#User accessibility experience

[akwyz]

Empower Digital Inclusion: Strategic Approaches to Technology Accessibility.

Dive into the inspiring journey of Nadia Törnroos on #AXSChat! From student to #accessibility advocate, discover how education, community, & tech drive change. Hosted by Antonio santos, Debra Ruh & Neil Milliken. Don't miss this powerful conversation.

In a world increasingly reliant on digital spaces, ensuring accessibility for all is a necessity and a moral imperative. This week on AXSChat, we’re thrilled to feature Nadia Törnroos, a luminary in the field of accessibility whose journey from a curious student to a fervent advocate offers profound insights into the challenges and triumphs of making the digital world inclusive for…

[puckpocketed]

can i just say... as a canadian hockey fan, if that means anything (bc we don't own the sport, much as the uncles protest)... you know more abt hockey tactically than me full stop. you belong without question and you would even if you didn't have half a clue what icing is !! but you do and it's beautiful and hockey is so lucky to have *you*

HELD on to this ask a bit longer than originally intended, i hope you don't mind!! this was so lovely to read after my little crisis of faith <- many such cases <3 thank you for this, really. and you're completely right of course...! knowing and not knowing certain things doesn't dictate whether someone belongs in a space.

[foulfeast]

Ohhhh i now remember why i got shy about talking abt ocs

24/7 fear that someone will tell me my ideas are cliche/stupid/bad in some other and it will hurt more bc these are my own creations and not just fun and play

[rawliverandgoronspice]

Small Tears of the Kingdom changes that could have done a lot

(at least according to me, the one singular flawed person writing this post)

In my desperate attempt to close off the Tears of the Kingdom season on my side of the internet (failing so far), I wanted to join the proposals of a couple of small restructurations/rewrites I've seen on my dashboard. These wouldn't change much of the game, but enough to boisten some of the themes and make the experience both more open and more streamlined. They try to ignore a lot of my own biases towards what I would have loved to see explored within the game and focus on what already exists (I said try). These changes are not only story-driven but also focus on quest design and narrative reward logic, which puzzled me even more than the story itself.

It's obviously not the end all be all of everything, there's a ton of small things that aren't fully adressed, etc.

Here are the 3 main tenants of this proposal:

We know about Fake Zelda by the end of the tutorial section. We see glimpses of her all the way, even though Rauru doesn't seem to be aware she's here, and most of our obstacles come from us trying to reach and save her. Then, by the end, she tries to kill us in the Temple of Time, and we realize she's fake and a lure (it could be a small mini boss, nothing too severe; just something to prove we understand combat). It could also be an earlier occasion to have Ganondorf shit-talk us using his creepy voice through her body, that could build up a better sense of rivalry going forward and make the betrayal of him using her body sting much more than it does in the current version.

Ganondorf, using Fake Zelda, tries to antagonizes each region of Hyrule towards their princess --and, the very important part, it works. The kingdom is splintering apart as he plans his return and his invasion. The goal in each region is not to vaguely solve the weird local problem, but, using the regional hero that knows and trusts Link, to prove that whatever is happening isn't Zelda's fault. This allows to build some sense of tension and stakes, makes us deeply empathize with an overwhelmed Zelda trying to step up as a leader in the aftermath of the Calamity and isn't here to defend herself (and then when we learn where she is and what she did it hurts so much more). The camp where Purah is could also double-down as the beating heart of Hyrule trying to reconnect with the suspicious regions suffering the turmoil isolated from each other.

The Dragon's Tears questline is overhauled, and that can happen in two simultaneous ways. Some of these memories remain Zelda's, but now only some of them, perhaps those who are connected to Zelda's decision to become a dragon without ever spilling it out (and could even focus more on her insecurities as a young ruler and her relationship to her ancestors), remain sprinkled into the land to reward those who want to understand more about her motivations. But now, each of the secret stones collected along the way also function as tears, and instead of being treated to another delicious serving or The Imprisoning War? The Demon King??? we get to discover a little bit more of the mystery. The way it could work is quite simple: the Sage introduces us briefly to their own perspective into the war outside of a voiced cutscene to give the writing more flexibility regarding what the player already did to avoid repetition ( :) :) ), and then plays a pre-determined cutscene in a linear fashion, which is one of Rauru's memories embedded within the secret stone and tells the story of the fall of his kingdom to Ganondorf. (also bonus: now Zelda's tears don't embody the entire kingdom anymore, which was very strange and never sat right with me)

