattern replication of AI will upend digital craft much like the Industrial Revolution did for physical craftspeople (only faster). It will likely be CFOs who crush craft like origami as they optimize balance sheets. If you love your craft, find a complex niche whose business model is based on value creation not eyeball acquisition. Government especially needs you.

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Exciting to learn a new European Accessibility Act (EAA) is enforced. It is crucial for those designing products for EU market! US has Americans with Disability Act (ADA) UK has Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Australia has Disability Services and Inclusion (DSI).Act EU now has European Accessibiliy Act (EAA) #accessibility #disabilityact

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I think this article does a good job of highlighting the limitations of automated testing. This is because WCAG is complex and requires human interpretation and testing to identify all the different errors. It also highlights how automated testing is good at preventing regression by tracking progress over time. This is why lots of companies and higher education institutions are using automated testing to track the number of errors on a webpage over time. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/g4Ba-S6P

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Accessibility friends! I need to pick your collective brains, if I may. 😊 When presenting a list of titles (Mr., Mrs., etc) in a <select>, NVDA reads them out as "em ar", "em ar ess" instead of "mister", "missus". However, when presented elsewhere in HTML, they are read out correctly. Has anyone encountered this before, or knows of similar situations? It feels to me like a bug with NVDA, as we've tested it on plain HTML files, but wanted reach out for counsel on it. Thanks in advance! #a11y #NVDA

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It’s a given that conducting #UXResearch inclusive of participants with a variety of disabilities is vital to building inclusive technology, especially during iterative prototype phases. However, there’s a glaring problem we don't discuss enough: You need an accessible prototype to run user testing, but most prototypes used for testing are inaccessible. I wrote about this conundrum and proposed 5 workarounds to overcome the current barriers. Thanks to Smashing Magazine for the opportunity to publish my thoughts on this! https://lnkd.in/euUP67gr #Accessibility #UX #InclusionMatters

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Hey, all. You’ve probably heard that dark mode is good for accessibility, and it is! Except, of course, when it’s not. For a clear explanation of why that is, and some useful resources, check out Dark mode & accessibility myth by Stéphanie Walter. https://lnkd.in/ePrx2JJG #Accessibility #A11yGoodReads

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Design Systems folks — when was the last time you shipped something that really felt impactful? Design Systems is in a quandary right now: somehow both a necessary part of building UI, and recognized as "not delivering value." DS teams were heavily impacted by layoffs, and as Noelle Lansford said in her great article recently (link in thread): > The teams I spoke with emphasized that there was a significant deficit between what the design system team advertised and what was delivered. However, perhaps the more concerning point they made was: Even if all of the success criteria was met, when it came to downsizing, the design system appeared redundant at best. Yikes. How can we know design systems are a powerful tool for delivering consistency, velocity, and efficiency, and also know that we’re not delivering on that promise? And forget "impact as business value" for a second — doesn’t it just feel good when someone uses your work and turns to you and says, wow, that made my work so much easier, thank you. The reality for a lot of DS practitioners is more like grinding for weeks on a component that maybe one team half-heartedly used – incorrectly? Or writing thousands of words of documentation that nobody looks at. I don't think we're "not shipping impactful work" because we're collectively bad at our jobs, or because design systems don't actually help teams move faster. I think we're focused on the wrong things.

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Great article but I’m not 100% in agreement as it can depend on what is already known with regards to users with specific needs or preferences, particularly when it comes to UX patterns and design practices. Qualitative research is more suited to stimulate design ideas rather than evaluate decisions, as trying to extrapolate large audiences from the opinions of a few is problematic and runs the risk of turning into as much of a box ticking exercise much in the way auditing can. When it comes to design research and auditing we can have very short memories which maybe why we think we always need to test everything with everyone, and in doing so loose any chance of statistical significance in our UX findings. I like the point about surveys which would work particularly well with multivariate testing, but you also need to segment that data by need and preference or it runs the risk of only informing a mainstream perspective, which is why a segmentation tool like ab11y.com adds value as it segments the audience by need without diagnosis, and avoids issues with privacy and GDPR. As long as the survey captures both functional and emotional data it is a really useful way of ensuring inclusive design optimisation is part of the product’s ongoing evolution. Maybe the issue is that the questions we ask are not specific enough? Maybe we don’t know about how users with X need(s) who have Y preferences interact with pattern Z. Then you build a prototype that enables you to answer that question. This means not every prototype needs to be accessible to everyone, including not being relevant to mainstream audiences if we have no specific research questions, or if we are not benchmarking comparative experience against them. Not sure about the conflation of WCAG testing prototypes or with inclusively user prototypes, especially using automated tools, as you might think that pars of the prototype or equivalent system are inaccessible, but then you are jumping to conclusions about people’s skills, capabilities and coping strategies. Maybe instead not assume that all designers are non-disabled? Maybe if you want a product to be useable by screen readers hire a blind designer or design researcher who can help with understanding the different behaviours and strategies possible using different technologies. This would help build capability in the design team too. I’d change one of the statements to: The real ability to ensure an accessible and inclusive system is not by evaluating a final product at the end of a project; it’s by assessing user needs at the start and then evaluating any outstanding unknowns as part of the iterative prototypes along the way, then gathering data that can be segmented by need to ensure continual optimisation. For shift left to work I believe the key is to build on a knowledge base rather than treat user research data and inclusive design knowledge as a disposable commodity.

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