WEBVTT
00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:04.480
I used to think accessibility was a checklist.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.639
Add some more text.
00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:08.720
Pick a readable font.
00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.039
Tick the box and move on.
00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:15.439
Then a client called and the building of a website changed my mind.
00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:21.920
Sounds of Wonder is run by DJ Scooby who I work with at Harriket Community Radio.
00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.280
So this isn't a stranger's project.
00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:31.519
It's someone I know well asking me to solve a real world problem for real world readers.
00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:48.399
My name is Andrew Batcast and on this podcast I share tips and tricks to help small businesses with a website.
00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:58.880
I've been a freelance web designer for ten years and I've been designing websites since the 1990s.
00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.719
So let's tuck in.
00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:19.680
The brief was simple on paper, make the site dyslexia friendly.
00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:35.280
In practice that meant a specific typeface, wider line spacing, careful colour contrast and a much simpler layout, no clever tricks, no busy backgrounds, no walls of text.
00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.480
At first it felt like working with one hand tied behind my back.
00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:46.480
Fewer fonts to choose from, fewer colours, fewer layout options.
00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:51.359
But a small canvas makes you more of a careful painter.
00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:57.040
When you can't hide behind decoration, every choice has to earn its place on the page.
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:03.439
I took it further and made the whole site compliant, not just the dyslexia friendly parts.
00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.960
Proper contrast ratios, clear headings, sensible reading order.
00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:14.879
The bounce rate dropped, people stayed because they could actually read what was in front of them without a fight.
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:16.240
It was great.
00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:22.960
That project changed how I think about accessibility.
00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:28.080
Most people hear accessible design and think about restrictions.
00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:33.439
Fewer options a watered down version of the real thing.
00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:35.840
I think that's not true.
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:43.039
Some of the best ideas and design started life as a fix for one group of people, then everyone wanted them.
00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:44.719
Let me give you three.
00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:52.159
Take captions They were built for deaf and hard of hearing viewers.
00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:54.639
Now most people turn them on anyway.
00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:02.159
On a train in a waiting room scrolling with a sound off in bed next to someone asleep.
00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:07.759
A feature built for a smaller group became something almost everyone reaches for.
00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:12.879
The same thing happened with voice interfaces.
00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:19.759
Screen readers came first built for blind and partially sighted users to find their way around a screen by sound.
00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:26.639
That groundwork shaped how we talked to Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant today.
00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:34.080
Now millions of people ask a device to set a timer or check the weather, hands free with no screen in sight.
00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:38.800
None of them are thinking about screen readers, but that's where the idea came from.
00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.639
Here's one that has nothing to do with screens.
00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.240
Dropped curbs.
00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:52.479
The little ramps at the edge of pavements were fought for by wheelchair users in the nineteen seventies.
00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:12.080
Now watch who actually uses them Parents with prams delivery workers with trolleys Tourists dragging a suitcase Anyone on a bike A change made for one group ended up serving almost everyone who crosses that road.
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.680
Look at all four and the pattern's the same.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.720
Design for the harder case first and you often build something better for everyone.
00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.160
That's exactly what happened with Sound of Wonder.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:32.240
Designing for dyslexia gave me a calmer, clearer sight for every reader.
00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:36.399
Accessibility isn't a smaller version of good design.
00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.199
It is good design, done with more care for who's on the other end.
00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:47.680
So next time you hear the word accessible, don't hear the word restricted.
00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:52.560
Hear instead tested under harder conditions and better for it.
00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:58.639
Thanks for making it this far.
00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:05.759
For the show notes and a full written transcript of what I've said, please head to the podcast's website.
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:13.839
Tell three of your mates about this podcast a web designer in Harrikat did what?
00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:17.279
And I'll be back in two weeks' time.
00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:19.040
Thanks for listening.
00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:04.480
I used to think accessibility was a checklist.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.639
Add some more text.
00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:08.720
Pick a readable font.
00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.039
Tick the box and move on.
00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:15.439
Then a client called and the building of a website changed my mind.
00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:21.920
Sounds of Wonder is run by DJ Scooby who I work with at Harriket Community Radio.
00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.280
So this isn't a stranger's project.
00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:31.519
It's someone I know well asking me to solve a real world problem for real world readers.
00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:48.399
My name is Andrew Batcast and on this podcast I share tips and tricks to help small businesses with a website.
00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:58.880
I've been a freelance web designer for ten years and I've been designing websites since the 1990s.
00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.719
So let's tuck in.
00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:19.680
The brief was simple on paper, make the site dyslexia friendly.
00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:35.280
In practice that meant a specific typeface, wider line spacing, careful colour contrast and a much simpler layout, no clever tricks, no busy backgrounds, no walls of text.
00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.480
At first it felt like working with one hand tied behind my back.
00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:46.480
Fewer fonts to choose from, fewer colours, fewer layout options.
00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:51.359
But a small canvas makes you more of a careful painter.
00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:57.040
When you can't hide behind decoration, every choice has to earn its place on the page.
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:03.439
I took it further and made the whole site compliant, not just the dyslexia friendly parts.
00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:08.960
Proper contrast ratios, clear headings, sensible reading order.
00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:14.879
The bounce rate dropped, people stayed because they could actually read what was in front of them without a fight.
00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:16.240
It was great.
00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:22.960
That project changed how I think about accessibility.
00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:28.080
Most people hear accessible design and think about restrictions.
00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:33.439
Fewer options a watered down version of the real thing.
00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:35.840
I think that's not true.
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:43.039
Some of the best ideas and design started life as a fix for one group of people, then everyone wanted them.
00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:44.719
Let me give you three.
00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:52.159
Take captions They were built for deaf and hard of hearing viewers.
00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:54.639
Now most people turn them on anyway.
00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:02.159
On a train in a waiting room scrolling with a sound off in bed next to someone asleep.
00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:07.759
A feature built for a smaller group became something almost everyone reaches for.
00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:12.879
The same thing happened with voice interfaces.
00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:19.759
Screen readers came first built for blind and partially sighted users to find their way around a screen by sound.
00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:26.639
That groundwork shaped how we talked to Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant today.
00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:34.080
Now millions of people ask a device to set a timer or check the weather, hands free with no screen in sight.
00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:38.800
None of them are thinking about screen readers, but that's where the idea came from.
00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.639
Here's one that has nothing to do with screens.
00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.240
Dropped curbs.
00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:52.479
The little ramps at the edge of pavements were fought for by wheelchair users in the nineteen seventies.
00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:12.080
Now watch who actually uses them Parents with prams delivery workers with trolleys Tourists dragging a suitcase Anyone on a bike A change made for one group ended up serving almost everyone who crosses that road.
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.680
Look at all four and the pattern's the same.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.720
Design for the harder case first and you often build something better for everyone.
00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:26.160
That's exactly what happened with Sound of Wonder.
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:32.240
Designing for dyslexia gave me a calmer, clearer sight for every reader.
00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:36.399
Accessibility isn't a smaller version of good design.
00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.199
It is good design, done with more care for who's on the other end.
00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:47.680
So next time you hear the word accessible, don't hear the word restricted.
00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:52.560
Hear instead tested under harder conditions and better for it.
00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:58.639
Thanks for making it this far.
00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:05.759
For the show notes and a full written transcript of what I've said, please head to the podcast's website.
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:13.839
Tell three of your mates about this podcast a web designer in Harrikat did what?
00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:17.279
And I'll be back in two weeks' time.
00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:19.040
Thanks for listening.