So what we did is to separate the different stories while intertwining them: Zelda's struggles and sacrifice on one hand, Rauru's regrets and bitterness on the other (lololol sorry), and Ganondorf's attempt to break the kingdom apart --which would feed into both Zelda's anxieties and Rauru's long winded defeat. The bonus to this approach would also be to question Hyrule's legitimacy: the various races would then need to decide, after having actively questioned the young princess, that they actually still believe in Hyrule and a future they all get to live in together.

This would also give a little bit more teeth to Ganondorf's motivation, his deep envy for the power of Hyrule and the fact that his own people chose it over him, let alone everyone else. As for the Link's motivation, trying to have everyone see that Zelda is worth it and stop that evil force from shattering her image while also acknowledging the faults of the past could make the player invested in wanting to bring Zelda back down after everything she went through and all the sacrifices she made to prove herself a worthy ruler (Rauru's forcefulness in assimilating the realm under his banner even though he meant well being his actual character flaw that Mineru could eventually acknowledge, to give her something to do instead of... feeling bad for no clear reason!! Also just *give emotional weight* to that time she holds Rauru's hand again when she swears fealty to Link, this was so simple and obvious how was it not given the time it needed for us to care about what was lost!!! aaa)

Yes, it's still about the power of love and sacrifice over ruthless domination, but now characters have a little bit more agency and we feel a little less like they have a zonai knife under their throats the entire time forcing them to always be happy and enthusiastic about swearing fealty to the immortal kingdom. They find out about the past but get to redefine their future instead of falling over themselves in worship; literally using pieces and bits of the past in the form of zonai tech to rebuild their own kingdom and their future dreams. Together they are stronger; but because they all chose to believe in that mantra instead of having it being imposed by long dead kings and faceless ancestors expecting them to die for a war that shouldn't concern them.

(Also, obviously, the gerudo region has to reckon with the Demon King being particularly angry at them for betraying him, and them deciding to reject his rule a second time and embrace their own path, because in the original TotK Ganondorf being gerudo could be removed entirely without any consequence, which is pretty sad since it's basically an enormous part of what makes him compelling as a villain for a lot of people and keeps him from being a completely generic Nintendo stock villain!!)

And honestly? Beyond a couple of dialogue changes and slightly different setups and reasonings for Link to do certain things, especially in the various regional quests? Most of everything else could stay roughly the same. The bones are here! They're just arranged in a really weird way.

(except for Ganondorf surviving as a big bad dragon in the end through the sacrifice of his mind to immortality because that's just much more interesting than turning him into a supernova --but that's really a bonus honestly)

[quadrantadvisor]

I'm trying so hard not to be a hater but the more I learn about other ttrpgs the more the way that people talk about dnd annoys me

[cookiesnerd]

Canva is a user-friendly online design platform that enables individuals and businesses to create a wide array of visual content, including social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more. It offers an extensive library of templates, images, and fonts, making it accessible to users without prior design experience. Canva's intuitive drag-and-drop interface simplifies the design process, allowing users to produce professional-quality visuals efficiently.

Canva provides a free version that includes a substantial range of features suitable for most design needs. Users can access thousands of templates and a vast selection of photos and graphics at no cost. For those seeking advanced functionalities, Canva offers premium plans like Canva Pro and Canva Teams, which include additional tools, assets, and collaboration capabilities. These paid options are designed to cater to more complex design requirements and team-based projects.

[public-cloud-computing]

Dive into the world where human intuition seamlessly integrates with AI brilliance in web development. Elevate your online presence with the perfect fusion of creativity and technology.

[kawaoneechan]

It's an older piece, but woah boy do I suddenly better understand @justmeemawthings' suggestion of a more streamlined inventory for Project Special K, compared to Animal Crossing New Horizons after reading this Medium article about the game's UX, Crossing a Line.

I've taken issue with a bunch of the things in that article as well but to see it all laid out black on white like that...

