Why an Accessible Website is Important and How to Attain Inclusion
Have any of these scenarios happened to you?
You are trying to use an App or website with just one hand because you have something in the other hand that you can not put down. You wish the interface was easier to use with just your thumb
You want to watch a video but you are located in a quiet location and you have forgotten your headphones. You wish the video had closed captioning
You want to read an article on your mobile device but the type is just too small and you can’t easily change it
You are trying to read an article but the color of the typeface is too washed out and gray. Your eyes start to feel strained while you are reading it
You are trying to fill out an online form but the error messages are not helping you figure out what you did wrong
If you answered yes to any of these, than you have been the victim of poor user experience, and poor accessibility. Someone along the way thought that the only people who would use their website were two handed, 20/20 eyesight people in their own spaces able to listen to something as loud as they want on a nice large device that is easy to use and adjust to your liking. They didn’t think about the myriad of scenarios where conditions are imperfect and the people using the website is not the ideal, perfect individual.
They didn’t think about real humans. Let’s not continue to make those mistakes.
You might have heard the words “website accessibility“ in the news or around the office. We will discuss what it means, why it’s important, who it affects, and how you can start to make little changes now that will make a big impact. A question and answer session would be a great time to discuss any particular challenges your company might be facing.
Participants will learn what it means to have an accessible website, what good accessibility looks like, and what the return on investment might look like for organizations that have large technical debt to overcome.
Inclusion is not just a buzzword, it has been the promise of the web since its inception. By ignoring the needs of different users we are not only being bad net-citizens, we also reduce the pool of people that could benefit from our content and products.
Date & Location Details
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 5:30 – 7:30pm
Oomph!
72 Clifford Street
Providence, RI 02903
Ample street parking available.
Tickets in advance: $12
Tickets at the door: $20
Free attendance as a member: $60 annually
Get your ticket: amp-ri.com/rsvp
Join AMP-RI: amp-ri.com/join
About the Speaker
J. Hogue, Director of Design and UX at Oomph, Inc.
J. has been a designer for 20+ years and a web designer for 15+. He enjoys having conversations about strategy, business goals, what makes your business special, and what problems we can solve for customers. He believes that HTML and CSS are magical mediums that can do so much in so many different ways for all ages and abilities. He’d love to get to learn more about what you want to bring to the world.
J. Hogue is a UX Designer by trade, but also a passionate web developer who is frustrated by the way some development teams ignore segments of the population that require special software or devices. By doing so, they miss the big picture — our “normal” abilities are temporary at best, and a much larger population can benefit when we design or develop as to be as inclusive as possible.
FAQs
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
If you pay at least 24-hours in advanced, no. We will keep a record of those who purchased a ticket at the door and confirm your payment then.
Can you tell me a little more about what to expect?
Sure! We meet for about two hours, but follow a typical flow: between 5:30 – 6:10 people arrive, grab some appetizers, and network with others; from here, our guest speaker will present and take questions until about 7pm. At this point of the night, our program is complete, but you are welcome to stay and chat longer, or spend time at the restaurant or bar as much of the crowd will do.
How does AMP-RI membership work?
Annual members pay a single, $60 fee for the year and attend all events free! That’s a great value financially. However, you also get great benefits such as discounts to special seminars, free exposure through our website, and access to a network of over 500 local professionals and business owners to post job opportunities or share your own resume.