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 our goal to create the best possible user experience for our visitors. Not all of our visitors are the same. Some have special needs that are often not addressed in website design. This puts them at a disadvantage when their needs are ignored. We can no longer go back to the old ways of designing websites. We realize that some of our visitors use assistive technology to access online resources. Others might face different challenges. For these reasons, I am committed to making improvements to this site and staying informed with the latest WCAG guidelines. Making The Design Warrior’s website more accessible with inclusive design practices is a continuous process and our mission.
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
Our goal is to be on top of the new and updated guidelines addressed on the W3C’s website. In case you didn’t know, the W3C is a leading organization that provides a range of recommendations to make websites more accessible for people with disabilities.
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. .
This section will be periodically updated with new information and resources