Accessibility Web Design

That's Uncle John. He is featured in one of my sight experiments mentioned below. Look at him enjoying the Boyne River. Blissfully unaware of how traumatized my kids were about to make him lol.

When was the last time you fretted over font choice, colour schemes, or design aesthetics? If you’re a any level designer, these decisions are par for the course. But how often do you consider that your masterpiece could be an eyesore for someone with vision impairments? Worldwide, 285 million people are visually impaired, and this includes 39 million who are blind. A staggering 246 million individuals struggle with low vision. Yet, for many of us blessed with 20/20 vision, this reality is often overlooked. Accessibility in web design is not a fad, its legit.

The Eye-Opening Reality of Vision Impairment

Blinding Statistics

These numbers aren’t just statistics; they represent real people. Imagine a world where colours blur into a single shade, or text dances elusive across a page. For millions, this isn’t imagination—it’s daily life. Understanding these challenges is crucial for creating designs that are inclusive and welcoming to all.

Designing for the Colourblind

Red and green might be festive together on a Christmas sweater, but pair them on a website, and you could create a holiday headache for the colourblind. While we, in our design playgrounds, often gravitate towards vibrant and contrasting palettes, we must remember that not everyone sees the world as we do.

A Personal Awakening

For me, the realization hit home during a project with a client who was both deaf and had low vision. The design needed to be clear and accessible not just for her, but for all her current and potential clients. This experience was a game changer. I started to question my choices, foregoing hard-to-read fonts and indistinct colour variations. My priority shifted from aesthetic allure to functional clarity.

Designing with Purpose

Avoiding Visual Clutter

One of the first steps to inclusive design is avoiding clutter. Imagine trying to decode a cluttered page with blurry vision—frustrating, right? By crafting clean, straightforward layouts, we ensure information is easily digestible for everyone.

Making Bold Choices

Bold, clear fonts become the superheroes of accessible design. They don’t just stand out; they shout, “Look at me, I’m easy to read!” Steer clear from those fancy, swirling scripts that might look elegant to some but resemble tangled spaghetti to others.

Colour You Can Count On

While procrastinating one day, I considered swapping my brand’s sunflower yellow for a fluorescent green-yellow. It seemed like a harmless change—until a fellow designer reminded me about its potential nightmare for the colourblind. This revelation led me to run a little family experiment.

Family-Driven Experimentation

Uncle John’s Insight

In search of a colourblind test subject, I reached out to the family. Lo and behold, good old Uncle John stepped up. I sent him a series of slides, eager to see the world through his eyes. His feedback was enlightening. He could read all 3 tiles. Out of all 3 designs he could read the first one the easiest. Its a combo of fluro green and yellow.

The Impact of Inclusive Design

The feedback from Uncle John wasn’t just helpful; it was transformational. By understanding his perspective, I gained insights that textbooks couldn't teach. His input became a catalyst for change, pushing me to redefine my approach to web design.

Learning from Mistakes

We all make mistakes. The key is learning from them and growing. My colourblind faux pas taught me that accessibility isn’t an afterthought. It's a fundamental part of the design process, deserving as much attention as layout or typography.

Creating Web Accessibility

The Role of Technology

Thankfully, technology is our ally in this quest for inclusivity. Tools and resources abound to help us design better, more accessible websites. From screen readers to colourblind simulators, technology empowers us to craft experiences that cater to every user.

Simple Steps for Big Impact

Improving accessibility doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Small changes—like adjusting contrast or providing text alternatives for images—can have a big impact. These tweaks ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy and interact with your website.

Building a Community of Inclusivity

Designers, developers, and business owners must band together in this pursuit. By sharing knowledge and experiences, we foster a community committed to making the web a more inclusive space. Through collaboration, we break down barriers and build bridges.

A Brighter, More Accessible Future

Educating the Masses

Spread the word about the importance of web accessibility. The more people understand these challenges, the more momentum we gain in creating a web that’s welcoming to all. Use your platform to educate others and inspire change.

Encouraging Empathy

Empathy is the heart of accessible design. When we step into the shoes of those with vision impairments, we can better address their needs. Encourage others to see the world from a different perspective and champion inclusivity in all aspects of life.

Taking Action

Ready to make a difference? Start by evaluating your own designs. Identify areas for improvement and implement changes that foster inclusivity. Every small step contributes to a larger movement, bringing us closer to a world where everyone can fully participate in the digital experience.

The web is a vast, dynamic space. Let's ensure it remains open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of their abilities. By prioritizing accessibility in our designs, we’re not just enhancing usability—we’re enriching lives. Together, we can create a digital landscape that truly reflects the diversity and vibrancy of the people who use it. Now go forth and design with empathy, creativity, and inclusivity. The world needs your vision, let us help it get seen!

