Accessibility: A friendly guide
When it comes to accessibility, tech should work for everyone. It’s about crafting an inclusive space where your app or game embraces everyone, regardless of their abilities or device preferences.
Why Accessibility Matters
Imagine a world where 1 in 7 people has a unique way of engaging with technology due to disabilities, temporary setbacks, or even just personal preferences. That’s the reality we’re dealing with. The spectrum is broad. And here’s the catch: your design can either include them all, or leave some users feeling like they missed the invite to the party.
Best Practices: Your Magic Wand
Pro tip: design with accessibility as your guiding star. It’s not just about accommodating disabilities; it’s about making sure everyone can hop on the tech train without getting lost in the woods. Keep it simple, keep it clear. Prioritise simplicity and clarity in every design decision, ensuring that no one gets left behind.
Support Personalisation: Let the Magic Happen
Adding accessibility features is like adding extra seasoning to make it pop for everyone. It’s not rocket science; it’s just good old inclusivity. And when you use standard components, like a chef’s secret ingredient, your app automatically becomes more accessible without breaking a sweat.
Audit and Test: A Spell of Assurance
Imagine this: you’re on a mission to ensure your app is accessible to all. Armed with your favourite tool — whether it’s asking for feedback or using free online accessibility checkers — you embark on a journey. With each assessment and adjustment, you unearth valuable insights and address any sneaky accessibility issues hiding in your design.
Interactions: Making Magic Happen
Assistive technologies are like enchanted tools, expanding the ways people can interact with their devices. However, your app needs to speak their language. Don’t go changing the platform’s gestures; that’s like trying to reinvent the wand. Keep it simple, provide alternatives, and make sure your app’s core magic is accessible to all.
Buttons and Controls: Casting Spells with Style
Buttons, switches, and links. Every element in your site is a potential spell waiting to be cast. Make sure your hit targets are big enough for even the clumsiest wizard, and your custom elements speak the language of voiceover. And remember, a little consistency goes a long way in the magical kingdom of design.
Text Display: The Art of Glyphs
In a land where fonts reign supreme, make sure your text is legible, your icons scale with grace, and your layout adapts to all sizes. Bold or thin, big or small — each glyph has a story to tell, so let it shine in all its glory.
Colour and Effects: Painting the Canvas
Colours are like potions; use them wisely, and they can work wonders. But don’t rely solely on them to weave your spells. Provide text labels, ensure strong contrasts, and avoid colour combinations that might leave some folks seeing stars.
Motion: Dancing with Dragons
Animations can add that extra sparkle to your design, but don’t let them steal the show. Keep it subtle, let people control the magic, and watch out for those blinking dragons — they might just give someone a headache!
Platform Considerations: Tailoring the Spell
Each platform has its own magic rules, so make sure you play by them. And remember: don’t tie content to heads, because nobody likes a floating crown.
And there you have it, a crash course in the art of accessibility. So go forth, dear designer, and may your designs be as inclusive as they are enchanting!
Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines
