3 Strategies for Developing More-Accessible Software

 

Link: https://hbr.org/2022/06/3-strategies-for-developing-more-accessible-software

Name: Maria Ali

Id: 20171-22563

There is no such thing as a single accessibility expert. It is a shared responsibility, and all developers must draw on the knowledge of others to improve their understanding and manifestation of accessibility. By the same token, the most widely available frameworks for developers cannot be considered comprehensive. Similarly to how developers would not create a new feature with only one tool, they should have multiple inputs to guide them through accessibility. The more robust developers' accessibility checkers are, the better they will serve people with a wide range of needs. The author presents three approaches for developers to avoid relying on inadequate accessibility tools and guidelines while keeping up with the shifting accessibility threshold.

Mix and Match your accessibility tools.

Each development platform has its own set of guidelines and requirements for accessibility.

If developers simply adhere to the accessibility parameters of the platform in which they are developing, they will inevitably leave some accessibility gaps unfilled. Using a single set of guidelines is equivalent to expecting a table of contents to tell you the entire story. Mixing and matching is the best way to avoid this issue.

Developers can also use a plethora of tools to test accessibility across platforms. The more tools you use in conjunction with the accessibility requirements of your primary platform, the more complete your picture of accessibility becomes. Discussions on Reddit's Web Accessibility community, Stack Overflow, and Slack's accessibility channel can point you to places that your original guidelines don't cover.

Localized accessibility legislation can teach us a lot.

Developers must approach product development with a global mindset, acknowledging that accessibility adherence varies by location. Accessibility entails far more than simply translating text and copy-pasting from a previously successful framework.

What may be legally compliant or inclusive in one country is likely different in another. Some types of legislation tend to go beyond the scope of popular technical frameworks like React, developers cannot create compliant products by relying solely on those frameworks.

Uncover grey areas of standalone frameworks via user testing.

There is no accessibility completion certification. The more products or features you introduce, the more testing you'll need to do, and the further you'll have to go beyond the tools you're using to monitor
your accessibility. Even if you are not actively releasing, there is always room for improvement,
especially in more complex elements such as keyboard usage, focus, and landmarks. Reviewing accessibility necessitates far more than simply downloading entire libraries deemed accessible and building from them.
The building blocks may be available, but that does not guarantee the finished product. Developers are responsible for testing the product as they build it, both on a granular and overall scale.It must be placed in context, in lived experiences, to confirm that it is truly accessible. Developers should test products and features in person or remotely with a diverse group of users of varying abilities, ages, and backgrounds on a regular basis. There is no such thing as a single accessibility expert. It is a shared responsibility, and all developers must draw on the knowledge of others to improve their understanding and manifestation of accessibility.





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