Web Design Update: March 3, 2026
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Laura Carlson
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+++ WEB DESIGN UPDATE.
- Volume 26, Issue 36, March 3, 2026.
An email newsletter to distribute news and information about web design and development.
++ISSUE 36 CONTENTS.
SECTION ONE: New references.
01: ACCESSIBILITY.
02: COLOR.
03: EVALUATION & TESTING.
04: EVENTS.
05: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE.
06: JAVASCRIPT.
07: NAVIGATION.
08: TOOLS.
09: TYPOGRAPHY.
10: USABILITY.
11: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.
SECTION TWO:
12: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?
[Contents ends.]
++ SECTION ONE: New references.
+01: ACCESSIBILITY.
Figcaptions Versus Alt Text
By Martin Underhill.@tempertemper@mastodon.social
…alt and caption should never be the same. One replaces the image; the other supports it."
https://www.tempertemper.net/blog/figcaptions-versus-alt-text
Part Two: Why PDFs Are Not a Suitable Solution
By Gian Wild.
"There are many reasons, especially with the advent of social media, why PDFs are not a suitable solution for releasing content…"
https://ozewai.org/blog/technical-articles/part-two-why-pdfs-are-not-a-suitable-solution/
A New Path for Digital Accessibility?
By George Joeckel.
"A proposal for a new term for the space where assistive technology, digital accessibility, and artificial intelligence converge: Intelligent Digital Accessibility Assistance."
https://webaim.org/blog/a-new-path/
Building Accessibility Training Programs that Work
By WebAIM.
"The gap in education and training about accessibility is still large enough that organizations must prepare to fill it by providing training and ongoing support."
https://webaim.org/articles/trainingprograms/
Let's Break Some WCAG Rules (Video)
By Elise Kristiansen.
"Let's experience a web that's not made for you! This talk is not a checklist of rules. It's an interactive wake-up call. 15-25% of the population needs websites to accommodate different types of disabilities. Still, 94.8% of websites contain accessibility issues that make them harder to use."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oMQ1H9uPRI
ADA Title II: Panel Discussion (Video)
By Lisa Shtromberg, Emilie Berglund, Kyle Shachmut, and Glenda Sims (Moderator).
"…In this panel, accessibility leaders from higher education institutions and industry share how they're preparing for ADA Title II and running their accessibility programs…"
https://www.youtube.com/live/Q5FSLKSrFxw?si=M451b5L1UO2GxtNz&t=179s
Designing Together
By Stephanie Ganzer and Claire Ristow.
"In this session, a front-end developer and designer share how accessibility was placed at the center of building a multi-brand design system that supports both flexibility and compliance. Using the Stop HIV lowa and Stop Human Trafficking Iowa marketing sites as primary examples. From color contrast to adaptable components that serve diverse audiences, the talk highlights how accessibility informed both design and development decisions…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8JU390Sco
Why Accessibility Matters: From A Blind/Visually Impaired Perspective (Video)
By James Warnken.
"Have you ever wondered how accessibility impacts the real disabled user experience?…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MStyiDs_Z0
Creating a Hyper-Accessible Website for Blind, Low Vision, and Sighted Users (Video)
By Sandy Shin, Jeremy Perkins.
"…In this session, we'll walk through the creation of a website for the Braille Institute, a national organization that serves people who are blind, low vision, and sighted. We'll cover the unique approach we took to all steps in the UX process - research, design, testing, copywriting, and development in WordPress. Discover ways to create a great experience for people with varying levels of vision, comfort with technology, and confidence as they grapple with the realities of life with vision loss…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2XRltjJXFQ
Building for a New Next Billion Users (Video)
By Ire Aderinokun.
