Information Overload! Where do we start?
I get it. I really do. Trying to implement accessibility can feel like you’ve opened a massive can of worms and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. But there are some quick wins that will see you making noticeable progress and provide a solid foundation for moving forward.
As all the details are in their relevant posts I am just going to give quick highlights of where I would begin, and then link to the A2Z posts on the subject.
These quick wins apply, to different extents, to everything we do in the Power Platform and also in Microsoft 365, or in Pro-code and other websites.
The Top 5 Quick Wins
- Colours matter! Providing clear colour contrast makes an immediate improvement and is an easily repeatable pattern by simply providing a core palette that people have to adhere to. It’s not hard and requires no thinking once you have your colours defined. Head on over to the letter C for my take on colours.
- Alternative Text on images. This again is a very quick way to make a massive impact, especially for users of screen readers. Whilst it has no “visible” benefit to regular users it is such an important inclusion. You can even make apps like BlueSky prompt you for alt-text before posting an image to help remind you. Once you get in the habit you won’t forget it so pop along to the letter I to read more on the topic.
- Show me where I am – use Borders effectively. For users of alternative navigation methods (keyboard, eye-tracking etc) it is so important that there is a visual indicator of where they are on a page or in an app. Utilising clear border colours or designs ensures that all users know where they are. I find this is a real issue in some apps (looking at you LG WebOS and Apple TV) as there is a bit of a trend to use subtle emphasis rather than making things clear, and it is not helpful. Take a trip over to the letter B to discover more about Borders.
- Names are important. Clear, consistent, and accessible naming in anything we build makes it easier for developers (and documenters) but has a huge impact for people using screen readers and other accessibility aids. Creating a common set of standards, and then ensuring people stick to them, makes this task easier and there are several frameworks that can be used as a foundation for your own standards. To learn more just drop by “N – What’s in a name?” By clicking here.
- The final one of the quick wins is being Responsive. Screens come in all shapes and sizes these days. Coupled with this, people use different window layouts, font sizes, zoom settings, and more. Therefore, ensuring that what we build will adapt to those differing sizes and settings is crucial. It aids adoption, provides a better user experience, and opens up the app/report/site etc to people using all different kinds of tools. Head on over to the next post in this series, the Letter R, to read more about being responsive.
Bonus Round: 5 Quick Win reference links!
Knowing where to look for guidance and knowledge is half the battle. Here are 5 (with a sneaky sixth!) of my recommended bookmarks for reference. Click on the bookmark name to go to the relevant website.
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The rulebook that all standards and regulations seem to reference.
- UK Government Design System (GDS). This has so many good ideas for patterns and practices, as well as giving a solid overall UI/UX proposition.
- Web Accessibility In Mind (WebAIM). Home of the Colour Contrast Checker tool and the WAVE website evaluation tool, amongst others.
- Microsoft Learn Accessibility Fundamentals. A good foundational place to begin and get some understanding of Accessibility and some of the tools available from Microsoft. I also recommend bookmarking the Microsoft Accessibility Conformance Reports. These contain the latest (mostly) reports on product compliance within Microsoft, including developer tools etc.
- Deque Website. Deque are a commercial organisation but offer a bunch of tools and resources for free. Even at the free level these are exceedingly useful and will help you on your journey.
This is just the beginning
As this article makes clear these are the quick wins that can help you get started. Once you’ve started your journey, and made changes, don’t stop there!
Accessibility is a journey, not a destination, and there are always things we can learn and do. Things can get tiring and it can seem an endless slog at times, but it is worth it. We need to continue pushing for better, striving for more, and always advocating for Accessible By Design.
These five starting points and links will give you a massive head start on your journey, and will made a huge difference in your development output. So be encouraged, and please do not stop! For additional resources check out the Accessibility Resources page either on the menu bar or this handy link 😉
These have been your 5 quick wins – but there’s more to read
Thank you for reading this latest post in my [A to Z a11y] series the “A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition”. This has been a quick guide some some rapid changes you can make to get you on the road to accessibility.
For the rest of the series you can click here to go to the introduction article where you can find a Table of Contents. You can also check out the Accessibility section of the website from the top menu or by going directly to the category page here.
Content in this series is ©Mike Hartley. I am happy for people to quote or reuse snippets (with attribution), but this has taken a lot of work to compile so please do not copy whole sections. If there are any corrections or suggestions, then please use my social links to contact me. I am always happy to add additional content and remarks with full credit given. Likewise, these pages will evolve as my learning and understanding grows, so make sure to keep this bookmarked.