Enhancing Accessibility with AI and ML

There has been a lot of buzz recently about Artificial Intelligence, with some people speculating that we are approaching the long-awaited AI revolution. This hype has been chiefly generated by recent advanced algorithms powering ChatGPT and other language-related models. While I believe that these models are still a far cry from general AI (AI which… Continue reading Enhancing Accessibility with AI and ML

The usability problem with prompt-driven AI

As the GenAI hype dust settles — it’s time to start thinking about usability and the opportunity it presents to address declining engagement and retention. Source: Pexels GenAI represents a new paradigm in User Interface Design and a radical shift from Command-Based Interaction Models and Graphical User Interfaces which have dominated the last 50 years of computing.… Continue reading The usability problem with prompt-driven AI

Save the date for axe-con 2024. The world’s largest digital accessibility conference is back.

HERNDON, VA –  October 17, 2024 – Deque Systems, the trusted leader in digital accessibility, announced today that the fourth annual axe-con conference will return next year on February 20-22, 2024. With the success of axe-con over the past three years, Deque will continue to host the conference as a free and virtual event. Axe-con… Continue reading Save the date for axe-con 2024. The world’s largest digital accessibility conference is back.

Deque Systems Welcomes and Announces Support for WCAG 2.2

Deque Systems congratulates the W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AGWG) members on the official release of the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2, which were released October 5 at 8:39 am EST. With more employees actively working to develop WCAG 2.2 within the W3C than any other business, we’re thrilled to see the… Continue reading Deque Systems Welcomes and Announces Support for WCAG 2.2

How Serious Is Your Design Practice About Learning?

Today I’m sharing a strategic approach that enables your design practice to learn more from the accessibility-related data you already have. I will again skip the “how to” article formula and dry laundry lists of tactical “do this/don’t do that” mechanics. Instead, I’ll focus on helping you think about WHY you should do things differently… Continue reading How Serious Is Your Design Practice About Learning?

Digital Accessibility As A Self-Evident Right: How US Federal Government Agencies Can Improve Digital Services

The Federal government of the United States was founded on a set of key principles. While there have been amendments and additions to these principles throughout history, it can still be said that three foundational principles are unwavering: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Monumental, persistent efforts are needed to ensure that these core… Continue reading Digital Accessibility As A Self-Evident Right: How US Federal Government Agencies Can Improve Digital Services

3 Essential Design Trends, September 2023

Here’s what’s trending in design this month: 1. Monochrome Color Schemes One-color design patterns can be beautiful and somewhat enchanting. With tints and tones of the same base color, there is a certain elegance that comes with a monochrome color scheme. Designers who have worked with color in this way know that while the end result may look… Continue reading 3 Essential Design Trends, September 2023

AI in education: a savior or a threat?

Are threats to global education driven by AI or human factors? Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to gain ground in education, the question arises: is AI the hero we’re looking for, or does it pose a potential threat to the future of learning? It’s a captivating subject, given the paramount importance… Continue reading AI in education: a savior or a threat?

From toy to titan: the activations behind the Barbie effect

The marketing budget for Barbie was $150m, more than the $145m for the movie itself—and it shows. Barbie takes over the streets of Dubai. Credit Eye Studio. Operation Barbie Summer (the internal codename from Warner Bros) is in full swing. Since its release on July 21st, just two weeks ago, the Barbie movie has shattered 11 box… Continue reading From toy to titan: the activations behind the Barbie effect

I sent an email, but nobody read it. So I sent out an invite.

When it comes to group dynamics, there are two key factors that play a crucial role: task-oriented and maintenance-oriented behaviors. As you plan your team’s agenda, consider how these factors influence the dynamics and productivity of the group. midjourney 2023 / prompt: Google calendar full of meetings “Not another meeting…” or “this could have been an email…”… Continue reading I sent an email, but nobody read it. So I sent out an invite.

Accessibility Legislation & Regulation Roundup – A LOT Happened in Just July

A lot is happening in the US legislative and international regulatory space right now around accessibility. Not surprisingly, many of these actions were timed to the US’ ADA anniversary. It can be overwhelming. Here are some of the things my colleagues and I are monitoring for you right now and our take on what they… Continue reading Accessibility Legislation & Regulation Roundup – A LOT Happened in Just July

What it takes to avoid an ADA lawsuit, 33rd-anniversary edition

With the number of digital accessibility lawsuits in 2023 on the rise, it begs the question, “Do I really need to consider the needs of 1 in 4 Americans when it comes to their ability to do business with me?” The increasing litigation says yes. Let’s take a look at how you can minimize your… Continue reading What it takes to avoid an ADA lawsuit, 33rd-anniversary edition

What’s the difference between design values and principles?

