For those of us who were building websites before the iPhone, we remember when the industry shifted and we had to start designing/building for mobile screens. For a little while, people or agencies who could design and build for mobile could use that as a differentiator. It took a while for the web to realize that mobile was the future and sites had to be made with smaller screens in mind.
What was once a differentiator became standard for every site.
This now applies to accessibility.
Last week at #EvolveDrupal, there were multiple sessions on ways businesses can succeed with accessibility. And it’s not just about visual accessibility. We also need to think about different age groups with needs that extend beyond having larger buttons.
Accessibility, just like mobile, is no longer a “nice to have.” Failing to address accessibility could result in lawsuits for some businesses. Luckily, I was able to talk to and learn from experts on this topic, like Janell Sims and Val Y. Yang, MA, MPA, who are doing great work in this space.
Knowing that accessibility is critically important, why did Apple just announce its Liquid Glass design system?
While it looks beautiful, I was surprised by the lack of accessibility in the interfaces across its different operating systems. It reminded me of the interface of the Vision Pro. But I thought it was odd to use that as a starting point. Until I saw a video this morning that changed my thinking.
Apple is training us to be prepared for its eventual glasses product.
Similar to Meta Glasses, it’s just a matter of time until Apple puts a digital interface over our whole world. And training people how to interact with spatial computing environments now will prepare us for when we start seeing text message notifications while walking down the street.
I was first introduced to the concept of spatial computing by Richie Etwaru and the team at Mobeus. It’s going to be fun seeing the concepts we talked about 5 years ago start to get mainstream adoption.
But they have to be accessible! C’mon Apple. We expect better from the company that has defined user experience for decades.
My EvolveDrupal presentation