I touch type. I haven't done any actual tests to measure speed and accuracy. But I type quick enough and accurate enough that others can't understand how I do it without looking at the keyboard, my fingers seemingly moving on their own.
The best typists, one of which I am not, don't seem to try very hard. They type faster than I speak. The difference between them and me is how practice happened.
I didn't care if I typed fast. Nor did I want to get here. The fact that I am here comes from unconscious practice.
The best typists on the other hand understand exactly what got them where they are. In fact, they planned for it, worked towards it and continue to treat it as their goal. This is deliberate practice.
Like the best typists, effective accessibility requires deliberate practice. The best at it understand what inclusive design requires.
Some approaches to keep in mind:
- Focus on the user experience first
- Don't try to fix everything at once
- Establish clear accessibility goals and prioritise progress over perfection
- Semantic HTML is far more important than visual aesthetics, but one does not exclude the other
- Spend time learning assistive technologies
- Consistently test with diverse users
- Frustration leads to shortcuts
- Consistently add incremental challenges that are just outside your comfort area
It's not easy, but it's worth it.