Summary
Online shopping was first premiered in the 1980s, as a way for people who couldn’t shop in-person to easily make purchases. But how far we’ve come! In this talk, Fable’s Accessibility Evangelist Sam Proulx will walk you through some of the key factors to create an online shopping experience that is accessible to everyone. From his perspective as a full time screen reader user, and drawing on Fable’s thousands of hours working with people with disabilities, Sam will highlight how consistency, convenience, confidence, and customizability enable a smooth experience for all users, disabled or not. Let’s bring online shopping back to its accessibility roots!
Key Insights
-
•
Consistency in design reduces cognitive load and helps assistive technology users build muscle memory, improving usability.
-
•
Convenience features like browser autofill and saving progress significantly ease checkout for users with physical or cognitive challenges.
-
•
Strictly timed interactions during checkout processes create unnecessary stress and barriers for many users, not just those with disabilities.
-
•
Confidence in the security and clarity of controls strongly influences whether users with disabilities complete purchases.
-
•
Customizability is crucial as no two disabilities are identical; offering adjustable settings and multiple interaction modes is key.
-
•
Providing multiple payment providers increases accessibility by accommodating various assistive technology compatibilities.
-
•
Including multiple support options, such as chat, benefits users with disabilities like those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
-
•
Automated accessibility audits identify code issues but cannot assess actual user experience or prioritize fixes effectively.
-
•
Involving people with disabilities early and continuously in product development yields better, more accessible experiences.
-
•
Accessible experiences designed for edge cases also improve usability for the general population, demonstrating universal design value.
Notable Quotes
"Accessible experiences are better experiences for everyone whether you are a person with a disability or not."
"If it didn’t come from Amazon or Costco, I probably don’t own it because their site is consistent and predictable."
"Consistency builds convenience and reduces cognitive load, which is critical for assistive technology users."
"Browser autofill is not just a convenience for everyone but a critical accessibility feature for many."
"Timed interactions stress out all users, and stressed users close tabs and go elsewhere."
"If a control isn’t clear or isn’t reading properly with a screen reader, a user might give up instead of experimenting."
"The more payment providers you support, the greater chance every person will find one that works for them."
"Customizability allows users to tailor experiences because no two disabilities are the same."
"Automated tests tell you where the code is wrong but not how the experience affects real users."
"Building accessible foundations with people with disabilities involved will build better experiences for everyone."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Play invites curiosity, and curiosity allows us to imagine and create new worlds."
Zariah CameronReDesigning Wellbeing for Equitable Care in the Workplace
September 23, 2024
"If you don’t have enough information to prioritize, put the items on a dartboard and throw a dart to start the conversation."
John Cutler Harry MaxPrioritization for designers and product managers (1st of 3 seminars) (Videoconference)
June 13, 2024
"Design is a way of organizing complexity or finding clarity in chaos."
Nick CochranGrowing in Enterprise Design through Making Connections
June 3, 2019
"Pilot and test your ideas before committing whenever possible to avoid unnecessary disruption."
Deanna SmithLeading Change with Confidence: Strategies for Optimizing Your Process
September 23, 2024
"Don’t automatically dismiss paper forms—they often contain simplifications that accelerate digital service design."
Magdalena ZadaraZero Hour: How to Get Far Quickly When Starting Your Digital Service Unit Late
November 16, 2022
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so."
Nova Wehman-BrownWe've Never Done This Before
June 4, 2019
"To be truly impactful, we need to actively participate in product design sprints, ideation, and key strategy meetings."
Liwei DaiThe Heart and Brain of the AI Research
March 31, 2020
"We made changes in the last three weeks that would normally have taken three years. Could we expect a COVID dividend?"
Gordon Ross12 Months of COVID-19 Design and Digital Response with the British Columbia Government
December 8, 2021
"Ruthless prioritization tells us to be more efficient, but it feeds into a punishment culture."
Tutti TaygerlyMake Space to Lead
June 12, 2021