Articles by Susanna Zaraysky
The Evolution of Material Design’s Text FieldsSusanna provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into our research process that led to a big change in Material Design's text fields in 2017.
- Making the Case for Accessibility
• Stories and personal experiences are more effective at building empathy and understanding for accessibility than just statistics and data. Share real life examples of how people with disabilities use technology. • Universal design principles like the "curb cut effect" show that features that improve accessibility also benefit all users. Brainstorm how your product could be repurposed for accessibility use cases. • Making small, incremental changes towards accessibility can build momentum and a sense of progress within the team. Start with simple changes like adding captions and alt text. • Not designing for accessibility can lead to lost revenue and market opportunities. Government agencies may require accessibility compliance for contracts. • Aim for industry accessibility standards to stay ahead of potential legal issues. Courts are increasingly requiring companies to make their websites accessible. • Reserve funding and time in the product development schedule for accessibility research and features. • An accessible mindset needs to become embedded in the company culture through a holistic and relentless approach.