Eric Meyer

If you're new to technical writing and need assistance with creating an installation guide, check out my latest PDF that details what an installation guide should include. In this document, you'll learn about its purpose, structure, context, and format. Additionally, you'll find best practices for crafting an effective installation guide.

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I think we need different term for “best practice”. I’m not a content designer, but something like, “Non-WCAG accessibility issue” feels more truthful. In accessibility, when something is broken, but it does not fail any of the WCAG success criteria, we often see it labelled as “best practice”. Which everybody inevitably just ignores, because it feels like an opinion. Language is important! And, the term “best practice” implies that what you’ve done is actually fine, but there’s an alternative way you could do it that might be better, if you want to do it. In reality, what we’re really saying when we log a “best practice” issue is, “this thing is inaccessible, and we’re bringing it to your attention in the hope you’ll fix it. But, we can’t fail it as it’s not technically covered as a testable scenario in the standard we’re currently assessing it against.” What are your thoughts? Do you use a better term than “best practice” in your reports? #accessibility #a11y

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Let's Talk About Accessibility Testing In my recent post about sharing more accessibility tools and resources, Irene Ferraris asked if I could share recommendations specifically for accessibility testing. So, let's start with one of the most powerful, underappreciated, and shockingly expensive accessibility testing tools: The Tab Key. Yes, really. If you've never used it to test a website, you're missing one of the simplest ways to catch accessibility issues. And the best part? You already own one. How to run a basic accessibility check using just your keyboard: 1️⃣ Press Tab: Move through your webpage. Something interactive isn't reachable? You've probably spotted the first problem. 2️⃣ Use Shift + Tab: Can you navigate backwards just as smoothly? If not, it's worth checking why. 3️⃣ Press Enter or Space: Can you activate buttons, links, and controls without a mouse? If not, maybe you spotted another issue - interactions. 4️⃣ Check Focus Indicators: Do you always see where you are on the page? If there's no clear highlight, people who rely on keyboard navigation will struggle. 5️⃣ Watch for Traps: If you get stuck somewhere (e.g., inside a modal with no way out), you've found an issue. It's simple, fast, and brutally effective, yet many people never think to test this way. Want to Go Deeper? If you want a more structured approach to accessibility testing, here are a few tools to start with: WebAIM’s WAVE: Browser-based checker for accessibility issues: https://wave.webaim.org/ axe DevTools (Deque Systems, Inc): Browser extension for automated testing: https://www.deque.com/axe/ Google Lighthouse: Built into Chrome for accessibility audits: https://lnkd.in/dcjA3fWC NVDA Screen Reader: Free screen reader for Windows testing: https://www.nvaccess.org/ ARIA Practices Guide: Mozilla's accessibility implementation strategies: https://lnkd.in/d3fD4Rzj What resources should I cover in my next posts? Let me know in the comments if you are looking for specific tools, articles, or other resources on accessibility or design systems. #A11Y #Accessibility #Barrierefreiheit #InclusiveDesign #WebAccessibility #AccessibilityTesting

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🚨UX Job Search Tip: Finding It Hard To Get Noticed By Hiring Managers Buried In Résumés🚨 If your résumé isn’t screaming “I’ve done this before and I can do it for you,” you’re missing the mark. 📌 In this video, I break down how to use comparable experience to stand out from the stack of résumés. Don’t just apply, stand out! Here’s how. ⬇️

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