Accessibility

Accessibility / 24 May 2021

8 Ways to Design Clever Error Messages

Question: What happens when someone gets lost on your website or when someone stumbles upon a bad link or missing content?

Answer: They get to see your 404 page.

Now here’s the real question: Is that 404 page a well-designed Easter egg that will help users on their journey or did you forget to add design or informational elements?

Clever error messages and 404 pages are a website design art form. Some designers sneak these little nuggets in, to surprise and delight users. One thing is common, good error microcopy and design can actually help users connect with the content when they might otherwise bounce, making it important to use this element to your advantage.

Accessibility / 6 Apr 2021

Love, Hate & Pop-Ups: How to Use Them Well

The first response you’ll hear from others about using pop-ups on your website is a long sigh.

Many people discount the idea before it really gets off the ground, but when done well, pop-ups are a valuable conversion tool for websites. (Note the phrase “when done well.”)

They get a bad reputation because so many people use them poorly or implement pop-ups with dark patterns that trick and annoy users.

A good pop-up is actually helpful and helps users on their website journey. Let’s dive in and learn how you can still use these well.

Accessibility / 9 Nov 2020

Accessibility Compliance: What It Means & Why It Matters

Having access to the Internet is a basic human right. The same applies to being able to access and use a website as well, especially for a person with a disability.

Designing a website to be accessible to disabled people is now more important than ever. In fact, it’s now required by law. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) law and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were established to ensure that all websites are properly designed for accessibility.

As a result, many brands and businesses are just now discovering the importance of accessibility compliance. Even Beyonce and her company had no idea about accessibility guidelines until her company was served with a lawsuit.

Whether you’re a web designer or a corporation, it’s important to be aware of the accessibility guidelines to make sure your designs are compliant with the law.

In this post, we introduce to you the basics of web accessibility compliance and why it matters. We’ll also show you how to make a website compliant with ADA and WCAG.

Accessibility / 19 Oct 2020

9 Website Design Tips for Different Generations (Yes, It Matters!)

It’s a no-brainer for most designers that you plan a project based on a certain target audience. It might be for people who like soda or buy video games or have an affinity for athletic shoes.

But another consideration can often be overlooked – designing for different generational segments. Age can impact how people use websites, apps, and mobile devices. Generational differences can affect your design scheme, accessibility plan, and even the language and colors in the design.

If you haven’t thought about these differences, now is the time to start. With wider website audiences all the time, designing for different generations can help your project be more successful for more people.

Accessibility / 8 Oct 2020

5 Tips to Quickly Improve Your Website Accessibility in 2021

Many web designers and developers are just starting to understand the importance of web accessibility. After a long time being more of a niche focus, this important aspect of website design has emerged at the forefront of design thinking in recent years.

If you’re just starting to learn about website accessibility, don’t feel bad. Because even the world’s biggest brands often haven’t been paying attention to it. In fact, in 2019 a blind man sued Domino’s because their website wasn’t compatible with screen reading software. And, rightfully, he won!

Websites are meant to be accessible to everyone. Especially for a disabled person. And, as a web designer, it’s your job to make sure the websites you craft are able to serve all audiences.

In this day and age, having even a basic understanding of website accessibility is important for all web designers and developers. Keep reading and we’ll help you get started.

Accessibility / 21 Aug 2019

Should We Kill the CAPTCHA?

Do you like CAPTCHAs? Don’t lie, of course you don’t. On the fun scale, you rank them right up there with dentists and IRS agents. However, as an intelligent web designer or developer, you understand that they are a necessary annoyance.

But wait, are they really? Given the collective talent and intelligence of the web design community, is a fuzzy string of letters really the best that we can up up with?

If users hate these things so much, why not come up with something new? Let’s explore this idea and see if we can inject some fresh ideas into the conversation.

Accessibility / 20 Mar 2019

10 Tools for Improving Website Accessibility

There’s no doubt that you understand the need for your website to be accessible for as many users as possible. But reading through all of the guidelines and standards can be a little overwhelming. You can find the latest W3C recommendations here, but do you need to know every word, and follow every guideline?

Today, we’re going to try to make it all a little bit easier with some tools and resources to help you improve website accessibility (and maybe even some checks to consider that weren’t on your radar!).

Whether you’re looking to ensure you have enough visual contrast, a site that’s accessible to screen readers, or even create accessible emails, we’ve got you covered!

Accessibility / 8 Jan 2018

Pros and Cons of Personalization in Your Website Design

When it comes to website personalization, designers have a lot of opinions. Is the research and hassle of designing a personalized interface worth the reward?

For big companies such as Amazon and Netflix, personalization has been a game-changer. But what about for your website? Can you use personalization to a great benefit as well? Here, we look at the pros and cons of personalization in your website design.

Accessibility / 3 Jan 2018

5 Reasons to Move Your Website to HTTPS

Have you been putting off the move to HTTPS for your website? Even if this chore hasn’t yet made its way to the top of your to-do list, you should probably consider doing it sooner rather than later.

When a web giant such as Google makes a suggestion, website owners tend to listen. And that’s the case with HTTPS, which does get priority in search rankings and indexing. But that’s not the only reason to move your website to HTTPS.

Accessibility / 27 Dec 2017

How to Optimize Your Website for Voice

Chances are, you often ask your phone or computer to look things up for you. With voice assistants getting better and being more widely used, more people are interacting with their voice. But what does that mean for your website?

Google actually reported that 20 percent of mobile search traffic is prompted by voice command. And that’s a number that’s likely to grow as more people interact with voice interfaces. It also means that you need to design your website to work for the way people talk.

Accessibility / 29 Jun 2017

Neon Colors in Web Design: The Do’s and Don’ts

Neon colors are tough to use without clashing with the rest of your design. They work great for signs and lights in real-world applications, but can present major issues in web design, unless carefully implemented.

Today, we’re going to look at ways to effectively use neon colors in your design work, with a list of do’s and don’ts to help you make the most of bold, bright color choices. You’ll be a neon ninja in no time, weaving it through your design work!

Accessibility / 26 Apr 2017

How Do We Design Hard Stuff for the Big Problems People Hate Most?

Design exists to solve problems. As you’ve likely heard before, design isn’t an act of creative self-expression but rather a process of problem solving. So why aren’t we hearing about amazing design breakthroughs that address the world’s biggest problems?

As legendary ‘I Love New York’ designer Milton Glaser once said, “Design is the process of going from an existing conditions to a preferred one.” But what existing condition does the world need our help with?

There are several respected global organizations who work towards great causes, in areas such as Food and Water Security, Economic Opportunity, Climate Change and the Environment, Social Equity and Good Governance (Healthcare, Safety, Security and Education).

You’ll notice how none of these items are addressed by selfie apps in the top ten of your local app store. So why aren’t we hearing about amazing design breakthroughs that address the world’s biggest problems?