How Accessibility issues affect Information Architecture

Hi there! I am an information architect and I would like to talk to you about 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 Database administrators 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 1 Getting an accessible website involves all the steps of the project: from clients to I.T. That includes, obviously, information architecture

2 things we have learned 2 The earlier the accessibility is taken into account, the cheaper the project will be. The fewer errors, the fewer corrections. The fewer corrections, the shorter time to get it.

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 goals

The maximum amount of users Our target (obviously), but also… Age Place Knowledge Disability Elderly Another country Geeks Blind Adults Another language Advanced Color blind Teenagers Another culture Intermediate Deaf Children … Beginners Epileptic … … … Accessibility is not only about disability

Whatever context You can’t imagine all of them Device Screen Place Connection Laptop Giant Home DSL Mobile Big Bus queue Dialup Smartphone Small Airport 3G Television None … … … … Imagine ‘personas’ technique…

Different goals Including company’s goals, people can visit your site to… - Get your information - Use your information - 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, features and functionalities. Ok, but client still wants it spectacular

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 x1 x2 x2 x2

My prototypes bring some consequences…

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 budget.

Remember Lesson #2 The earlier the accessibility is taken into account, the cheaper the project will be. Legal audits will be passed easily More people will access to your info Less costs in regressions and fines More profit

Just to recap Accessibility issues affects all steps of the project. Many of them can and must be anticipated by IA.

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How Accessibility issues affect Information Architecture

by Olga Revilla on Mar 05, 2010

Accessibility

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How Accessibility issues affect Information Architecture — Presentation Transcript