[supersymmetries]

sometimes, when i am sad, and i am home alone, i put a muse cd into the old home sound system and lean against the speakers and put my palms on the subwoofers and squeeze my eyes shut and feel the bass pulse through my body. it's like being in a psychedelic womb with an octopus for a mother-heartbeat-- did you know that they have three hearts? it's nothing like putting in earbuds, no matter how good they advertise the sound to be. it's nothing like a concert, even, because the speakers are pre-recession and they collect mad static and i can smell it and sometimes even hear it crackle when it's dry out, and feel it prickle and run across my skin and make the hairs on my arms and neck stand up as the decibels amp up and down. holy shit. please try it too

[lambentplume]

(guy who just learned about design friction and can't stop thinking about it) i've never played a p3 before reload so it's interesting to see the disk horse around remakes. not done with the game yet so haven't formulated thoughts but it kinda makes me wish i had owned any of the platforms for other versions to compare

[loveletterworm]

apparently the actual form the "condensed reblog chains" are meant to take is "only showing the final addition to a post and not even the original without clicking to expand", which is bizarre, but seems like it's perhaps a stopgap to prevent the situation of "people who reblogged bad posts to dunk on them would look like they have a bunch of terrible posts on their blog without argument" that would have occurred from the theoretically more logical "only showing the original post and not the additions" situation. Regardless of that the concept still remains extremely stupid and objectively inconvenient and I absolutely cannot comprehend how this would be supposed to make the site any more money

[iliveinprocrasti-nationn]

VICTORY FOR THE ME COMMUNITY

[robinsnest2111]

all photos and videos are edited and in the process of being transferred to my laptop!!!

[sofibeth]

Okay after seeing stuff this morning and keeping past drama in mind I’m just gonna say it:

randomthefox is a unpleasant individual who clearly has anger issues that lashes out at anybody who states they’re wrong or disagrees instead of letting things go. (and then when called out about it, falls back and pretends to be a victim) 

Its one thing to find satisfaction in bashing something you dislike (even if it feels to an unhealthy degree at times) in which case I’ll just let you have your fun. But the minute you state you want to wish death on a creator you dislike over a fandom you lose any sympathy points over saying something so henious. Don’t be surprised and act offended when people respond to a DEATH THREAT seriously and say “yall suck”. 

Anyway I would also like to advise to keep your problematic NSFW views off of someone who is clearly uncomfortable with that and just fucking let it go!!!

[absolutedigitalbranding]

A well-designed website can help you form a good impression on your prospective customers. It can also help you nurture your leads and get more conversions. But, more importantly, it provides a good user experience and helps your website visitors access and navigates your website with ease.

Build your brand with digital media & take the benefits of social media branding contact Absolute Digital Marketing. by Absolutedigitalbranding.com

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[reactheme]

How Icon Plugins Impact Website Accessibility and User Experience

Icons are indispensable in modern web design, offering a blend of functionality and visual appeal. They simplify navigation, enhance recognition, and make websites more user-friendly. However, their impact on accessibility and user experience hinges on how effectively they are implemented. Let’s explore how icon plugins shape website usability and accessibility, and why careful selection and optimization are crucial.

The Role of Icons in Web Design

Icons serve as visual shortcuts, conveying meaning faster than text. According to research, humans process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, and icons paired with clear labels improve comprehension by up to 50% (NNGroup). For example, a magnifying glass icon universally represents a search function, enabling users to locate and understand the feature instantly.

When implemented thoughtfully, icons can:

Enhance navigation.

Reduce cognitive load.

Establish visual hierarchy.

Improve accessibility for diverse user groups.

How Icons Influence Accessibility

Accessibility in web design ensures that users with disabilities can access and interact with website content. Poorly implemented icons, however, can create significant barriers, particularly for users relying on assistive technologies. Over 70% of screen reader users report accessibility issues on websites (WebAIM Million Report), often due to non-descriptive icons, lack of ARIA attributes, or poor contrast.

Accessible icon plugins address these challenges by providing:

Descriptive labels: For screen readers to interpret.

Keyboard navigation support: For users unable to rely on a mouse.

Scalable and visible designs: For users with visual impairments.

