a11yTOConf2020

Scope Wars

Speaker: Alex Tait
Twitter: @AT_Fresh_Dev

Opening Words

• “The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee
• 1.97 Billion websites in the work
• 95% have JavaScript
• In 2020 webAIM found 98.1% homepage have WCAG failures
  • Low Contrast (86%)
  • Missing alt text (70%)
  • Empty links (65%)
  • Missing Form Labels
  • Empty Buttons
  • Missing don language
• JavaScript Frameworks corresponds with more a11y errors than the average home page.
• Poll: 38.1% says a11y doesn’t happen

Product Life Cycle

• Build, Measure, Learn
• Typical process
  • Research + ideation
  • Design + prototype
  • Develop + QA
  • Release
  • If lucky:
    • Usability testing
    • WCAG testing

Dark Example

• Tablist > form > modal > tablist > form > tooltip
• 6 Levels of broken

MVP - Minimum Viable Product

• minimum lean set of features to validate the product
• Not MVP if is not accessible

What’s required to change

• Train practitioners to know how to create solutions
• Bootcamps & Computer programs should teach accessibility
• Organizations should forefront accessibility
• a11y is a Team sport: designers, researches, devs, testers, POs…..
• Foster an a11y culter & an expertise to guide it.
• Hire disables people and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
• Give employees training & feedback
• a11y should be as lucrative as Javascript Excellence

Agile vs Waterfall

• Fast/lean vs Giant Software
• Audits can be waterfall if done when the damage is done