Annotating Designs for Accessibility by Anna E. Cook
Hi, I’m Anna!
What we will discuss
Recap: design and accessibility
Few designers are taught about accessibility.
67% of accessibility issues can originate in design
Shift Left
We need designers to account for accessibility
We need designers to account for accessibility beyond visual design.
What are accessibility annotations?
Accessibility annotations are specifications that divide gaps in visual designs and prototypes.
Accessibility annotations have existed for years but have popularized in the past 2–3.
Annotation kits tend to be managed like component libraries
Specification could not be indicated through the mockup or prototype itself
Annotations tend to be overlaid on mockups, or on individual components used in a mockup
Commonly used annotations
Commonly used accessibility annotations
Alt text
Button labels
Focus order
Form labels and legends
Input feedback
Heading structure
Keyboard interactions
Components in use
Other annotations found in various kits
How should accessibility annotations be used?
Accessibility annotations shouldn’t be used on everything everywhere.
Annotations should only be used as needed.
Annotation density
What are the issues with accessibility annotations?
If designers don’t understand accessibility, annotations aren’t useful. Designers must be trained to understand basic accessibility before they use annotations.
Accessibility annotations can’t fix bad patterns. But they can help designers better understand why those patterns are bad in the first place.
Accessibility annotations tend to require manual specing. Maybe they could be less manual if design tools better accounted for accessibility
Should we use accessibility annotations?
Annotations are a communication and thinking tool.
It depends…
Thank you!
Credits
Annotation kits referenced
Sources
Thanks to...