Category Archives: Usability

Inclusive Design

Posted by Judy on March 17, 2011 2 comments

Last week I wrote about visual accessibility. This week I’d like to talk about other accessibility issues. The internet has opened up the world to people around the globe. For example, people in small town Meeteese, WY can connect people in Sri Lanka to sell goods or exchange information. It has also opened up the world to other people as well, the disabled. It is not by accident that the internet is called the information superhighway.

“[The Internet is] an essential tool. And, literally, a lifeline for many disabled people. . . . Many disabled people have to spend long hours alone. Voice-activated computers are a means of communication that can prevent a sense of isolation.” – Christopher Reeve, WebAim

When someone is blind, deaf, or a paraplegic the internet can be a challenge to negotiate. As web designers these individuals summon our creativity to expand the usability of the internet with intelligent design.

Two hands shaking

Reach out your hand.

There are no easy answers for designing an accessible web site. Planning begins at the outset of a project. From focus groups to usability testing, designing for accessibility takes time and commitment.

There are guidelines for web accessibility. The W3C’s Web Content Guidelines is the official and most comprehensive discussion. Usability.gov also has an extensive discussion of how to plan accessibility from the beginning.

10 Basic Guidelines taken from Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

  1. Provide text alternatives for non-text content such as images.
  2. Provide alternatives for time-based media such as using a transcript for audio or video.
  3. Allow your content to be adaptable, for example a simpler layout.
  4. Make your content easy to distinguish between foreground and background.
  5. Make all content functionality available by keyboard or mouse.
  6. Do not design content in a way this is known to cause seizures.
  7. Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
  8. Make text written for the web easy to understand and read.
  9. Make sure input errors are noticed and easy to correct.
  10. Maximize compatibility with assistive technologies.

These guidelines are just a beginning. Let’s make the web usable to everyone no matter how isolated.

Resources

Now You See It – Maybe?

Posted by Judy on March 10, 2011 1 comment

As I have been researching topics for my post this week I ran across a concept that specifically applied to a web site I am designing. The web site uses the colors of crayon green and crayon yellow. As I looked at the header I was designing, I wondered how well the colors would look to someone who was color blind. I wasn’t sure if I had enough contrast.

According to Wikipedia: “Contrast is the difference in visual properties that makes an object … distinguishable from other objects and the background.”

shades of contrast

Shades of Contrast

7 – 8% of the population is color blind. Another portion of the population has low-vision needs. According to the Web Designer Depot there is more to contrast than color. “Creating a structure of importance using size, shape and color is what gives a page impact and legibility to the reader.”

According to A List Apart contrast “…it’s the essential ingredient that makes content accessible to every viewer.” Accessibility is an important component of design. If you want people to read your text and see your graphics you need contrast.

I guess I better get back to work and check the various components of contrast: size, shape, color, position, hierarchy of visual importance, etc. Contrast is “…about finding better and more efficient ways of communicating the message behind the design.” Wish me well!

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Usability Another Balancing Act

Posted by Judy on March 2, 2011 2 comments

Usability is the act of balancing the goals of the user with the needs of the company or organization. In a large percentage of web sites the company is so focused on getting their message out they ignore their most basic need – you, the customer.

Jakob Neilsen’s Law of the Web User Experience states that “users spend most of their time on other websites.”

Omiture Technologies says a site has 3 seconds to hook you. According to Forrester research company “approximately 50% of potential sales are lost because users can’t find information and that 40% of user do not return to a site when their first visit is a negative experience.” These are pretty stark statistics.


What are some mistakes that cause the biggest problems? Companies often forget to ask a few basic questions.

    question mark

    Questions Anyone?

  • What are the company’s objectives, and how do they relate to the web?
  • What does the user want to know?
  • How easy is it for a user to find information?
  • How does the user think the web site should work?
  • What is the users experience level? (novice, some experience, expert)
  • How do you effectively present information: writing for the web, usable navigation, and graphics?

If you notice the companies objectives are the first thing you should ask. The second question is ‘what does the user want?’ After that try to determine the best way to present your information to the user.

Ultimately you are balancing the company’s needs and goals with the ability, needs, and goals of the user. If it is done correctly your web site will meet your needs successfully.

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