Benefits of Icon Plugins in Enhancing User Experience

Here’s how well-designed icon plugins improve user experience:

1. Enhancing Navigation

Icons act as wayfinding tools, helping users navigate websites intuitively. For instance, a gear icon often represents settings, and a trash bin signifies deletion. By offering universally recognized symbols, icon plugins make navigation seamless, even for users with limited technical knowledge.

2. Supporting Screen Reader Compatibility

Accessibility-friendly icon plugins enable developers to include ARIA attributes or alt text for icons. These features ensure that screen readers can describe the purpose of an icon, making it easier for visually impaired users to understand its function.

3. Improving Visual Hierarchy

Icons guide user attention by complementing text and structuring content. For example, an alert icon next to a warning message draws immediate attention, improving clarity and emphasizing critical information.

4. Reducing Cognitive Load

By replacing lengthy text with intuitive visuals, icons streamline user interactions. For instance, a shopping cart icon conveys the action of purchasing without requiring additional explanation. This simplification benefits users with cognitive disabilities or limited time.

5. Ensuring Consistency

Consistent icon design—in terms of size, color, and style—creates a cohesive user experience. Icon plugins offering extensive customization options allow developers to align icons with their website’s overall design, enhancing professionalism and user trust.

6. Providing Multilingual Support

Icons transcend language barriers, making websites accessible to a global audience. For example, a heart icon for “favorites” or a play button for videos communicates functionality universally, regardless of linguistic differences.

7. Preventing Misinterpretation

Ambiguous icons can confuse users. Plugins that enable tooltips or allow text labels alongside icons help clarify their meaning, ensuring all users, including those unfamiliar with certain symbols, understand their purpose.

Best Practices for Making Icons Accessible

To ensure icons contribute positively to accessibility and user experience, follow these best practices:

1. Use Semantic HTML

Use appropriate HTML elements like <button> for clickable icons and <a> for links. These elements come with built-in keyboard navigation and screen reader support.

Avoid relying solely on icons for critical information; pair them with text whenever possible.

2. Add Descriptive Text Alternatives

Use aria-label or aria-labelledby to describe the icon’s purpose.

Include visually hidden text for additional context if needed:

3. Ensure Visibility and Clarity

Maintain sufficient contrast between icons and their background.

Use scalable vector graphics (SVGs) or relative units (e.g., em, rem) for sharp visuals at different resolutions.

4. Enable Keyboard Accessibility

Ensure interactive icons are navigable using the keyboard (e.g., Tab key for focus, Enter or Space for activation).

Provide clear focus states to indicate when an icon is selected.

5. Test with Assistive Technologies

Verify icon functionality with screen readers.

Use accessibility testing tools like Lighthouse, WAVE, or axe to identify and fix issues.

Popular Accessible Icon Libraries and Plugins

Consider using these icon libraries and plugins that prioritize accessibility:

Font Awesome: Offers ARIA attributes and scalable SVG icons.

Material Icons: Provides built-in accessibility features.

Heroicons: Focuses on clarity and simplicity with customizable SVG icons.

Iconify: Supports a wide range of icon sets with flexible implementation.

How Icons Benefit Users with Disabilities

Icons improve the user experience for people with disabilities in several ways:

1. Simplified Navigation

Icons provide quick visual cues for common actions, benefiting users with cognitive impairments or limited digital literacy.

2. Assistive Technology Support

Accessible icons with descriptive labels ensure that screen readers convey their purpose effectively, enabling visually impaired users to navigate websites seamlessly.

3. Enhanced Visual Clarity

High-contrast and well-designed icons assist users with visual impairments, including color blindness, ensuring they can interact with the website effortlessly.

4. Multilingual Inclusivity

Icons act as a universal language, breaking down linguistic barriers and enhancing usability for international audiences.

Conclusion

Icon plugins are more than decorative elements; they are powerful tools for improving website accessibility and user experience. By prioritizing accessible design, website owners can create inclusive, user-friendly platforms that cater to diverse audiences, including those relying on assistive technologies.

When choosing or designing icon plugins, focus on clarity, responsiveness, and adherence to accessibility standards. Properly implemented icons not only enhance usability but also foster a more inclusive digital environment, ensuring that all users feel valued and engaged.

By embracing accessible icon plugins, you can make your website a model of efficiency, inclusivity, and modern design.