United Way and the WCAG tool.

A graphical overview of the 7 page accessibility report, and a graphical overview of the WCAG resource.

Summary: I worked with United Way in Georgia to perform a usability and accessibility assessment of their website. Following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, I produced a 7 page document detailing areas of improvement. Following this document, I began designing and testing a free online tool for others to check website accessibility.

Skills: WCAG expertise, UX Design, UX Copy.

Time spent: 2 months.

An expanded description of WCAG 1.1: Are there text alternatives for any non-text content?
A comparison between the WCAG's difficult native platform and my more accessible resource.

I had a conversation with Lauren Lynn, the United Way representative, about their needs. She expressed the importance of accessibility and having a resource that they could use to improve later on. Therefore, decided that after I conducted a comprehensive accessibility review of their current website, I created a resource that would enable them to assess accessibility independently in the future.

So, I applied my digital accessibility knowledge to every page of the United Way website. I began with the website's design, layout, and content to identify potential barriers to accessibility. This includes assessing factors such as color contrast, text size, and alternative text for images to ensure they are perceivable to users with visual impairments.

Additionally, I evaluated the website's functionality, including keyboard navigation, form controls, and multimedia content, to ensure they are operable for users with mobility impairments.

A page from the Accessibility Report

With the report done, I turned my attention to creating a tool for accessibility. My primary focus was using clear and inclusive language, as I found the WCAG very difficult to read. I applied my knowledge of accessibility, the design system for my personal brand, and information I gathered from Human-Information Processing research to create a first draft. I hope to receive more feedback soon, as I am eager to iterate on the design.

SEE THE WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY HELPER SEE THE UNITED WAY REPORT >

"Thanks very much for sharing this with me. WOW, there's a lot here but I love how you've clustered and formatted the information so that it is easy to navigate"
- Non-profit board member