A key element of accessible website development is a clean, consistent navigation system coupled with a recognised, usable layout.

Don’t try and re-invent the wheel here. A clean, consistent navigation system and page layout allows users to instantly find important information and allows them to quickly find comfort in their new surroundings especially if the visitor is completely new to your website. (more…)

Did you know when you link to a Hobo SEO post we have search engine friendly links back to your site if approved? Our comments are also search engine friendly you know (once you've commented on a few posts)! Do you need any more encouragement to get involved in the conversation ;)

Many have written about the Three Click Rule. For instance, Jeffrey Zeldman, the influential web designer, wrote about the three click Rule in his popular book, Taking Your Talent to the Web. He writes that the three click Rule is “based on the way people use the Web” and “the rule can help you create sites with intuitive, logical hierarchical structures”. (more…)

Keep It Simple, Stupid

As in any form of design, don’t try and re-invent the wheel when simple solutions will suffice. The KISS philosophy has been around since the dawn of website design and indeed a long time before.

KISS does not mean boring web pages. You can create stunning sites with smashing graphics – but you should build these sites using simple techniques – HTML & CSS, for instance. If your new to web design, avoid things like Flash and Javascript, especially for elements like scrolling news tickers etc. These elements work fine for TV – but generally only cause problems for website visitors. (more…)

Watchfire – A great accessibility tool for web designers

Founded in 1996, Watchfire provides organizations with comprehensive website management solutions that enable decision-makers to gain competitive advantage. (more…)

Accessible Website Design & Section 508

Section 508 only applies to US based companies and US Government or federal agencies at this time. The US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act in 1998 to require Federal agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities.

Inaccessible websites interfere with an individual’s ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. (more…)

800×600? 1024×768? The oldest question in website design – ‘What’s the best monitor screen resolution to use when building your site?

There is none! It’s impossible to design a website to look the same in every browser, platform and screen resolution, so don’t bother trying. Instead, use a fluid, tableless layout for your design, with % widths that expand and contract to fit a visitors browser setting. Consider – design for 1024×768 setting and ensure it contracts properly, or ‘transforms gracefully’, to the 800×600 setting. (more…)

There are of course marked differences in cognitive skills between individuals with learning difficulties and it would be virtually impossible to design a website to meet all requirements – however here are some general rules worth applying when creating websites for this demographic. (more…)

People with mobility disabilities have physical impairments that substantially limit movement and fine motor controls, such as lifting, walking, and typing. Mobility impaired individuals experience difficulties in using the computer’s input devices and in handling storage media. Solutions for persons with mobility disabilities include switches, latches, and controls that are easy to manipulate, and diskettes and media that are easy to insert and remove. (more…)

Designing Websites For Deaf / Hard Of Hearing

Although it may not be immediately obvious how a predominantly visual medium like the web can be inaccessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing the following points are worth noting. (more…)

People with visual disabilities are individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have colour blindness. People who are blind need text equivalents for the images used on the Web page, because they and their assistive screen reader technology cannot obtain the information from the image. A person who has a visual disability will not find the mouse useful because it requires hand and eye coordination. Instead, this person must navigate the Web page using only the keyboard. (more…)