Read on Twitter
1) If you work in tech, you've likely heard the term "accessibility."
But you may not understand what accessibility is, get why it matters, and know how to make it a reality for your products.
That's what I'll cover in this thread.
But you may not understand what accessibility is, get why it matters, and know how to make it a reality for your products.
That's what I'll cover in this thread.
2) What is an accessible product?
It's a product that people can access and understand regardless of disabilities.
It's a product that people can access and understand regardless of disabilities.
3) I'll be focusing on digital products (websites, games, apps, videos, podcasts, and even email) because that's where I have knowledge to share, but accessibility matters for physical products as well.
4) So how many people need accessible products?
All of them.
Every single one of your users, customers and potential customers need to be able to access and understand your product, regardless of disabilities.
All of them.
Every single one of your users, customers and potential customers need to be able to access and understand your product, regardless of disabilities.
5) Ok, but how many people have impairments that we should be accounting for in our products?
I don't have perfect data, but what I do have should provide some perspective.
According to @WHO (back in 2019), 2.2 billion people have vision impairment of some sort.
I don't have perfect data, but what I do have should provide some perspective.
According to @WHO (back in 2019), 2.2 billion people have vision impairment of some sort.
6) According to @uscensusbureau (back in 2010):
7.6 million Americans have hearing impairment
8.1 million Americans have vision impairment
15.2 million Americans have cognitive, mental, or emotional
impairment
7.6 million Americans have hearing impairment
8.1 million Americans have vision impairment
15.2 million Americans have cognitive, mental, or emotional
impairment
7) You have potential customers in your target market who can't become customers because you haven't made your product accessible for them.
8) Building accessible products makes your product better for everyone.
A few quick examples of this:
A few quick examples of this:
9) Accessible contrast and font sizing makes your product readable for people with low vision AND easier to read for everyone else.
Note: @webaim has wonderful tools for this: https://webaim.org/resources/
Note: @webaim has wonderful tools for this: https://webaim.org/resources/
10) As @deafgirly said in her viral tweet, "Subtitles aren't just for deaf people."
https://twitter.com/deafgirly/status/1126053718426886144
And the data in this UK government study corroborates her claim: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/42442/access.pdf
Note: I prefer @DescriptApp for creating transcripts & subtitles.
https://twitter.com/deafgirly/status/1126053718426886144
And the data in this UK government study corroborates her claim: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/42442/access.pdf
Note: I prefer @DescriptApp for creating transcripts & subtitles.
11) Working with great content strategists or using tools like @ReadableHQ will make your product usable for people with cognitive impairments while ALSO improving usability for all your users.
12) There are TONS of incredible resources out there that will help you make your product more accessible.
Begin by following @steven_aquino, @shelly, and @JamesRath.
They have taught me so much.
Begin by following @steven_aquino, @shelly, and @JamesRath.
They have taught me so much.
13) Then poke around on the @A11YProject and @MobileA11y websites. Both are full of incredible resources and guides and tools for better understanding accessibility and digging deeper into making your specific product accessible.
14) If you're into podcasts, I'd recommend @A11yRules by @vavroom.
You could also take a look at the back catalog of @_accessibleFM, which is now retired.
You could also take a look at the back catalog of @_accessibleFM, which is now retired.
15) If you're interested in making your email accessible, check out the talk I gave at @reallygoodemail's UNSPAM conference. https://reallygoodemails.com/school/accessible-email-matters-with-timothy-buck
