Module 6

This week was all about making digital content more usable, accessible, and inclusive. Basically, it’s not enough for your site or writing✎ to look good, it needs to work for everyone.


Usability is about how easy something is to use. If a site is confusing, takes too long to load, or is hard to navigate, people are going to bounce. We learned that web users mostly skim, so it’s important to keep things simple, clear headings, short paragraphs, and content that’s easy to scan.


Accessibility takes it a step further. It means making sure people with disabilities can access and interact with your content. The WCAG guidelines break this down into four areas: your content needs to be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. That includes stuff like alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and enough color contrast.


Inclusion is about making everyone feel welcome: regardless of ability, age, or language. We read how using plain language and avoiding slang or technical jargon helps more people understand your content. Writing at a 4th or 5th grade reading level can go a long way when you’re writing for the public.


It was also interesting to see how even small design choices, like adding white space or clear labels, can improve user experience and trust. The bottom line? If we’re writing or designing for the web, we need to think about all users, not just people like us.

Question to Consider:
Have you ever used a site or app that was frustrating or confusing? What would’ve made it easier?

Citations:
W3C. (n.d.). Accessibility, usability, and inclusion. https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-usability-inclusion/
Donegan, R. (2011). The rhetorical possibilities of accessibility. In Driscoll, D. L. & Powell, J. (Eds.), Writing spaces: Readings on writing (Vol. 2, pp. 110–119). https://wac.colostate.edu/books/writingspaces2/
Nielsen Norman Group. (n.d.). Text scanning patterns. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/


Comments

  1. Tony AlvarengaAugust 8, 2025 at 7:26 AM

    Hi, good explanation and use of pictures! I didn't think do use citations like you did, good thinking.

    ReplyDelete

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