wanted: mobile dev with 40 years experience

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Wanted: Mobile Dev with 40 Years ExperienceProven expert at human factors, interactive design, and technologies that don’t yet exist. Experience in branding & mind-reading a plus. Apply today at any startup or consulting firm.

Matt May (@mattmay), 07.07.2012

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Gregg

The last 40 years

• 1971: Trace R&D Center founded– Focus on augmentative communication

• 1980s – 90s: Desktop OS/software accessibility

• 1990s – present: Web and mobile accessibility

Augmentative Communication

From the peoplewho brought you…

• Pinch/zoom• Onscreen keyboards• Text-to-speech• Voice recognition• OCR• High contrast• Find as you type• Camera tracking (Kinect)

• First mainstream use of pinch/zoom

• First free built-in screen reader

• Supports braille displays• Closed captioning• TTY support• Hearing aid compatibility• AssistiveTouch

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Aren’t humans interesting?

• Traditional concepts of disability– Blindness (.5%)– Deafness (.1% deaf in both ears)– Colorblindness (1-12% depending on

race/gender)

• Things that are left out or minimized– Low vision (10 for every 1 who’s blind)– Poor hearing (90 for every 1 who’s deaf)– Limited mobility (36.5 million in the US)– Limited capacity to read (25-50% of US

adults)9

Situationaldisability

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Type n Walk app

Mobile problems are user problems

• Low vision• Poor hearing• Limited mobility• Limited capacity to read

text• Limited capacity to type

What we’ve learned

• Start early• Focus on the people• Build on what works• Anticipate breakpoints– not just the media-query kind

Accessibility problems Usability problems

Problems mobile users can have

Problems people with disabilities can have

Problems you’re totally screwed

if you don’t solve

Pleasant

Inconvenient

Frustrating

Limiting

Exclusionary

Discriminatory

Gregg

How can I do this...

• In other languages– And from right to left

• Securely– Client, server, protocol…– Preserving user privacy

• For the greatest possible audience–With various physical capabilities– In various environments

How can I do this?

How can I do this well?

• By not repeating the same mistakes• By remembering:– That your users are human– That you can’t anticipate all their

problems• but you can try

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“The universal design concept increases the supply of usable housing by including universal features in as many houses as possible, and allows people to remain in their homes as long as they like.”

– Ron Mace

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Seven Principles of Universal Design

• Equitable use• Flexibility in use• Simple and intuitive• Perceptible information• Tolerance for error• Low physical effort• Size and space for approach and use

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Principle 1: Equitable use

The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.

• Provide the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not.

• Avoid segregating or stigmatizing any users.

• Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users.

• Make the design appealing to all users.

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Principle 2: Flexibility in use

The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.

• Provide choice in methods of use.• Accommodate right- or left-handed

access and use.• Facilitate the user's accuracy and

precision.• Provide adaptability to the user's pace.

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Principle 3: Simple and intuitive use

Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.

• Eliminate unnecessary complexity.• Be consistent with user expectations and

intuition.• Accommodate a wide range of literacy and

language skills.• Arrange information consistent with its

importance.• Provide effective prompting and feedback during

and after task completion.

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Principle 4: Perceptible information

Communicate effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.•Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information.Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings.Maximize "legibility" of essential information.Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions).Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.

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Principle 5: Tolerance for error

Minimize hazards and adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

•Minimize hazards and errors: most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded.•Provide warnings of hazards and errors.•Provide fail safe features.•Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance. 2

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Principle 6: Low physical effort

The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.•Allow user to maintain a neutral body position.•Use reasonable operating forces.•Minimize repetitive actions.•Minimize sustained physical effort.

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Principle 7: Size and space for approach and use

Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user’s body size, posture, or mobility.

• Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user.

• Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user.

• Accommodate variations in hand and grip size.• Provide adequate space for the use of assistive

devices or personal assistance.• Provide adequate space for click/tap targets.

Going native

• Your stuff isn’t getting any better• OS controls may improve• Choose OS native controls where

possible

Photo: Jeremy Keith (cc-by)

Designing for devices

• 1995: 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768• 1999: HTML for computers, WML for

phones• 2002: @media: screen, handheld, tv...• 2007: Desktop, iPhone• 2010: Desktop, iPhone, iPad• 2011: RWD, “breakpoints” • 2012: Vendor prefixes, 2× images...

Designing for humans

• Don’t assume you know the user– Allow desktop experiences on mobile– Provide common URLs for all users

• Don’t limit the user unnecessarily• Keep your markup clean– Including framework code

Demo: Adobe Shadow

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The new professionalism

Engineers have vitalized and turned to practical use the principles of science and the means of technology.

Were it not for this heritage, my efforts would be feeble. Obligation of the Engineer

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Thanks!

@mattmaymattmay@gmail.commattmay@adobe.com