@i...@front-end.social
"Ten years after Google launched the Next Billion Users initiative, the barriers to digital inclusion have evolved but haven't disappeared. The new next billion users aren't just people coming online for the first time. They're users with disabilities locked out by poor design, people in emerging markets still facing connectivity and cost challenges, and billions at risk of exclusion as AI reshapes how we interact with technology. This talk redefines what digital inclusion means in 2026 and demonstrates how accessibility-first design can be the foundation for reaching your next billion users…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebeP11x9two&t=185s
Accessibility in the End of Deterministic Design (Again) (Video)
By Anna E. Cook.
"In this talk, Anna E. Cook discusses non-deterministic design, a way of building systems that remain accessible even when no two interfaces are exactly alike. She argues that accessibility isn't something generative interfaces will fix, but the foundation we'll need to fix generative interfaces themselves…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa9pFfRcl-w&t=109s
Discover How AI Is Transforming Digital Accessibility-And Where It Still Falls Short. Expert Panel (Video)
By Andrew Downie, Ricky Onsman, Wilco Fiers, and Jaunita Flessas (Moderator).
"…This video is for web developers, UX designers, and accessibility advocates who want to stay ahead of the AI revolution. It will also benefit anyone curious about how emerging technology is impacting the lived experiences of people with disabilities."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx46ihaYzvU
The Best Shift-Left Is to Shift Accessibility Into AI Model Training and Not Bolting It on Later
By Bogdan Cerovac.
"…Context is still essential, but it seems that it needs to be shifted to the left, not only bolted on, and with this we are yet again facing similar issue as we already fight with, which tells a lot about the low accessibility maturity of big tech on a system level…"
https://cerovac.com/a11y/2026/02/the-newest-shift-left-is-to-shift-accessibility-into-ai-model-generation/
Microsoft Inclusive Design
By Microsoft.
"Inclusive Design is a methodology that enables and draws on the full range of human diversity…"
https://inclusive.microsoft.design/
Testing Web Experiences With Your Keyboard (Video)
By Greg Gibson.
"In this talk, Greg Gibson demonstrates how you and your team can perform efficient accessibility testing with nothing more than a keyboard, a monitor, and a web browser. You'll learn how you can quickly catch some of your highest-impact issues before involving browser extensions, site crawlers, or professional audits. (Note that, while screen readers will be mentioned, this talk focuses on visual testing.)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx8hN95vYaY&t=292s
New White House Design Team Aims for "Delightful" Websites - Changing Design Ethos in the Process
By Natalie Alms.
"Trump's chief design officer says that his work shouldn't be controversial, but his team's track record has raised questions about who their websites are for, who they leave out and whether the White House can garner trust based on sleek design alone."
https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2026/02/new-white-house-design-team-aims-delightful-websites-changing-design-ethos-process/411560/
"Harmless" Website Updates Can Create Serious Problems for Your Users - Here's How It Happens
By Goran Paun.
"Website accessibility is an ongoing operational responsibility. Here's what happens when it's treated like a one-time effort or a post-launch checklist instead."
https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/how-minor-website-updates-can-cause-major-problems-for-users/502410
+02: COLOR.
Being a Colourblind Designer (Video)
By Matt Roberts.
"…In this talk Matt will talk through both his personal and professional experience of being colourblind, whilst also taking the conversation from the common questions he gets asked, such as “What colour is grass?”, to more serious topics of potential health implications…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK8_op7W0wo&t=160
+03: EVALUATION & TESTING.
Real Inclusion: How To Run Insightful and Respectful User Testing With Disabled People
By Lucy Collins.
"Inclusive design is not truly inclusive without disabled voices. Too often, accessibility testing is focused on box ticking, is completely tokenistic, or missing entirely. In this practical session, you'll learn how to set up and run user testing sessions that genuinely include and empower disabled people. Drawing on real-world experience, I'll cover everything from ethical…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHNVcUkqiI&t=230
An Intro to Bayesian Thinking for UX Research: Updating Beliefs with Data
By Jeff Sauro and Jim Lewis.
"'That design will never work.' You may have had that thought before you even ran your first participant in a usability test…"
https://measuringu.com/intro-to-bayesian-thinking-in-ux-research/
+04: EVENTS.
Accessibility in Technology Procurement and Use
March 5, 2026.
Online
https://webaim.org/training/procurement/
How to Audit a Web Page: Behind the Scenes on Equalize Digital's Process with Amber Hinds
March 5, 2026.
Online
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2217702202956/WN_HjcAQ5GbSTesDFHTRszIAw#/registration
How to Build an Audio Description Strategy That Actually Works
March 11, 2026.
Online
https://go.3playmedia.com/wbnr-03-11-2026-audio-description
Virtual Web Accessibility Training
March 15-16, 2026.
Online
https://webaim.org/training/virtual/
+05: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE.
Archetypes vs. Personas (Video)
By Kate Kaplan.
"Personas and archetypes are different ways of communicating the same user research data. Archetypes describe categories of users; personas humanize those categories to illustrate real impact…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoigZKtOrUA
+06: JAVASCRIPT.
aria-haspopup Might Not Do What You Think It Does
By Manuel Matuzović.
@mat...@mastodon.social
"To kick off my new article series, #WebAccessibilityFails, I decided to focus on a bad practice I often see in main navigations during accessibility audits…"
https://www.matuzo.at/blog/2026/aria-haspopup-menu
role=presentation is No Alternative For aria-hidden=true
By Manuel Matuzović.
"…If you want to remove an element from the accessibility tree, use aria-hidden="true". For img elements, you can use an empty alt attribute, alt="". Although role=presentation works for images, too, avoid it to avoid causing confusion with your colleagues…"
https://www.matuzo.at/blog/2026/role-presentation-no-alternative-for-aria-hidden
+07: NAVIGATION.
When Is a Link Not a Link?
By Dennis Deacon.
"Automated testing can miss serious accessibility barriers. This article explores how misusing links as buttons breaks keyboard navigation and assistive tech expectations, why semantic HTML matters, and how developers can avoid common pitfalls to create truly accessible user experiences…"
https://www.dennisdeacon.com/accessibility-2/when-is-a-link-not-a-link/
Accessibility Considerations for Off-Site Navigation and Downloads
By Sheri Byrne-Haber.
"This article examines the accessibility risks introduced at these transition points and proposes a concrete pattern that I call a 'speed bump modal' for sites that link to content beyond their own control."
https://www.sheribyrnehaber.com/accessibility-considerations-for-off-site-navigation-and-downloads
+08: TOOLS.
ACCESSIBILITY.md
By Mike Gifford.
"A simple, open format for documenting a project's accessibility posture, automation, and contributor expectation…"
https://mgifford.github.io/ACCESSIBILITY.md/
+09: TYPOGRAPHY.
Typography, Readability and Digital Accessibility (Video)
By Giulia Laco.
"…Today, more than ever, it is essential to understand the tools at our disposal to support content accessibility and engagement, especially within a population that is reading less and less…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTd9UcH1Zes&t=184
+10: USABILITY.
Think Like a User: Practical UX Design Tips for Developers (Video)
By Lex Lofthouse.
"Ever built something you know is perfect, only to watch your users click the wrong thing, skip the important content, do the complete opposite of what you intended, or invent a completely new way of breaking something? Congratulations, you've experienced the thrilling world of UX design and how users really think…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emv4NZyF1oA
The Truth About Lean & Agile (Video)
By Therese Fessenden and Laura Klein.
"If you work in UX, you've probably heard the terms lean, Agile, and MVP more times than you can count. But knowing the terms doesn't mean knowing how to make them work. In this episode, Laura Klein, Principal Experience Specialist at NN/G, joins Therese Fessenden to talk about what Lean UX was really meant to accomplish - and how teams today can apply its principles without falling into common traps."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGvaF-FWVJI
+11: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.
Release Guide: CO2.js v0.18
By The Green Web Foundation.
"CO2.js v0.18 changes the default carbon estimation model to Sustainable Web Design Model (SWDM) version 4. It also see the addition of open, year grid intensity and fuel-mix data from from Electricity Maps…"
https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/news/release-guide-co2-js-v0-18/
Sustainable UX Buddy Tool
Damien Lutz.
"…Use your Buddy to learn Sustainable UX as you work. Sustainable UX Buddy helps you design lightweight and inclusive experiences to support people, planet, and business…"
https://lifecentred.design/sustainable-ux-buddy/
++ SECTION TWO:
+12: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?
Accessibility Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/accessibility.html
Association Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/associations.html
Book Listings.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/books.html
Cascading Style Sheets Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/css.html
Color Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/color.html
Drupal Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/drupal.html
Evaluation & Testing Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/testing.html
Event Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/events.html
HTML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/html.html
Information Architecture Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/architecture.html
JavaScript Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/javascript.html
Miscellaneous Web Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/misc.html
Navigation Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/navigation.html
PHP Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/php.html
Sites & Blogs Listing.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/sites.html
Standards, Guidelines & Pattern Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/standards.html
Tool Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/tools.html
Typography Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/type.html
Usability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/usability.html
WebWaste & Sustainability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webwaste.html
XML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/xml.html
[Section two ends.]
++END NOTES.
+ SUBSCRIPTION INFO.
WEB DESIGN UPDATE is available by subscription. For information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe please visit:
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webdev_listserv.html
The Web Design Reference Site also has a RSS 2.0 feed for site updates.
+ TEXT EMAIL NEWSLETTER (TEN).
As a navigation aid for screen readers we do our best to conform to the accessible Text Email Newsletter (TEN) guidelines. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to make navigation easier. For TEN guideline information please visit:
http://www.headstar.com/ten
+ SIGN OFF.
Until next time,
Laura L. Carlson
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009
mailto:lcar...@d.umn.edu
[Issue ends.]
- Volume 26, Issue 36, March 3, 2026.
An email newsletter to distribute news and information about web design and development.
++ISSUE 36 CONTENTS.
SECTION ONE: New references.
01: ACCESSIBILITY.
02: COLOR.
03: EVALUATION & TESTING.
04: EVENTS.
05: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE.
06: JAVASCRIPT.
07: NAVIGATION.
08: TOOLS.
09: TYPOGRAPHY.
10: USABILITY.
11: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.
SECTION TWO:
12: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?
[Contents ends.]
++ SECTION ONE: New references.
+01: ACCESSIBILITY.
Figcaptions Versus Alt Text
By Martin Underhill.@tempertemper@mastodon.social
…alt and caption should never be the same. One replaces the image; the other supports it."
https://www.tempertemper.net/blog/figcaptions-versus-alt-text
Part Two: Why PDFs Are Not a Suitable Solution
By Gian Wild.
"There are many reasons, especially with the advent of social media, why PDFs are not a suitable solution for releasing content…"
https://ozewai.org/blog/technical-articles/part-two-why-pdfs-are-not-a-suitable-solution/
A New Path for Digital Accessibility?
By George Joeckel.
"A proposal for a new term for the space where assistive technology, digital accessibility, and artificial intelligence converge: Intelligent Digital Accessibility Assistance."
https://webaim.org/blog/a-new-path/
Building Accessibility Training Programs that Work
By WebAIM.
"The gap in education and training about accessibility is still large enough that organizations must prepare to fill it by providing training and ongoing support."
https://webaim.org/articles/trainingprograms/
Let's Break Some WCAG Rules (Video)
By Elise Kristiansen.
"Let's experience a web that's not made for you! This talk is not a checklist of rules. It's an interactive wake-up call. 15-25% of the population needs websites to accommodate different types of disabilities. Still, 94.8% of websites contain accessibility issues that make them harder to use."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oMQ1H9uPRI
ADA Title II: Panel Discussion (Video)
By Lisa Shtromberg, Emilie Berglund, Kyle Shachmut, and Glenda Sims (Moderator).
"…In this panel, accessibility leaders from higher education institutions and industry share how they're preparing for ADA Title II and running their accessibility programs…"
https://www.youtube.com/live/Q5FSLKSrFxw?si=M451b5L1UO2GxtNz&t=179s
Designing Together
By Stephanie Ganzer and Claire Ristow.
"In this session, a front-end developer and designer share how accessibility was placed at the center of building a multi-brand design system that supports both flexibility and compliance. Using the Stop HIV lowa and Stop Human Trafficking Iowa marketing sites as primary examples. From color contrast to adaptable components that serve diverse audiences, the talk highlights how accessibility informed both design and development decisions…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8JU390Sco
Why Accessibility Matters: From A Blind/Visually Impaired Perspective (Video)
By James Warnken.
"Have you ever wondered how accessibility impacts the real disabled user experience?…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MStyiDs_Z0
Creating a Hyper-Accessible Website for Blind, Low Vision, and Sighted Users (Video)
By Sandy Shin, Jeremy Perkins.
"…In this session, we'll walk through the creation of a website for the Braille Institute, a national organization that serves people who are blind, low vision, and sighted. We'll cover the unique approach we took to all steps in the UX process - research, design, testing, copywriting, and development in WordPress. Discover ways to create a great experience for people with varying levels of vision, comfort with technology, and confidence as they grapple with the realities of life with vision loss…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2XRltjJXFQ
Building for a New Next Billion Users (Video)
By Ire Aderinokun.
@i...@front-end.social
"Ten years after Google launched the Next Billion Users initiative, the barriers to digital inclusion have evolved but haven't disappeared. The new next billion users aren't just people coming online for the first time. They're users with disabilities locked out by poor design, people in emerging markets still facing connectivity and cost challenges, and billions at risk of exclusion as AI reshapes how we interact with technology. This talk redefines what digital inclusion means in 2026 and demonstrates how accessibility-first design can be the foundation for reaching your next billion users…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebeP11x9two&t=185s
Accessibility in the End of Deterministic Design (Again) (Video)
By Anna E. Cook.
"In this talk, Anna E. Cook discusses non-deterministic design, a way of building systems that remain accessible even when no two interfaces are exactly alike. She argues that accessibility isn't something generative interfaces will fix, but the foundation we'll need to fix generative interfaces themselves…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa9pFfRcl-w&t=109s
Discover How AI Is Transforming Digital Accessibility-And Where It Still Falls Short. Expert Panel (Video)
By Andrew Downie, Ricky Onsman, Wilco Fiers, and Jaunita Flessas (Moderator).
"…This video is for web developers, UX designers, and accessibility advocates who want to stay ahead of the AI revolution. It will also benefit anyone curious about how emerging technology is impacting the lived experiences of people with disabilities."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx46ihaYzvU
The Best Shift-Left Is to Shift Accessibility Into AI Model Training and Not Bolting It on Later
By Bogdan Cerovac.
"…Context is still essential, but it seems that it needs to be shifted to the left, not only bolted on, and with this we are yet again facing similar issue as we already fight with, which tells a lot about the low accessibility maturity of big tech on a system level…"
https://cerovac.com/a11y/2026/02/the-newest-shift-left-is-to-shift-accessibility-into-ai-model-generation/
Microsoft Inclusive Design
By Microsoft.
"Inclusive Design is a methodology that enables and draws on the full range of human diversity…"
https://inclusive.microsoft.design/
Testing Web Experiences With Your Keyboard (Video)
By Greg Gibson.
"In this talk, Greg Gibson demonstrates how you and your team can perform efficient accessibility testing with nothing more than a keyboard, a monitor, and a web browser. You'll learn how you can quickly catch some of your highest-impact issues before involving browser extensions, site crawlers, or professional audits. (Note that, while screen readers will be mentioned, this talk focuses on visual testing.)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx8hN95vYaY&t=292s
New White House Design Team Aims for "Delightful" Websites - Changing Design Ethos in the Process
By Natalie Alms.
"Trump's chief design officer says that his work shouldn't be controversial, but his team's track record has raised questions about who their websites are for, who they leave out and whether the White House can garner trust based on sleek design alone."
https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2026/02/new-white-house-design-team-aims-delightful-websites-changing-design-ethos-process/411560/
"Harmless" Website Updates Can Create Serious Problems for Your Users - Here's How It Happens
By Goran Paun.
"Website accessibility is an ongoing operational responsibility. Here's what happens when it's treated like a one-time effort or a post-launch checklist instead."
https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/how-minor-website-updates-can-cause-major-problems-for-users/502410
+02: COLOR.
Being a Colourblind Designer (Video)
By Matt Roberts.
"…In this talk Matt will talk through both his personal and professional experience of being colourblind, whilst also taking the conversation from the common questions he gets asked, such as “What colour is grass?”, to more serious topics of potential health implications…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK8_op7W0wo&t=160
+03: EVALUATION & TESTING.
Real Inclusion: How To Run Insightful and Respectful User Testing With Disabled People
By Lucy Collins.
"Inclusive design is not truly inclusive without disabled voices. Too often, accessibility testing is focused on box ticking, is completely tokenistic, or missing entirely. In this practical session, you'll learn how to set up and run user testing sessions that genuinely include and empower disabled people. Drawing on real-world experience, I'll cover everything from ethical…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHNVcUkqiI&t=230
An Intro to Bayesian Thinking for UX Research: Updating Beliefs with Data
By Jeff Sauro and Jim Lewis.
"'That design will never work.' You may have had that thought before you even ran your first participant in a usability test…"
https://measuringu.com/intro-to-bayesian-thinking-in-ux-research/
+04: EVENTS.
Accessibility in Technology Procurement and Use
March 5, 2026.
Online
https://webaim.org/training/procurement/
How to Audit a Web Page: Behind the Scenes on Equalize Digital's Process with Amber Hinds
March 5, 2026.
Online
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2217702202956/WN_HjcAQ5GbSTesDFHTRszIAw#/registration
How to Build an Audio Description Strategy That Actually Works
March 11, 2026.
Online
https://go.3playmedia.com/wbnr-03-11-2026-audio-description
Virtual Web Accessibility Training
March 15-16, 2026.
Online
https://webaim.org/training/virtual/
+05: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE.
Archetypes vs. Personas (Video)
By Kate Kaplan.
"Personas and archetypes are different ways of communicating the same user research data. Archetypes describe categories of users; personas humanize those categories to illustrate real impact…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoigZKtOrUA
+06: JAVASCRIPT.
aria-haspopup Might Not Do What You Think It Does
By Manuel Matuzović.
@mat...@mastodon.social
"To kick off my new article series, #WebAccessibilityFails, I decided to focus on a bad practice I often see in main navigations during accessibility audits…"
https://www.matuzo.at/blog/2026/aria-haspopup-menu
role=presentation is No Alternative For aria-hidden=true
By Manuel Matuzović.
"…If you want to remove an element from the accessibility tree, use aria-hidden="true". For img elements, you can use an empty alt attribute, alt="". Although role=presentation works for images, too, avoid it to avoid causing confusion with your colleagues…"
https://www.matuzo.at/blog/2026/role-presentation-no-alternative-for-aria-hidden
+07: NAVIGATION.
When Is a Link Not a Link?
By Dennis Deacon.
"Automated testing can miss serious accessibility barriers. This article explores how misusing links as buttons breaks keyboard navigation and assistive tech expectations, why semantic HTML matters, and how developers can avoid common pitfalls to create truly accessible user experiences…"
https://www.dennisdeacon.com/accessibility-2/when-is-a-link-not-a-link/
Accessibility Considerations for Off-Site Navigation and Downloads
By Sheri Byrne-Haber.
"This article examines the accessibility risks introduced at these transition points and proposes a concrete pattern that I call a 'speed bump modal' for sites that link to content beyond their own control."
https://www.sheribyrnehaber.com/accessibility-considerations-for-off-site-navigation-and-downloads
+08: TOOLS.
ACCESSIBILITY.md
By Mike Gifford.
"A simple, open format for documenting a project's accessibility posture, automation, and contributor expectation…"
https://mgifford.github.io/ACCESSIBILITY.md/
+09: TYPOGRAPHY.
Typography, Readability and Digital Accessibility (Video)
By Giulia Laco.
"…Today, more than ever, it is essential to understand the tools at our disposal to support content accessibility and engagement, especially within a population that is reading less and less…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTd9UcH1Zes&t=184
+10: USABILITY.
Think Like a User: Practical UX Design Tips for Developers (Video)
By Lex Lofthouse.
"Ever built something you know is perfect, only to watch your users click the wrong thing, skip the important content, do the complete opposite of what you intended, or invent a completely new way of breaking something? Congratulations, you've experienced the thrilling world of UX design and how users really think…"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emv4NZyF1oA
The Truth About Lean & Agile (Video)
By Therese Fessenden and Laura Klein.
"If you work in UX, you've probably heard the terms lean, Agile, and MVP more times than you can count. But knowing the terms doesn't mean knowing how to make them work. In this episode, Laura Klein, Principal Experience Specialist at NN/G, joins Therese Fessenden to talk about what Lean UX was really meant to accomplish - and how teams today can apply its principles without falling into common traps."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGvaF-FWVJI
+11: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.
Release Guide: CO2.js v0.18
By The Green Web Foundation.
"CO2.js v0.18 changes the default carbon estimation model to Sustainable Web Design Model (SWDM) version 4. It also see the addition of open, year grid intensity and fuel-mix data from from Electricity Maps…"
https://www.thegreenwebfoundation.org/news/release-guide-co2-js-v0-18/
Sustainable UX Buddy Tool
Damien Lutz.
"…Use your Buddy to learn Sustainable UX as you work. Sustainable UX Buddy helps you design lightweight and inclusive experiences to support people, planet, and business…"
https://lifecentred.design/sustainable-ux-buddy/
++ SECTION TWO:
+12: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?
Accessibility Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/accessibility.html
Association Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/associations.html
Book Listings.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/books.html
Cascading Style Sheets Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/css.html
Color Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/color.html
Drupal Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/drupal.html
Evaluation & Testing Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/testing.html
Event Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/events.html
HTML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/html.html
Information Architecture Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/architecture.html
JavaScript Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/javascript.html
Miscellaneous Web Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/misc.html
Navigation Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/navigation.html
PHP Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/php.html
Sites & Blogs Listing.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/sites.html
Standards, Guidelines & Pattern Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/standards.html
Tool Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/tools.html
Typography Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/type.html
Usability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/usability.html
WebWaste & Sustainability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webwaste.html
XML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/xml.html
[Section two ends.]
++END NOTES.
+ SUBSCRIPTION INFO.
WEB DESIGN UPDATE is available by subscription. For information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe please visit:
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webdev_listserv.html
The Web Design Reference Site also has a RSS 2.0 feed for site updates.
+ TEXT EMAIL NEWSLETTER (TEN).
As a navigation aid for screen readers we do our best to conform to the accessible Text Email Newsletter (TEN) guidelines. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to make navigation easier. For TEN guideline information please visit:
http://www.headstar.com/ten
+ SIGN OFF.
Until next time,
Laura L. Carlson
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009
mailto:lcar...@d.umn.edu
[Issue ends.]
Laura L. Carlson
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009
http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/
W3C Invited Expert
Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
https://www.w3.org/groups/wg/ag/participants
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009
http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/
W3C Invited Expert
Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
https://www.w3.org/groups/wg/ag/participants
Pronouns: she/her/hers
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