When I'm the expert in the room, it’s easy to get caught up in technical jargon and logical arguments. I know my stuff inside out, and it all makes perfect sense to me.
Of course we want to make our website usable by a screen reader.
Of course we want to use the correct ARIA attributes.
Of course semantic HTML is the better option.
But it just might be that, in that meeting were I keep thinking "of course," I'm surrounded by people who don't have the same level of understanding.
So when I say HTML or ARIA or WCAG, they hear "yadda yadda."
So it’s crucial to level the playing field. It's better to use language that everyone can understand. This is not about dumbing things down. I just need to make sure my message is clear to everyone.
When in doubt, appeal to emotions and feelings and not so much to logic.
It’s logical to argue that we should make our websites usable for people with disabilities. But logic alone isn’t enough sometimes. And it's best to stay away from abstract concepts.
What about saying instead that we want to allow my grandmother to buy her medicine online? Or your dyslexic son to enjoy reading comics? Or the war veteran who lost their sight serving their country and wants to manage their finances online? Or the college student with ADHD who has trouble focusing on dense blocks of text.
These are the kinds of examples that hit home.
So, next time you’re in a meeting, remember to speak in a way that everyone can connect with. Use common language and tap into emotions. I think this is a much more effective way we can get people to truly understand and care about the importance of accessibility.