Post on 18-Oct-2014
description
transcript
Hi there!
I am an
information architectand I would like to talk to you
about
how accessibility issues how accessibility issues affect our work
© Olga Revilla. 2009
But first of all, let me introduce the place where
I work
It’s a complex organization where
we do‘Internet things’
First of all, the I.T. crowd
I call them ‘the technical wizards’
Servers administrators
Database administrators
There are developers
They code and test, and test, and test
XHTML, AJAX, CSS… PHP, C++, Java…
And people who creates and edits interesting contents
They feed the websites
Texts Movies Pictures
And my two best fellows to create the look & feel
We make a great team
Creative Graphic designer
And of course, clients who always are asking things to the project manager
I need… Yes, sir.
I want… Yes, sir.
I expect… Yes, sir.
I will… Yes, sir.
Often clients ask us to make a
[multimedia | 2.0 | social network | RIA | AJAX everywhere]
website which also have to be
[accessible]
Of course, as cheap as possible, but that is not our battlefield, is it?
So an accessibility consultant was hired.
He is continuously teaching us how to do it great
2 things we have learned
Getting an accessible
website involves all the steps of
1
That includes, obviously, information architecture
all the steps of the project:
from clients to I.T.
2 things we have learned
The earlier the accessibility is
taken into account, the cheaper the project will be.
2
The fewer errors, the fewer corrections. The fewer corrections, the shorter time to get it.
project will be.
So Information Architecture, as it is placed at the beginning of the project, has a very important role in keeping the budget low
regarding accessibility issues.
Let’s see some things I have learned
Usability ≠ Accessibility
A determined group of users The maximum amount of users
A determined context Whatever context
A determined goal Different goalsA determined goal Different goals
The maximum amount of users
Our target (obviously), but also…
Age Place Knowledge Disability
Elderly
Adults
Teenagers
Children
Another country
Another language
Another culture
…
Geeks
Advanced
Intermediate
Beginners
Blind
Color blind
Deaf
EpilepticChildren
…
… Beginners
…
Epileptic
…
Accessibility is not only about disability
Whatever context
You can’t imagine all of them
Device Screen Place Connection
Laptop
Mobile
Smartphone
Television
Giant
Big
Small
None
Home
Bus queue
Airport
…
DSL
Dialup
3G
…Television
…
None
…
… …
Imagine ‘personas’ technique…
Different goals
- Get your information
- Use your information
- Transform your information
Including company’s goals, people can visit your site to…
- Transform your information
- Share your information
- Get inspiration
- …
Imagine ‘scenarios’ technique…
So we have a great diversity of people, contexts and goals
How to manage it?
One simple rule
Make sure that
information is in a
plain, text version;
then add design,
Ok, but client still wants it spectacular
then add design,
features and
functionalities.
Let’s see how to implement this rule by some examples
Buuuhhh!
Fancy, but…
Yuhuuu
Icons from http://www.iconspedia.com/pack/very-emotional-2353/
1. Provide the information and the data
Charts
2a. Not everybody hears the voice
Videos
2b. Not everybody hears the voice
Live videos
3. Stress your prototype
3a. Adapt to the screen
1024
320
800
3b. Increase the font
x2x1
x2
x2
x2
My prototypes bring some
consequences…
I like your job, but you are I like your job, but you are telling me that I have to…
Wait more time for prototypes Yes, sir.
Buy the subtitles Yes, sir.
Contract a language interpreter Yes, sir.
How much more will they cost? Er…
That is not our war.If accessibility is a requirement (and morally always is), I have to take into account these matters.
Let the client or project manager
decide how to admin the decide how to admin the budget.
The earlier the accessibility is taken into account, the
cheaper the project will be.
Remember Lesson #2
Legal audits will be passed easily More people will access to your info
Less costs in regressions and fines More profit
Accessibility issues affects all steps of the project.
Many of them can and must be anticipated by IA.
Just to recap
Many of them can and must be anticipated by IA.
Thanks for your kind attention.
Any questions?
Olga Revilla
olga@itakora.com
© Olga Revilla. 2009