Book Review of Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind

Abstract

Have you ever been left out of something? Have you ever wanted to get into a place that didn’t allow you in? How did that make you feel? Life may not be fair, but that doesn’t give you any excuse not to be. —Elizabeth Jackson Upon attending my first A11yNYC meetup in New York, I met a person who was blind, and as many conversations go, they asked me what I did for a living. I mentioned I was a UX designer and help make web sites more usable. She asked me, “Do the companies and people you work with ever think about people like me?” At the time, I had worked on a few freelance projects and had not heard anyone mention accessibility. After a long pause, I answered, “No,” and proceeded to say that I will make sure that we do think about it in whatever work I do. She had posed a question to me that forever changed my perspective on the things I work on. Thinking back on the question first asked, we know what it feels to be left out of something. When we create products and experiences that are not inclusive and accessible, there is the possibility we are leaving folks with the feeling of being left out of experiences. This book provides a foundation for making more inclusive and accessible experiences through case studies and hands-on exercises.