The web has become one of the most important places for organizations to do business, share information, and interact with their audiences. However, it is often overlooked that site visitors may need accommodations in order to have successful and enjoyable experiences on these websites and applications. What if users have trouble seeing or hearing? What if they cannot use a mouse?
The Ultimate Question
As perfectly put by web guru,
Ethan Marcotte, at the
UX Burlington Conference and in his book
Responsive Design: Patterns and Principles (I'll paraphrase here): "What if the visitor uses the web differently than I do?" This is a question we often forget to ask ourselves, but it's incredibly important to consider in order to make your content accessible for all.
An Example to Follow
The Vermont Arts Council is a wonderful example of an organization who is committed to asking this question. They partnered with us extensively throughout web design and development to ensure their website adhered to specific criteria making it accessible to as vast an audience as possible. This is a process they continue to increase and improve as they further develop their web presence.
Read the Vermont Arts Council article "Arts. Sites. 4 Everyone." to learn a few basic techniques that will significantly improve the experience for these special users. Things as simple as organizing your content with the use of headers can impact how a visitor interacts with your website or application.
Make Your Content More Accessible
When the experience is more enjoyable for your users, they are more likely to continue viewing your content and interacting with your organization. Accessibility on the web is a win-win for users and organizations alike. If you need a technical partner to bring your website or application's accessibility to the next level,
contact us to schedule a consultation.
