Using accessibility as the opportunity to innovate for everyone

Accessibility should be a priority for every app developer no matter how big or small their app is. By prioritizing accessibility you ensure that your app works for a broader set of users who have various backgrounds and abilities. In this talk, I will discuss how accessibility is an opportunity for iOS developers to enhance their creativity and how to work accessibility into your feature development process. We'll go over Apple Accessibility API's and how you can leverage them to ensure any customizations in your app are accessible.

Transcript

1. Using accessibility as the opportunity to innovate for everyone SwiftxNW Kaya Thomas
2. About me @kthomas901
3. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
4. What is accessibility? Accessibility is the process of creating products that are usable by all people. @kthomas901
5. 10% of the world’s population lives with a disability. @kthomas901
6. 1 in 5 people in the United States live with a disability. @kthomas901
7. Disability types Visual Auditory Cognitive Mobility @kthomas901
8. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
9. @kthomas901 Apple’s MacOS Accessibility team
10. How can you make Xcode a better experience for blind programmers? @kthomas901
11. “All the barriers that exist are created by society. As members of society, we play a role in removing those barriers and making sure that everyone can access information and opportunities.” -Haben Girma @kthomas901
12. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
13. Voiceover, Invert Colors, Dynamic Type, Magnifier Live Listen, LED Flash, Captioning Speak Screen, Typing Feedback, Guided Access Switch Control, Assistive Touch iOS Accessibility Features and Tools @kthomas901
14. UIAccessibility • isAccessibilityElement - whether the receiver is an accessibility element that an assistive application can access • accessibilityLabel - identifies the accessibility element • accessibilityTraits - combination of accessibility traits that best characterize the accessibility element • accessibilityValue - value of the accessibility element • accessibilityHint - brief description of the result of performing an action on the accessibility element @kthomas901
15. UIAccessibility • isAccessibilityElement • accessibilityLabel • accessibilityTraits • accessibilityValue • accessibilityHint @kthomas901
16. UIAccessibility • true • “Screen Brightness” • .adjustable • “56%” • “Swipe up or down with one finger to adjust the value” @kthomas901
17. UIAccessibility • isAccessibilityElement • accessibilityLabel • accessibilityTraits • accessibilityValue • accessibilityHint @kthomas901
18. UIAccessibility • true • “heart” • .button • n/a • “Tap to pick this emoji” @kthomas901
19. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
20. Innovation + a11y • Keyboard navigation + shortcuts • Slack Kit • Audio notifications @kthomas901
21. Tab and arrow keyboard navigation in Slack desktop app @kthomas901
22. Who doesn’t love keyboard shortcuts?! Accessibility makes our product better for everyone by making the product easier to use and navigate. @kthomas901
23. Slack Kit: 136 colors -> 18 colors
24. Work in progress: Audio notifications How can someone who is blind know when new messages are coming into Slack?
25. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
26. General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut @kthomas901
27. Accessibility Inspector @kthomas901
28. Questions to ask yourself and/or your team: • What are ways we can make our software more accessible to people who experience the world differently from us? • When we are designing and planning feature work, how can we make accessibility a requirement in the process? • What customers/users are we alienating with our current product? • How can we include accessibility in our automated testing? @kthomas901
29. Agenda • What is Accessibility? • My a11y Journey • iOS Accessibility Overview • Innovation + a11y • How to get started with a11y • Resources @kthomas901
30. Resources • Apple Accessibility docs: https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/ios/ • Disability & Innovation: The Universal Benefits of Accessible Design, by Haben Girma @ WWDC 2016 • Deliver an Exceptional Accessibility Experience (Session 230) @ WWDC 2018 @kthomas901
31. Thank you! Kayathomas.info @kthomas901