Accessibility and usability can go hand in hand - an example and advices
The web site for the Icelandic Meteorological Office has achieved accessibility certification based on WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative). It has received very good critics for usability. It received an award for the best Icelandic Web-site in public service during 2007.
The most important weather forecasts and observations are shown graphically on maps but are still accessible for disabled people. This is achieved using Web2 techniques.
There are less than 400.000 people living in Iceland. The Icelandic Met. Office is small. It employs only a handful of tech guys running the whole operation. The Icelandic Met. office would be considered very small compared to any small or medium size office in USA and Europe
Still this micro met. office has a web site with good accessibility and usability. There is no excuse for USA companies not to do it too.
Here are some advices:
- Before starting on the user interface design, get your self acquainted to accessibility issues in web design.
- Work with a company that specializes in web accessibility from the start of the project.
- Implement the accessibility from the start. Not afterwards.
- Select a content management system that supports accessibility fairly well.
- CSS design is a critical part for good accessibility. Preferably work with CSS designer that has experience CSS design for accessibility.
- Have the design tried and tested with disabled people.
- Don't give up on accessibility although you are squeezed for time
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Accessibility and usability can go hand in hand - an example and advices
The web site for the Icelandic Meteorological Office has achieved accessibility certification based on WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative). It has received very good critics for usability. It received an award for the best Icelandic Web-site in public service during 2007.
The most important weather forecasts and observations are shown graphically on maps but are still accessible for disabled people. This is achieved using Web2 techniques.
There are less than 400.000 people living in Iceland. The Icelandic Met. Office is small. It employs only a handful of tech guys running the whole operation. The Icelandic Met. office would be considered very small compared to any small or medium size office in USA and Europe
Still this micro met. office has a web site with good accessibility and usability. There is no excuse for USA companies not to do it too.
Here are some advices: