Web Design Update: July 14, 2026

[Laura Carlson]

+++ WEB DESIGN UPDATE.
- Volume 27, Issue 03, July 14, 2026.

An email newsletter to distribute news and information about web design and development.

SECTION ONE: New references.
What's new at the Web Design Reference site?
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/
New links in these categories:

01: ACCESSIBILITY.
02: EVENTS.
02: EVENTS.
04: NAVIGATION.
05: USABILITY.

SECTION TWO:
06: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?

[Contents ends.]


++ SECTION ONE: New references.

+01: ACCESSIBILITY.

Does Your Screen Reader Content Need an Editor?
By Ayesha Semfel.
"Ayesha Semfel makes a simple case: the content screen reader users hear is still real content, and it deserves the same care as everything else on the page. Drawing on real audit findings, they walk through the most common ways that content goes wrong, from over-described buttons to untouched placeholder code, and how to fix it…"
https://intopia.digital/articles/does-your-screen-reader-content-need-an-editor/

My Accessibility Review Process
By Homer Gaines.
"…It's imperative that the code authored does not negatively affect the various methods used to interact with the products.…"
https://rightbadcode.com/a11y-review-process/

Writing for Understanding
By Helena Ferry.
"…You can't hide behind technical jargon. You have to understand an idea well enough to explain it in everyday language…"
https://a11yblog.com/2026/07/07/writing-for-understanding/

Putting WCAG and Lessons from Accessibility Leaders Abroad into Practice (Video in Japanese)
By Makoto Ueki.
"This is the archived video of Accessibility Conference Fukuoka 2025, held on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Kego Shrine Office Building." Makoto is accessibility consultant and member of the W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group. His presentation focuses on how organizations can turn accessibility knowledge into real-world practice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwpdyBtUocc

Why an Accessible InDesign Template Isn't Enough for PDF Accessibility
By Colleen Gratzer.
"…An accessible InDesign template does not replace the accessibility knowledge you need to have in order to use it…"
https://creative-boost.com/why-an-accessible-indesign-template-isnt-enough-for-pdf-accessibility/

Accessibility in the Age of AI
By Ela Gorla.
"AI cannot automatically solve your organisation's accessibility issues but, when used responsibly, it can be a useful ally"
https://tetralogical.com/blog/2026/07/13/accessibility-in-the-age-of-ai/

Digital Accessibility Can Get You Sued
By Dennis Deacon.
"That accessibility icon in your site's corner may be a liability, not a safeguard. Overlay widgets don't fix underlying code, aren't used by people with disabilities, and are increasingly cited in lawsuits. Learn why real remediation, not a quick widget, is the only path to genuine compliance."
https://www.dennisdeacon.com/accessibility/digital-accessibility-can-get-you-sued/

Why Partnering en 17161 With WCAG Is a Major Step Forward for Digital Accessibility
By Wilco Fiers.
"…WCAG is the horizon. It is the direction you're traveling in, and even if you can't actually 'reach' the horizon, it's what you're driving toward. EN 17161 is the road you drive on…"
https://www.deque.com/blog/why-partnering-en-17161-with-wcag-is-a-major-step-forward-for-digital-accessibility/

Legal Update: June 2026
By Ken Nakata.
"After a couple of quiet months, June had plenty to talk about…"
https://convergeaccessibility.com/2026/07/06/legal-update-june-2026


+02: EVENTS.

Accessibility Documentation as a Driver for Improved Inclusive User Experience with David Sloan
July 21, 2026.
Online
https://vispero.com/lp/accessibility-documentation-as-a-driver-for-improved-inclusive-user-experience/

From Paramedic to Aphasia Advocate
August 4, 2026.
Online and New York, New York, U.S.A.
https://www.meetup.com/a11ynyc/events/315288218/

Web Accessibility in Mind Conference
September 15-16, 2026.
Online
https://conference.webaim.org/

Workshop, Accessibility of Forms with Karl Groves
September 16, 2026.
Online
https://afixt.com/training/

UXPALOOZA
September 25, 2026.
Online
https://uxpa.org/uxpalooza/


+03: MISCELLANEOUS.

How AI Reduces the World to Stereotypes (Hat tip to Steve Faulkner)
By Victoria Turk.
"…We have to move forward and improve, not erase the little progress we have made so far.…"
https://restofworld.org/2023/ai-image-stereotypes/

Memories Can't Wait-or, How I Learned to Keep Worrying About the Web
By Jeffery Zeldman.
"…The web is still the best hope we have for a durable, shared memory. But it requires us to be gardeners, not just tenants…"
https://zeldman.com/2026/07/06/memories-cant-wait-or-how-i-learned-to-keep-worrying-about-the-web/

Be a Gardener, not a Tenant
By Deborah Edwards-Oñoro.
"…Cloud services are not forever…"
https://www.lireo.com/be-a-gardener-not-a-tenant/


+04: NAVIGATION.

Link + Popover Navigation
By Adrian Roselli.
"…The links are links. They work with a keyboard, assistive technology knows what to do with them, and links are generally well understood by users…"
https://adrianroselli.com/2026/07/link-popover-navigation.html

Google Docs Makes Accessible Links Easier: A Small Feature With Big Accessibility Benefits
By Thomas Logan.
"…The easier it is to do accessibility, the more likely people will do it consistently…"
https://equalentry.com/accessible-links-google-docs/


+05: USABILITY.

Designing For Distressed Users: Why Mental Health Apps Shouldn't Follow Every UI Fashion
By Kat Homan.
"Many UI trends are designed to capture attention and signal innovation, but those goals often conflict with the needs of mental health apps: reducing cognitive strain, fostering trust, and providing a sense of refuge. Kat Homan introduces an evaluation framework that helps designers assess whether trendy visual and interaction patterns support or undermine the unique goals of mental health experiences…"
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2026/07/designing-distressed-users-mental-health-apps-ui/

Design-System Maturity: A 6-Dimension Framework
By Huei-Hsin Wang.
"Use this maturity model to assess your design system's health and identify where to focus next."
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-system-maturity

[Section one ends.]


++ SECTION TWO:

+06 d: 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.


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+ 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:
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+ 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