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! Read the transcript
Key Insights
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Consistency across the shopping experience reduces cognitive load and builds brand loyalty among people with disabilities.
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Major retailers like Amazon succeed in part due to consistent accessibility patterns despite some flaws.
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Convenience features such as multiple payment options and browser autofill are critical accessibility wins that also benefit all users.
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The disability time tax means interactions often take longer for disabled users, making convenience even more important.
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Timed checkout sessions can harm accessibility if they don’t allow users to extend their interaction without losing progress.
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Confidence in the checkout process is vital; users abandon carts if unsure about charges, product outcomes, or support accessibility.
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Accessibility should include customizability—multiple ways for users to interact according to their needs and preferences.
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Designing for edge cases in accessibility results in better experiences for the wider user base.
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Automated accessibility testing cannot verify experiential requirements like the four Cs; human involvement is essential.
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Engaging people with disabilities throughout design and development yields more meaningful and effective accessibility improvements.
Notable Quotes
"I have three or four streams all going on in my head at the same time — my voice, incoming Zoom messages, speaker notes, and slides."
"Accessibility is a journey and it’s the velocity of that journey that matters."
"If it’s not sold at Amazon or Costco, it’s probably not in my house."
"The accessibility of Amazon and Costco isn’t perfect, but their consistency lets me buy products basically in my sleep."
"The disability time tax means people with disabilities often spend more time completing tasks."
"Accepting multiple payment providers is an accessibility win that benefits every customer."
"If your checkout isn’t giving me confidence, I’ll just go to your competitor."
"Customizability is about meeting people where they are, whether that’s a new parent, a senior, or someone with a disability."
"When you design for the edges, you get the middle for free."
"Automated tools can’t tell you if you’ve achieved the four Cs – you need real people with disabilities involved."
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