Designing Inclusive Web Content
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This document emphasizes the importance of designing inclusive web content to enhance user experience and accessibility. It provides practical tips for creating focused, clear, and reader-friendly content tailored to diverse audiences, including students, faculty, and potential students. Key recommendations include understanding the audience, using plain language, and ensuring content is structured for easy navigation and readability.
Designing Inclusive Web Content
- 1. Designing Inclusive Web Content Rebecca Blakiston rebeccablakiston.info Ferris State University May 15, 2019
- 3. Why we should care knowledge content is the heart of any website and why we make websites in the first place access inclusive content is more accessible to everyone, no matter their background engagement better content helps with recruitment and retention of both students and employees
- 4. Tip #1: Know your audience Create content with your readers in mind.
- 7. Stacy’s questions ● When do classes start? ● How can I connect with an advisor? ● How can I change my major? Stacy’s tasks ● Enroll in classes ● Schedule a meeting with an advisor ● Change major
- 9. Pete’s questions ● What is campus life like? ● What housing is available? ● What’s the application process? Pete’s tasks ● Book a campus tour ● Apply for housing ● Enroll/apply
- 11. Felix’s questions ● How can I get support for my class development? ● Do I need to go through the IRB process for my research? ● Are there grants to fund my research? Felix’s tasks ● Contact technical support for help with Blackboard ● Submit an IRB application ● Apply for a grant
- 19. Tip #2: Keep it focused and simple Reduce cognitive load with straightforward and succinct content.
- 21. Pick simple words ● Avoid fluff or “happy talk” ● Use strong nouns and verbs that your audience will understand.
- 22. Original Revised to ensure for in spite of the fact that though at the end of the day ultimately anticipated professional development activity travel plans Let’s have a meeting. Let’s meet. Welcome!
- 23. I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs. - Stephen King On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
- 24. Original Revised very large huge very small tiny very happy thrilled argue strongly insist
- 25. Focus ● Prioritize ● Break content up ● Layer Or your key messages get lost.
- 26. 2018
- 27. 2019
- 28. Remove all unnecessary content Cut, cut, and cut again. ● Instructions ● Modifiers ● Redundancies ● “… Form” ● “Click here to…”
- 32. Apply online now. Each program has its own process and requirements, so select the program that interests you for details. Contact the Graduate Studies Office with questions. original revised
- 33. Apply online now. Each program has its own process and requirements, so select the program that interests you for details. Contact the Graduate Studies Office with questions. original 3 sentences 27 words revised 4 sentences 46 words
- 34. Tip #3: Focus on clarity Strive for immediate comprehension.
- 35. Be direct Write like you talk ● Use active voice ● Be authentic ● Treat it as a conversation ● Avoid long noun phrases
- 36. Original Revised Eligibility will be verified. We’ll verify your eligibility. Interested parties can inquire via phone. Call us if you are interested. Applicants ought to fill out the form. To apply, fill out the form. Service model development assessment. Assessment of our newly-developed service model.
- 40. Remove ambiguity Don’t make them think ● Avoid idioms ● Explain any jargon ● Write out any acronyms
- 41. Original Revised ODL Office of Digital Learning circulation borrowing piece of cake easy
- 42. The one argument for accessibility that doesn’t get made nearly often enough is how extraordinarily better it makes some people’s lives. How many opportunities do we have to dramatically improve people’s lives just by doing our job a little better. - Steve Krug Don’t Make Me Think
- 43. Use ALT text for any image that holds meaning. ● Describe what matters in the image ● Don’t include “image of…” ● Keep it succinct but meaningful ● Don’t describe decorative images (use empty alt tag)
- 44. peop
- 47. Include a “prefer not to say” option and/or make it optional. LinkedIn
- 48. Tip #4: Organize and structure Your content flow should be intentional, point-of-need, and easy to skim.
- 49. Allow for skimming whether people are skimming visually or with a screen reader. ● Use semantic headings ● Use parallel grammatical structure ● Include clear calls to action
- 50. Use semantic headings to break up content and help people navigate. University of Michigan Library
- 51. <p><strong>
- 53. Parallelism Be consistent in grammatical structure (e.g. imperative verbs, gerunds, nouns). Original Revised ● Interviewing ● Networking ● Design Your Search ● Interviewing ● Networking ● Designing Your Search
- 54. Use meaningful link and button labels so people know where clicking will take them. ● Make every link label unique ● Use descriptive nouns and verbs ● Try active verbs
- 60. Tip #5: Make it readable Be intentional with font choice, white space, and formatting.
- 61. Keep stuff short Learn to love white space ● 3 sentences per paragraph ● 25 words per sentence
- 63. Make links look like links so people know they are clickable.
- 69. Use tables for tabular and if, then content. (But never for layout).
- 74. Left justify, rag right