"Web Usability and Accessibility" (no login required, click "View published presentation in a new window") is a presentation I gave in October (2007) for a group of local school district webmasters. I'm a big fan of web usability/accessibility, so my biggest challenge was coming up with a short presentation. My original PPT file has notes, and it was intended to be presented live, but the key points should be on that online version and I'll outline them below. I'd love to elaborate and clarify, just ask.
Outline
- Accessibility is making information available for all users. Section 508 should be your main accessibility guide and consideration (for practical purposes).
- Usability is making information easier to use for your typical users. Ideally, users should quickly understand the layout, and the site should be efficient to use.
- There are many sets of usability guidelines, but testing with actual users is by far the best way to improve usability.