Accessibility and Usability

Closely related to the topic of standards and appropriate coding is the topic of web site accessibility. We'll talk about different kinds of accessibility, the reasons for building accessible web sites, and some techniques for making sure sites are accessible to all users.

Readings on Accessibility

• Chapter 14 from Designing With Web Standards (pages 327-360)
• Dive Into Accessibility (30 Days to a More Accessible Web Site)
• CNN Article on Web Accessibility

Readings on Usability

• "How we really use the Web," a chapter from Steve Krug's wonderful book, Don't Make Me Think!
• Jakob Nielsen's "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2003" and "Ten Most Violated Homepage Design Guidelines"
• Jeff Lash's Information Architecture is not Usability
• Lane Becker's 90% of All Usability Testing is Useless

Group Project 1: Design Document

The group project is to redesign the web site for RIT's new Lab for Social Computing. There's a basic site there right now, based on Movable Type--you need to come up with a better visual design, ideas for content (including a resource guide with links to social computing tools and sites), and, if necessary, a revised information architecture. I'll be posting more information for you to work with during the next several weeks.

The first group assignment will be to create a design document for the site, using the guidelines provided in the Webmonkey Information Architecture tutorial.

The document should be submitted to my dropbox in myCourses no later than the beginning of class on Monday, January 10th. A printed copy of the document should be brought to class on that day. Page mock-ups can be included as part of the document (screen shots and diagrams), or you can provide an URL to a web-based mock-up as part of the design document.

Only one document should be submitted per group.