Collectively, design values and principles are the guiding beliefs and priorities that shape the design process for any design team, product or designer. But what should they be, and what’s the difference between them? Photo by Tyler Lastovich on Unsplash We’re all different, and whether we’re aware of it or not we’re all likely to have our… Continue reading What’s the difference between design values and principles?

WWDC 2023 Accessibility Goodies for Developers

This year, Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) was a big deal! Among the many announcements this year, Apple introduced the new Apple Vision Pro headset which has arguably and understandably stolen the show this year.  Although Vision Pro may be the big talk of the town post-WWDC, there was also a myriad of exciting… Continue reading WWDC 2023 Accessibility Goodies for Developers

Finding value at the bookends

Improving the design of solutions by conducting foundational pre-design research and post-launch analyses. The UX research field is experiencing a significant transformation as it becomes increasingly prevalent and expands beyond dedicated user researchers. Both user researchers and “people who do research” are engaging in more user interviews, surveys, and other forms of data collection, recognizing… Continue reading Finding value at the bookends

Innovative Home Decor: How Custom Neon Signs Elevate Interior Design Strategies

‍“There’s No Place Like Home” LED sign by VoodooNeon.com Introduction to innovative home decor In recent years, the world of interior design has seen a significant shift towards innovative and unconventional home decor ideas. As homeowners, we are always on the lookout for unique ways to express our individuality and creativity in our living spaces.… Continue reading Innovative Home Decor: How Custom Neon Signs Elevate Interior Design Strategies

Deque Announces Availability for the axe DevTools Linter Free Trial

Catch accessibility issues while you code & automatically block every inaccessible pull request with the axe DevTools Linter. HERNDON, VA – April 26, 2023 – Deque Systems, the trusted leader in digital accessibility, today announced that a free trial of the axe DevTools Linter is now available via a simple, online self-service process. See for… Continue reading Deque Announces Availability for the axe DevTools Linter Free Trial

The AI revolution for businesses and the customer experience

After scouring the web and experimenting with numerous AI tools I am sharing my predictions for 2030 and beyond. Image created by Midjourney AI using a prompt from Danny Bluestone. In this article I am outlining my 6 ‘I’s to how I see AI evolving over the next decade. They include AI’s impact on the Internet,… Continue reading The AI revolution for businesses and the customer experience

Character creation UX

A guide to CCIs in game design. Walking dressed cyberpunk in a cyberpunk city by Paola Ascanio via MidJourney Character creation is an essential aspect of most video games, allowing players to customize their avatars and immerse themselves in the game world. As a user experience (UX) designer, your role in game design is to create… Continue reading Character creation UX

The art of unlearning

How letting go of the familiar can help product designers become more creative. The pursuit of knowledge — challenging the old & embracing the new (‘School of Athens’ by Raphael) Kids are more imaginative than adults. Not only is this pretty commonly observed, but it’s scientifically proven too. In 1968, George Land conducted a longitudinal study where he… Continue reading The art of unlearning

Understanding Python Regex Functions, with Examples

Regular expressions (regex) are special sequences of characters used to find or match patterns in strings, as this introduction to regex explains. We’ve previously shown how to use regular expressions with JavaScript and PHP. The focus of this article is Python regex, with the goal of helping you better understand how to manipulate regular expressions… Continue reading Understanding Python Regex Functions, with Examples

Should you do UX Research yourself, or hire an agency?

The Pros and Cons of these two options — plus a third you might have ignored The number at the end of the agency’s proposal was over one million Euros. I was floored. A client of mine had sent me a proposal from the latest research consulting firm in the runnings to help them explore a new market. Of the… Continue reading Should you do UX Research yourself, or hire an agency?

Personas should be living and breathing

Too often, designers create a persona at the start of a project, then put it up on a wall like a graduation picture and simply leave it there to be looked at and referenced occasionally…pulling out interesting stories when the situation demands. But your persona should be alive. It should live, grow, evolve and adapt.… Continue reading Personas should be living and breathing