How do you apply accessibility and usability principles in technical editing?

Do you have to communicate to an audience that has disabilities or requires accessibility aides. Then you must ensure your materials meet their needs. Use accessibility features in common Windows applications.

When appealing to audiences that require accessibility, it is also important to appeal to those who do not require it at the same time. Accessible documents do not have to be wholly practical to be accessible. I've found that some good compromises include: - Giving the design visual breathing room (margins, spacing) - Utilizing font weight (as well as color) for emphasis, for those with some variation of color-blindness. - Using font faces that have weight on different parts of the character to prevent issues with dyslexia, but also look appealing to the average reader. - Having a dark or high-contrast option, but that also looks good in light mode. - Having the documentation in a digital format that supports zoom or text resizing.

I consider every possible obstacle there might be to getting, receiving, or reading the information. Then, I look at practical ways to overcome or remove those obstacles in my writing. That way, this great information can be understood and used by So many more people.

Applying accessibility and usability principles in technical editing is crucial to ensure that documentation is inclusive and user-friendly for a diverse audience. Here are some key principles and practices you can follow: Accessibility Principles: 1.Clear and Consistent Language 2.Structured Content 3.Alternative Text for Images 4.Descriptive Links 5.Accessible File Formats 6.Contrast and Readability 7.Keyboard Accessibility Usability Principles: 1.User-Centered Language: 2.Task-Oriented Documentation 3.User Testing 4.Consistent Formatting 5.Meaningful Headings and Subheadings 6.Interactive Elements 7.Clear Error Message

Identify the target audience for your technical documentation. Consider factors such as age, expertise, and any potential disabilities.

I respectfully disagree with blindly adhering to accessibility guidelines. While important, it's crucial to find a balance between accessibility, design aesthetics, and practicality. Strict compliance may hinder visual appeal and messaging. Context and evolving technologies should be considered. A user-centered approach involving feedback from individuals with disabilities is key. By going beyond guidelines, we can create effective and inclusive documents.

Documentation has to be readable by both humans and robots. In the U.S., "accessibility" means that documentation is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/Section 508. 1) Make sure that every photo or graphic has alt text. 2) Make sure that your browse sequences or tab sequences are correct. Many people navigate through a page without using a mouse. They will use the Tab key to cycle through the fields in a form. Make sure that when you hit the Tab key, the cursor is jumping from one field to the next, then the next, then the next...in CORRECT SEQUENCE. 3) Make sure that headers are formatted as headers, lists are formatted as lists, body text is formatted as such. For the robots.

Accessibility guidelines are a great way to get started with writing accessible documentation. I recall being introduced to screen readers and color contrast checkers early in my career. It was never something I had previously considered, and being introduced to these tools through my company's accessibility best practices helped me take a more take a more critical view to content creation.

While having an accessibility checklist to check after content is created is a great tool, don't forget to include these principles in your corporate style guide. Writers and content creators are trained to consult their style guides as they write. Including accessibility guidance early in their process helps streamline the technical editing process.

Personally, I’d rather call “plain language” “simple”. The former implies that the content doesn’t need to be creative in order to engage users.

Write in a clear and straightforward manner. Avoid jargon and overly complex language that may confuse readers. Use a legible font and appropriate font size. Consider the contrast between text and background colors to enhance readability, especially for users with visual impairments.

In my online manual, some pages of content are individual steps in a step-by-step process, while others are expository information about policy or other matters. I format the pages differently so that you know at a glance whether this is a "process step page" or a generic/informational/expository page. Pages that are process steps have unique headers. They have lines both above and below the header itself. As far as linking to PDF docs or embedding PDF docs in my html pages, I set the initial view so that the zoom is at 100%. The PDFs open at 100% (i.e. actual size). You might choose to have them open at 75% zoom, or even smaller, I reckon. The point is that you can and should make a conscious decision, and stay consistent.

I find it beneficial to have a list of your most common mistakes to help proofread your work. Also, have a trusted editor in the wings to review your work. The longer you work on the document, the closer you get to it and the harder it is to spot your errors.

The feedback process in documentation is a crucial part of creating effective materials. It involves sharing drafts with team members or stakeholders, who then provide input and suggestions to improve clarity, accuracy, and overall quality. This collaborative approach ensures that the final document is well-polished and better serves its intended audience. Feedback helps identify areas for enhancement, making the documentation more valuable and user-friendly.

Actively seek feedback from users, including those with disabilities, to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that your documentation meets their needs.

I always advocate the use of a review checklist. Work with your team or an editor, or create one for yourself based on common errors as well as non-negotiable checks before publishing. Use the accessibility rules and design principles to create a review checklist that you can use during self- and peer-reviews, editorial reviews, and pre-publish quality checks.

Apply accessibility and usability principles in technical editing by using clear, simple language, organizing content logically, and adding descriptive headings. Ensure text is readable with high contrast and large fonts. Include alt text for images and use bullet points for easy scanning. Test with diverse users to ensure inclusivity.

In most cases, we don't think about accessibility and usability when adding visuals and videos to technical documentation. We often forget how these additional resources will be translated or be accessible by people having reading disabilities or difficulty in perceiving colors. It is important to keep these multimedia to a minimum and consider accessibility factors when creating them.