Accessibility Advocate
Figma’s free global design conference, Config 2022, kicks off tomorrow. This year there are 100+ speakers from 20+ countries. I’m particularly looking forward to the “Designing for Neurodiversity – Accessibility for Cognitive Styles and Learning Disability” session with Treyce Meredith.
April was Autism Acceptance month, but neurodivergent people need to be accepted all year round. So I was happy to read about a newly launched job site. It was created to help neurodivergent folks find meaningful work without barriers. The job search and job interviews, in particular, can be difficult. Neurodivergent applicants often feel overwhelmed and misunderstood. But this site aims to connect employers interested in more inclusive hiring with neurodiverse candidates seeking employment.
…the Neurodiversity Career Connector features job listings by U.S. employers seeking applicants with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and other conditions associated with neurodivergent, or atypical, brain functioning.
Microsoft Features
If neurodivergent candidates can make it through the door, they have so much to offer employers! From Dr. Nancy Doyle’s site:
Neurodiversity can be a competitive advantage when the individuals are in the right environment, making use of their strengths, instead of constantly trying to overcome challenges. To achieve this we must create inclusive spaces to work and learn that reduce disabling factors and amplify diverse abilities.
Genius Within
If you want to learn more, check out this podcast episode “Addressing the Needs of Neurodiverse Individuals in the Workplace: an Interview with Dr. Nancy Doyle.” If you follow that link, a full transcript is available on the page as well.
Leave a CommentFor the past few years, I’ve been using Firefox’s pocket app. It’s handy to keep track of articles, posts, and resources I may not have time to explore in the moment, but want to revisit later. I use pocket a lot. From my both mobile and my laptop. Thankfully, tags can be employed so it’s easier to sort by topic later. One tag I bust out a lot is a11y, naturally. Here are some noteworthy accessibility-related posts I’ve saved recently.
That last one is particularly good if you are unfamiliar with Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory. And may be relevant to even more of us since the pandemic started.
The User Experience Professionals Association of Minnesota (UXPA-MN) is a community of user-centered advocates. I’m a member and a fan. Their April event is being held this Thursday.
Please join us at UXPA for a conversation on accessibility with our wonderful guests who are passionate and seasoned a11y advocates.
We will talk about the Journey from UX to a11y – infusing a11y into daily life as a UX professional. Usability and accessibility are not separated from each other, and as designers we need to learn to be more inclusive in the design process. We will also touch on the future of accessibility, a11y and UX ways of working, and better ways to measure a11y.
Minnesota UXPA
Follow this link to register for the event.
Leave a CommentI’ve been following self-declared “Accessibility Old Timer” Gareth Ford Williams for a while now. The deeper I get into my accessibility journey, the more time I spend thinking about cognitive accessibility. In particular, how we can build digital experiences without barriers for neurodivergent folks like myself and my son. Gareth has put together this helpful guide: A Cognitive perspective on UX Design Principles, which includes a neurodivergent perspective with links to relevant guidance and resources. Recently, the W3C also put out the web version of Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities. Depending on how neurodiversity is defined, between 10 and 30 percent of the population has a neurodivergent trait. Cognitive design principles can lead to better user experiences for all, without leaving so many people behind.
Leave a CommentI am thrilled for actor Troy Kotsur on his Oscar win! I enjoyed CODA but I am also a huge Star Wars nerd. The Mandalorian brought Troy in a while back to develop sign language for the Tusken Raiders. I’m so glad this talented performer is being recognized for his gifts.
Perfect timing! This week I’ve been attending Deque’s accessibility conference, axe-con. Just this morning, I received word that I passed my Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) exam. Now I feel more confident registering for the Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) exam.
