Web design and development

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Accessibilty and usability

Just having a web site is no longer enough nowadays - you need to ensure it’s accessible and usable for a wide audience.

Web site “Accessibility”

If you’re running any sort of business or service on the internet you must ensure that your site is accessible to as many people as possible, irrespective of whether or not they have a disability, or what flavour of web browser they use. According to some statistics up to 40% of your sites visitors could have some sort of disability/disadvantage such as blind users (using a screen reader), colour blind, partial/poor sight, and deaf users (can’t hear audio), an old web browser, slow internet connection, to name a few.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) makes it unlawful to “discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to members of the public”. Part III of the DDA and The Code of Practice7 refer to the provision of goods, facilities and services, and specifically mentions websites. Although the law has yet to be tested in the UK it’s only a matter of time before it does!

All new web sites I build are designed to be accessible to a wide audience

Web site “Usability”

You can have the snazziest home page in the world but if you visitors can’t understand it what you’re saying it’s a lost cause. Usabilty is all about making a site intuitive, instinctive and informative, and so easy to use your Grandad could use it! A site that’s not user friendly will lose more visitors than it gains, that’s why I always pay special attention to making a your internet presence work for you and your visitors.

1. How easy is your web site to use?
2. Can your visitors find what they want with the fewest possible clicks of their mouse?
3. Does your site tell your visitors what they want to know?
4. Is your copy text clear, easy to read, and jargon free?

Usability is one critical part to making a web site successful