Writing for Every Reader
6 likes3,322 views
The document outlines strategies for making written content accessible to readers with cognitive disabilities. It emphasizes the importance of readability, understandability, and legibility, recommending the use of short sentences, simple words, and clear structures. Additionally, it advocates for the thoughtful use of media and provides guidelines on designing effective forms for user interaction.
Writing for Every Reader
- 7. - http://webaim.org/articles/cognitive/ “In loose terms, a person with a cognitive disability has greater difficulty with one or more types of mental tasks than the average person.”
- 8. Clinical diagnoses • Dyslexia • Learning disabilities • ADD / ADHD • Brain injury • Dementia • Alzheimer’s • Aphasia • Downe syndrome • Autism spectrum
- 10. Functional effects • Permanent • Temporary • Situational
- 11. Memory
- 12. Memory • Short term • Long term • Working
- 13. Attention
- 14. Comprehension
- 15. Comprehension • Reading • Verbal • Linguistic • Math • Visual
- 16. Problem-solving
- 17. Functional effects • Memory • Attention • Comprehension • Problem solving
- 19. Make reading easier. • Readability • Understandability • Legibility • Structure
- 20. Readability
- 21. Readability • Short sentences • Simple words
- 23. Readability • Short sentences • Simple words • Avoid adverbs
- 24. Ran quickly Said suddenly Carefully balanced Screamed loudly Sprinted Blurted Balanced Screamed → → → →
- 25. Readability • Short sentences • Simple words • Avoid adverbs • Active voice
- 26. The tea will be poured by Stephanie. → Stephanie will pour the tea. Cookies will be provided by Maria. → Maria will provide cookies.
- 27. Readability • Short sentences • Simple words • Avoid adverbs • Active voice • 8th grade reading level
- 28. HemingwayApp
- 29. - Jakob Nielsen being a bad example “Avoid convoluted sentence structures, especially compound sentences with many subordinate clauses and conjunctions that put a strain on users’ short-term memory, which is a notoriously weak point.”
- 30. - What Jakob Nielsen meant “Use short and simple sentences. Sentences with more than one idea strain users’ short-term memories.”
- 32. Understandability • No idioms • No sarcasm or rhetorical questions • No pop culture or slang • Avoid jargon
- 33. “QuickReg getting you down? We don’t want that, do we? Sidle up to the SS desk and we’ll see you leave happy as a clam.”
- 34. “QuickReg getting you down? We don’t want that, do we? Sidle up to the SS desk and we’ll see you leave happy as a clam.”
- 35. “QuickReg getting you down? We don’t want that, do we? Sidle up to the SS desk and we’ll see you leave happy as a clam.”
- 36. “QuickReg getting you down? We don’t want that, do we? Sidle up to the SS desk and we’ll see you leave happy as a clam.”
- 37. “If you are having trouble registering for courses come to the Student Services desk. We can help you register.”
- 38. Understandability • Be literal • Say what you mean
- 39. Legibility
- 40. Legibility • Large text • Sans-serif font • Enough contrast • Left align • No italics
- 41. Legibility • Use sentence case • Increase line-heights (150%) • Increase margins • Restrict line-length (50-75 chars)
- 42. Legibility • Place text on a solid colour background
- 43. Legibility • Use semantic HTML
- 45. B L A C K T E A S : A S S A M , D A R J E E L I N G , A N D C E Y LO N. R E A D M O R E . GREEN TEAS: DRAGON’S W E L L , M A T C H A , A N D S E N C H A . R E A D M O R E . H E R B A L T E A S : C H A MO M I L E , RO O I BO S, AND PEPPERMINT. READ MORE.
- 46. BLACK TEAS: ASSAM, D A R J E E L I N G , A N D CEYLON. READ MORE. GREEN TEAS: DRAGON’S WELL, MATCHA, AND SENCHA. READ MORE. H E R B A L T E A S : CHAMOMILE, ROOIBOS, AND PEPPERMINT. READ MORE.
- 47. BLACK TEAS: ASSAM, D A R J E E L I N G , A N D CEYLON. READ MORE. GREEN TEAS: DRAGON’S WELL, MATCHA, AND SENCHA. READ MORE. H E R B A L T E A S : CHAMOMILE, ROOIBOS, AND PEPPERMINT. READ MORE.
- 48. BLACK TEAS: ASSAM, DARJEELING, AND CEYLON. READ MORE. GREEN TEAS: DRAGON’S WELL, MATCHA, AND SENCHA. READ MORE. HERBAL TEAS: CHAMOMILE, ROOIBOS, AND PEPPERMINT. READ MORE.
- 49. BLACK TEAS: ASSAM, DARJEELING, AND CEYLON. READ MORE. GREEN TEAS: DRAGON’S WELL, MATCHA, AND SENCHA. READ MORE. HERBAL TEAS: CHAMOMILE, ROOIBOS, AND PEPPERMINT. READ MORE.
- 50. Black teas: Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas: Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas: Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 51. Black teas: Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas: Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas: Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 52. Black teas: Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas: Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas: Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 53. Black teas: Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas: Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas: Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 54. Structure
- 55. Structure • Use headings and lists • Make small chunks of content • Put most important information first
- 56. Structure • Use headings and lists • Make small chunks of content • Put most important information first
- 57. Black teas: Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas: Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas: Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 58. Black teas Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon. Read more. Green teas Dragon’s Well, Matcha, and Sencha. Read more. Herbal teas Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint. Read more.
- 59. Black teas • Assam • Ceylon • Darjeeling Read more Green teas • Dragon’s Well • Matcha
- 61. Images • Use images • Only use appropriate images • Don’t just use images
- 62. <figure> <img src="tea.jpg" alt=“” /> <figcaption> In Britain black teas are usually served hot with milk and sugar on the side.</figcaption> </figure>
- 63. Alternate text • Be accurate and equivalent • Keep it short • Don’t repeat information • Don’t start with "picture of ..."
- 64. Icons • Also display text • Use SVG
- 65. Videos • Provide transcripts • Keep it short • Never autoplay or loop
- 66. JWPlayer
- 67. Amara.org
- 69. Links • Use key words that describe the page being linked to • Put keywords at the front of the link
- 70. Black teas • Assam • Ceylon • Darjeeling Read more Green teas • Dragon’s Well • Matcha • Sencha Read more Herbal teas • Chamomile • Peppermint • Rooibos Read more
- 71. Black teas • Assam • Ceylon • Darjeeling Green teas • Dragon’s Well • Matcha • Sencha Herbal teas • Chamomile • Peppermint • Rooibos
- 72. Forms • Left align labels, fields, and buttons • No reset / clear button
- 73. Forms • Break big tasks into smaller steps • Let users go away and come back • Give them lots of time • Make the purpose of the form clear on each page
- 74. Forms • Limit visual noise • Remove distractions
- 75. Forms • Error messages should be specific • Put errors messages in context • Warn users when an action has permanent consequences
- 76. Summary
- 77. Summary • Memory • Attention • Comprehension • Problem solving
- 78. Summary • Make reading easier • Use media thoughtfully • Label interactions
- 79. I Like To Make Websites Everyone Can Use @stephaniehobson stephaniehobson.ca