The talk by Henny Swan at NUX5, 2016, discusses the importance of user experience in accessibility, emphasizing that simply applying accessibility techniques to unusable sites does not create a truly accessible experience. Key principles include prioritizing user needs over technology, ensuring equivalence and choice for all users, and maintaining consistent design patterns. The presentation critiques current guidelines for focusing too much on compliance rather than enhancing user interaction and experience.

1. The velvet rope
Henny Swan @iheni

2. This talk we given at NUX5, 2016. For notes accompanying the
slides please download as a PDF.
Images should all be accessible, and video is described in the
note.

3. Colin
late 60s
retired
EastEnders fan
iPlayer user
blind
screen-reader user

4. BBC iPlayer v3

5. Multiple
headings with
updating copy

6. Duplicated
links to the
same page

7. Primary
content far
down in the
content order

8. Links with
dual actions

9. What do these issues have
in common?

10. They are not accessibility
issues.

11. What does a disabled person
want?
compliance with WCAG
support for WAI ARIA
page validation
an accessibility policy
Said nobody, ever!

12. #aux
accessible user experience

13. “Applying accessibility techniques to an
unusable site is like putting lipstick on a
pig. No matter how much you apply, it
will always be a pig.”
—Lipstick on a Usability Pig, Jared Smith

14. “It pains me to say this but web
developers may not be the
most important people when it
comes to making accessible
websites and apps.”
—Ian Pouncey

15. Guidelines focus on…
code over design
output over outcome
compliance over experience

16. Guidelines focus on…
code over design
output over outcome
compliance over experience

17. Accessible User Experience
Principles
1. BBC - How to Design for Accessibility
2. Microsoft Inclusive Design Toolkit
3. A Web for Everyone - Sarah Horton and
Whitney Quesenbery

18. Accessible User Experience
Principles
1.People first
2.Equivalence
3.Choice
4.Control
5.Consistency
6.Value

19. People first
Place the needs of people above the
needs of technology

20. “The potential audience of a website or
app is anyone human. Inclusivity of
ability, preference and circumstance is
paramount.”
—Heydon Pickering, Inclusive Design Patterns

21. Legacy content

22. Legacy content
Procurement

23. Legacy content
Procurement
Third-party content

24. Legacy content
Procurement
Third-party content
Pattern libraries

25. Equivalence
Disabled people can perceive,
understand, navigate and interact with
content equally without barriers

28. Accessible
1.2.2 Captions
(Prerecorded):
Captions are
provided for all
prerecorded audio
content in
synchronized media,
except when the
media is a media
alternative for text
and is clearly labeled
Netflix

29. Equivalent experience:
Colour-coded speakers
ITV Player

30. Equivalent experience:
Colour-coded speakers
Custom styles
YouTube

31. Equivalent experience:
Colour-coded speakers
Custom styles
Repositioning
Ted Talks

32. Equivalent experience:
Colour-coded speakers
Custom styles
Repositioning
iPlayer

33. Equivalent experience:
Colour-coded speakers
Custom styles
Repositioning
Understandable
BuzzfeedBuzzfeed

34. In 2015, Ofcom reported
80% of subtitle users in
the UK do not identify as
having hearing loss.
Microsoft Inclusive Design
Toolkit

35. Choice
Provide multiple ways to find content and
complete complex or non-standard tasks

38. Beware of assumptions and
be aware of context

39. www.brightonmuseums.org

40. “It can be difficult today to visualise the
building as it looked a hundred years ago,
but as we follow the tour, imagine the
rooms with their royal furniture and
ornaments removed, and with lino covering
the floors, and boards protecting the walls.
You’ll have the opportunity to see
photographs of the Pavilion during its time
as a hospital throughout our tour.”
www.brightonmuseums.org

41. “It can be difficult today to visualise the
building as it looked a hundred years
ago, but as we follow the tour, imagine the
rooms with their royal furniture and
ornaments removed, and with lino covering
the floors, and boards protecting the walls.
You’ll have the opportunity to see
photographs of the Pavilion during its time
as a hospital throughout our tour.”
www.brightonmuseums.org

42. www.brightonmuseums.org

43. Visual design
Non visual design
Inclusive design

44. “…choice is a privilege. One
whose luxury some of us
don’t have.”
—Sina Braham

45. Control
Ensure the user always has control over
content and can customise the display

46. Pinch zoom
Legibility
Interaction
Distraction
Don’t disable zoom —Adrian Roselli

47. Fixed
orientation
www.Stuff4Sam.com

49. Consistency
Use consistent and familiar design
patterns

50. Standard versus
custom components

51. Inconsistent focus
order
“Since navigation is at the
bottom focus should start here.”

52. Consistency across
platforms

56. Value
Features add value for everyone but some
features add more value than others

57. Features
Filters
Grid / list layout
Wizards
Data visualisation
UXMovement

58. Just Eat AmazonYouTube
Voice API Geolocation API Camera and voice API

60. Consider disabled people
when prioritising features

61. The principles of accessible
user experience is all
user experience

62. Billy Gregory @TheBillyGregory

64. When is something accessible?
Johnny Taylor @ableaccess
When I can use it!

65. Inclusive Design Patterns —Hendon Pickering

66. Thank you
Henny Swan @iheni