An Accessibility Statement
My Goal is to Create a Website with Inclusive Design In Mind
A disability is a characteristic, it does not define a person’s full potential
It’s my goal to create the best possible user experience for every visitor. Not all visitors are the same, and some have unique needs that are often overlooked in website design. When these needs are ignored, people are placed at a disadvantage—and I believe that is unacceptable.
I recognize that some visitors use assistive technology to access online resources, while others may face different challenges. For this reason, I am committed to continuously improving this site and staying informed about the latest WCAG guidelines.
Making the Design Warrior website more accessible through inclusive design practices is not a one-time task—it’s an ongoing mission. My commitment is to ensure that every visitor can engage meaningfully with the content and experience.
Visual Impairment
Some visitors use devices (like screen readers) to comprehend the contents on websites. Without these tools, it would be impossible for a blind person to comprehend what’s on the page. Adding descriptions (alt-text) to images is basic. Sadly, many web designers skip this task. My friend Heather (who is sight impaired) has made me more aware of the issues.
Color Blindness
Color blindness is absolutely an issue that should be addressed when designing websites. It changed my approach to web design. I use contrast checkers to finalize the color choices and then add them to the style guide. Contrast is important to all-around design. The image above demonstrates the importance of choosing the right background and foreground combination.
Cognitive Awareness
Cognitive disabilities have a broad range of categories. I focus on things I can do today to enhance users’ experiences. Here is an example. Google’s recapture works in the background so users do not have take a test to prove they aren’t bots. People with cognitive disabilities might have challenges. Invisible bot checkers are game changers. They improve everyone’s user experience.
Mobility Issues
Visitors with mobility/dexterity disabilities, use a wide variety of assistive technologies when online. We are gaining a better understanding of things that could hinder a visitor’s user experience and the ability to navigate through websites. I needed to learn better ways to design with these users in mind by avoiding barriers such as impossible navigation menus, excessive text on a page, inaccessible forms, and more.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
My aim is to stay updated with the latest guidelines from the W3C, a prominent organization offering recommendations for enhanced website accessibility. Our site incorporates accessibility tools, empowering users to customize their experience to their specific needs.
Tools for Accessibility
There are many new tools currently available that helps in building more human-centered, accessible websites. Here is a list of a few we either currently use or are planning to use: human site testers who have disabilities, use virtual site map generators, accessible site checker software, use color contrast analyzers, accessibility audit extension tools for the browser.
Compliance Audit
I collaborate with a prominent web accessibility leader, empowering thousands of websites, from small businesses to industry giants. This audit evaluates uxdesignwarrior.com’s compliance with WCAG 2.1 level AA as of Sun Oct 01, 2023. The results of numerous tests, focusing on three key categories: screen-reader enhancements (for blind users), keyboard navigation improvements (for those with motor impairments), and UI, design, and readability enhancements (benefiting the vision-impaired), are not displayed. It’s essential for me to lead by example. While some claim support for accessible design, their sites may lack professional audits.
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