Stop making accessibility harder than it needs to be. Use semantic HTML elements and get accessibility built in instead of fighting ARIA.
Authentic conversations so far...
This is an archive of the email messages I sent to my daily mailing list since March 12th, 2024. Enjoy!
10 things you should focus on
Yesterday
10 tips for a sustainable accessibility strategy, from focusing on people to automated tools, feedback loops and the impact of your choices.
Two types of accessibility data
Oct 1st, 2025
Lab data tells you what's broken. Field data tells you if users can actually use your site.
What's next
Sep 30th, 2025
Every decision in product development is an accessibility decision. We just don't always realise it.
Desire paths
Sep 29th, 2025
Shift from "accessibility as compliance checkbox" to "accessibility as following natural user behaviour."
Access Denied #65: 100% coverage
Sep 28th, 2025
In Issue 65 of Access Denied, Gary thinks just adding any alt text to images solves accessibility.
Simple hacks for long-term problems
Sep 27th, 2025
Simple accessibility hacks rarely fix long-term use experience and process problems.
Real talk: This is why we can't have accessible things
Sep 26th, 2025
A code horror story with a giant pull request that fixes accessibility.
Should you outsource accessibility or build it in-house?
Sep 25th, 2025
Weighing up outsourcing accessibility vs building in-house expertise? There are compelling reasons for each approach.
The BS Meetings Signs: Checklist
Sep 24th, 2025
Say no to endless discussions and meetings about meetings, and instead reach clear outcomes and ship accessible products.
I don't know
Sep 23rd, 2025
The people who never say "I don't know" are accessibility's biggest problem.
You don't have to be blind to use a screen reader
Sep 22nd, 2025
Screen readers aren't just for people with visual disabilities.
Access Denied #64: When success is measured in pixels
Sep 21st, 2025
In Issue 64 of Access Denied, Gary thinks that copying Google will lead to success.
Working with legacy code
Sep 20th, 2025
Accessibility shouldn't be an afterthought, but with legacy systems, that's often exactly what it becomes.
Real talk: Blind copy
Sep 19th, 2025
Stop copying big companies without understanding why their design works.
Prioritising accessibility debt
Sep 18th, 2025
How can you prioritise accessibility debt to work first on what needs your immediate attention?
The BS Meetings Series: Why this mattered so much to me
Sep 17th, 2025
Wrapping up the series on BS meetings.
Selection bias in user research
Sep 16th, 2025
The user research you've been doing might have some pretty massive blind spots.
Brilliant conversations kill products
Sep 15th, 2025
Casual feedback from trade shows and networking events can mislead your accessibility product decisions.
Access Denied #63: User research
Sep 14th, 2025
In Issue 63 of Access Denied, Gary thinks keyboard navigation isn't needed because his team use mice.
Six years in and I'm done arguing about basics
Sep 13th, 2025
I'm done explaining accessibility basics to teams who aren't ready to listen.
Real talk: Of mice and users
Sep 12th, 2025
Disregarding keyboard navigation because you haven't met people who rely on keyboards is just lazy.
Accessibility debt investment
Sep 11th, 2025
How to convince your team to invest their time in fixing accessibility debt in your product.
The BS Meetings Signs: Empty talk
Sep 10th, 2025
If the end result of a meeting is another meeting, you should not have had the meeting.
Some can't be helped
Sep 9th, 2025
Some people cannot be helped when they're not open minded about accessibility and people with disabilities.
Helping product owners get what they want
Sep 8th, 2025
Instead of changing what product owners want, help them get what they already want.
Access Denied #62: Too many accessibility tickets
Sep 7th, 2025
In Issue 62 of Access Denied, Gary complains there are too many accessibility tickets to work on.
The magic of daily practice, continued
Sep 6th, 2025
Daily practice makes accessibility worth doing and the work easier.
A story about how bureaucratic nonsense can turn accessibility into a security threat.
Overcome developer pushback on accessibility
Sep 4th, 2025
Overcome developer resistance to accessibility fixes with practical strategies that show accessibility is essential.
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I send out short emails like these every day to help you gain a fresh perspective on accessibility and understand it without the jargon, so you can build more robust products that everyone can use, including people with disabilities.