Design and development
Contents
Task: Plan a design project
Consult the section How to Create Accessible Products and Services. This outlines an effective and efficient development process for creating accessible services within time and resource budgets.
Task: Interpret accessibility requirements
If you are working from a design specification, you will have to interpret this to determine exactly what accessibility criteria you have to meet. You can do this by carrying out the following four steps.
Step 1. Determine the required level of compliance
The design specification you are working to should state accessibility requirements by referring to the NDA or WAI guidelines, saying something like "The site should meet all priority 1 accessibility guidelines from the Web Accessibility Initiative".
Step 2. Consult the NDA web accessibility guidelines
If you are working to a design specification that states accessibility requirements in terms of NDA or WAI guidelines, you will have to interpret these guidelines so that you understand exactly what is required of the design. The NDA web guidelines are the same as the WAI guidelines, so saying "NDA priority 1" and "WAI priority 1" are the same thing. The purpose of the NDA guidelines is to present the WAI guidelines in a way that is easier for you to understand and use. To help you interpret them, the guidelines describe the motivation and justification and give guidance on design techniques and testing methods.
Step 3. Read the introduction to each guideline
Each guideline is presented as a directive. A statement that tells you to "Do this". This statement summarises the guideline in one short sentence, which is often not long enough to convey much information. It may also use terms that you are not familiar with. To help you, each guideline also has a link to a full explanation. This begins with an introduction, explaining in detail exactly what the guideline means. Follow that link and read the introduction.
Step 4. Read the rationale for each guideline.
Even after having read the introduction for a guideline, it can be difficult to understand why it is important. Therefore, after the introduction, each guideline also has a rationale, which describes why the guideline is important and the consequences of not meeting it. After reading this, you should have a much better idea of what you are achieving by following the guideline.
Task: Choose design and implementation techniques
If you are working to a design specification that states accessibility requirements in terms of NDA guidelines, you will have to determine what work this will involve and choose appropriate techniques. To help you do this, each guideline comes with guidance on design and implementation techniques.
Step 1. Consult the NDA web accessibility guidelines
Step 2. Read the suggested techniques for each guideline
Each guideline has a link to a full explanation and help which includes a list of techniques. These describe different ways you might go about meeting the requirement. Note that the examples that are given are intended to be prescriptive and are not the only solutions. Wherever possible, you should develop solutions that work best within your context.
