Most engineers design for themselves. But most users aren't engineers. A practical manifesto for inclusive, human-centered software design.
When I first learned about WCAG accessibility guidelines, I treated them as a checklist. Then I watched a screenreader user navigate a form I had built, and everything changed.
The button that read "Submit" made no sense without visual context. The color-coded error states were invisible to them. I had built a system optimized for one kind of user: me.
Accessibility is not about edge cases. It's about the reality that human cognition and perception exist on a spectrum.
Practically: semantic HTML is free. Focus management costs one line. Color contrast takes thirty seconds. Design for the 90%. The other 10% will thank you too.
Topics
Abdi Tefera
Software Engineer · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia