Defining usability and accessibility in web design

A lot of people confuse the concepts of usability and accessibility. The two are actually very different, and people tend to consider one to be of more importance than the other. They must each be considered seriously, and individually. However, many of the same principles govern both accessibility and usability.
Optimizing the usability of a site helps to make it more accessible, as well as providing a strong framework from which to build. Remember, if your site is not user-friendly for the average Web surfer, it will likely be impossibly complex and confusing for users with learning disabilities. Just as much consideration should given to making the site easy to use as is given to making the site accessible.
Accessibility is an important feature in several web design schools and courses. This is because the internet is the medium for the people, and web 2.0 technology is of great use.
One should give top most importance to what the user wants and remove all the ornamental materials from the Web Design pages. Keep in mind that Web pages are primarily built for people to use.
Your mission is to put the user’s needs first - forget about Flash gimmicks and high-bandwidth images; you need to deliver CONTENT. You should be clear in your mind that the need of the user is of prime importance in deciding the usability of web design, and formulating ideas or beginning to think about firing up Dreamweaver is only secondary. No matter what you are designing, the final product is what gets judged.

Posted by: admin | 05-23-2008 | 06:05 AM
Posted in: Education Portal | Net Design | Web Tips | Comments Off