How Good Web Design Can Boost Conversions & Sales

In the age of digital marketing, having a business website is crucial. But just having a website isn't enough. It's essential to have a website that's been designed with user experience in mind. In short, good web design can boost conversions and sales. But how exactly does it do that? We'll explore how good web design can help you achieve your business goals by increasing conversions and sales.

Good web design improves user experience


Good web design is crucial for providing a positive user experience. Users are more likely to stay on your website if it's easy to use and provides information in an easily digestible way. Good design includes factors such as a clear layout, easy navigation, and fast-loading pages that keep users engaged with your website. By keeping users on your website longer, you increase the chance they will convert into customers.

Good web design builds trust and credibility


People are more likely to do business with a company if they trust it. A well-designed website that's visually appealing helps build trust and credibility with potential customers. A website with a professional design and great content shows that you care about your business and your customers. It tells potential clients that you have high standards and that you take your business seriously.

Good web design can help with search engine optimization


Web design isn't just about aesthetics. Properly implemented, good web design can boost your search engine rankings. Search engines like Google give preference to websites that are well-designed and easy to navigate. Search engines also look for content that's relevant, and a well-designed website will make it easier for search engines to crawl your site, improving your search ranking.

Good web design optimizes for mobile devices


With more and more people accessing the internet on their mobiles, it's essential to ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices. Good web design includes responsive design, which means your website will automatically adjust to the screen size of the user's device. A website that looks great on a desktop but is difficult to use on a mobile device won't convert mobile users into customers. Having a website that's easy to use on a mobile device will increase conversions and sales.

Good web design drives sales and conversions


Ultimately, good web design is about driving sales and conversions. With a well-designed website, customers are more likely to stay on your site longer, trust your business, and share your content. Good web design creates a positive user experience, which helps to drive sales and conversions. Websites with a clear call to actions that are easy to find and use will turn potential customers into actual customers, increasing sales and driving revenue growth.

Good web design is about more than making a website look good. It's about creating a user experience that drives conversions and sales. A well-designed website builds trust and credibility with potential customers, helps with search engine optimization, optimizes for mobile devices, and ultimately drives sales and revenue growth. As a business owner, investing in good web design is one of the best ways to boost your online presence and take your business to the next level.

Custom Website Design vs Templates - Which Is Better?

As a small business owner or a tradie looking to create a website, choosing between a custom website design and a template can be a daunting decision. While some may argue that templates are more cost-effective and get you up and running quickly, others insist that custom websites are superior in every way. We’ll help you make a well-informed decision by breaking down the advantages and disadvantages of both. So, let’s dive in!

Custom Website Design

When you commission a custom website design, you’ll be working with a team of professionals to create a website tailored to your brand and business needs. Customisation is the biggest advantage of a custom website design. You’ll have complete control over the look and feel of your website, as well as its functionalities. When you’re working with experienced website developers, you’ll get a website that will be unique, one-of-a-kind and, most importantly, it will be made to convert visitors into customers.

But custom design can be expensive

The downside of custom website design is the fact that it can be expensive. If you’re working with a tight budget, custom design may be out of reach for your business. A custom website design can also take longer to create, depending on the number of design revisions needed. If you’re under time constraints, a template web design may be a more preferable option.

Template Websites

Template websites, or cookie cutter site as they're known in my world...as the name suggests, are pre-designed websites that can be customised with your content and branding. It’s an affordable and quick solution if you need a website built quickly. These templates come with predefined layouts, visuals, features that are easy to edit and update to provide a website that looks professional and unique. You’ll be able to choose from an array of templates, which provides you with a lot of options and saves you from the process back and forth designing and verifying the design process of custom websites.

But template websites can be generic

One of the disadvantages of template web design is that you will be sharing the same design with many other businesses or competitors as well. A template can limit your ability to convey your brand personality in a way that sets you apart. A template can also limit customisation, and that may not make it possible to achieve the whole essence of unique visual experience.

Choosing between custom website design and template website design is a crucial decision that will impact your business significantly. Many businesses choose templates because of their affordability, while others opt for custom websites because they offer a tailored and unique website. But custom web designs can stretch budgets and take longer to create.

In conclusion, it all depends on your individual business needs and budget. If you’re looking to build a website that is unique, conversion-focused and personalised to your brand, then custom website design is the way to go to establish your business's online presence in the market. But, if your budget is very tight or you need a website built quickly, template websites are a good solution, but you may need to compromise on the level of customisation and uniqueness. In the end, make sure to work with experienced web developers who can guide you through the process step by step, keeping in mind your business goals and budget constraints.