Designing for Accessibility: Lenses

Description:

Have you ever asked yourself “Whats makes a design accessible?” Or “How can I ensure my design is accessible to the most users?” You have? In that case, please, consider the following (queue Bill Nye):

“Good [accessible] design happens when you view your [design] from many different perspectives, or lenses.”

In this session, you’ll learn how to view your design through different accessibility lenses that help you understand the needs of your users. Not only that, but each lens presents you with a set of insightful questions to help you remember your users needs.

The Lens of Animation & Effects, for example, helps you understand how animations can affect the user. It asks you to analyze your design and ask “Are there any animations or effects that could cause dizziness or vertigo through use of motion?” Or “Are there any animations that could be distracting by constantly moving, blinking, or auto-updating?”

By using the lenses of accessibility, you will become more inclusive to the needs of your users, allowing you to design a more accessible user experience for all.

Practical Skills:

• How to focus on many different perspectives of a design and improve its accessibility through asking insightful questions about different accessibility principles

Prerequisites:

• None