There is a push these days to make wider and wider web pages. After all, we’ve all got bigger monitors, right? We all use them at 1024 x 1280, right?
Well, maybe. Maybe, not.
As always, ask yourself, “Who is my target audience?”
Due to a comment on the last post I wrote on the subject of accessibility, I realize there are some myths to be addressed on the subject.
Myth #1: Accessibility will cost more
Actually, it shouldn’t. A properly educated and trained designer will do this for you as they go. This shouldn’t be an extra. It should certainly not be something done after a site is created. To be fair, making a site, then fixing it for accessibility later could cost you some money. Just like having someone make a site who doesn’t know how to keep it search engine friendly, and then you pay again later for SEO. If you start out with a well-trained designer you can get it right the first time.
Myth #2: But I don’t want a second website!
There is also a common misconception that you will have one site, and a second “accessible” site. This is not and should not be the case. Ideally, you would have one very nice, accessible website. You shouldn’t have to pay for two. (Admittedly, if you insist on using certain non-accessible technologies, you will likely have to pay for a second site.)
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I was recently admitted to the Guild of Accessible Web Designers. This is a big deal for me, since accessibility has been a focus of mine from my earliest days learning web design. I was accepted after a review of my site, so I’m feeling rather proud of myself! This is just another step to demonstrate my commitment to accessibility.
Accessibility is a term that throws a lot of people at first. Even people who make websites, but may not be professional designers, don’t always realize what it is or the importance of it. Individuals at businesses and non-profits in charge of getting a site built are often surprised by the concept once they discover what it is.
So what is it?
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