This post was originally published in June 2021 and updated in April 2024. Over 4.8 million websites from 175 countries trust Shopify to host their store. Almost 46K of these websites use Shopify Plus, which is Shopify's enterprise solution for high-volume merchants with complex businesses. Clearly, Shopify is doing something right when it comes to e-commerce. But if you are using Shopify, it's important to realize that additional work is almost always needed for an inclusive, ADA-compliant Shopify website ..read more

This blog post was originally published in March 2023 and updated in April 2024. The success or failure of a product is largely determined by its user experience (UX). If a product is usable and intuitive, users can easily navigate the website or app and become customers. On the other hand, if the experience is difficult, users are unlikely to continue using it. The goal of UX design is to create products that can be used successfully by every potential user, regardless of their ability. In other words, the best UX is accessible to everyone. How iS ux aCCESSIBILITY uNIQUE? It takes a team t ..read more

This blog was originally published in August 2020 and updated in April 2024.  ..read more

The coffee shop craze is taking the food industry by storm, boasting over 35,000 establishments across the US. Whether it's a morning pick-me-up or a refreshing iced tea, these hubs cater to all ages, with coffee lovers indulging in an average of 3 cups daily. While big national chains hold their ground, the rise of small independent coffee shops, comprising 24% of the market, adds a vibrant touch to the scene ..read more

In the wake of ChatGPT, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential use cases, ranging from marketing to customer service to image and video creation. When should it be used? What are the perks and the risks?  And today, we’re going to talk about AI and accessibility. We’ll discuss how AI can help improve accessible digital experiences, where it can help with accessibility testing, and the limitations that brands need to keep in mind. How can AI and accessibility work together? Using ChatGPT to help you develop the best prompts is an excellent experience for ..read more

In my last post, I wrote about an accessibility disaster I experienced when trying to help someone purchase airline tickets online. Again, I will be assisting that person with another travel-related task, reserving a hotel room. We settled on one of the major national hotel chains. In this post, I will bring the reader along as I attempt to complete the task. As I progress, I will point out both good and bad design choices regarding accessibility. Like all my blogs, my narrative will exclusively be my experience as a blind person who uses a screen reader as my technology to navigate the ..read more

Today’s blog will be about trying to help someone purchase airline tickets for a last-minute trip. The accessibility of the site in question was possibly the worst that I have ever encountered. This says a lot because I have used numerous websites with bad accessibility in the past. In the remainder of this post, I will bring the reader on this unsuccessful journey to buy plane tickets. Like always, I will cover screen reader accessibility or lack thereof ..read more

In this post, I will be continuing with my new accessibility narration series, in which I take the reader through a set of interactions I have with a website, documenting both positive and negative accessibility. The goal is to show how the topics I have discussed in the past affect real-world experiences. I recently learned that one of my favorite rock bands plays two concerts in my area in December. Wishing to purchase tickets, I immediately went to the internet to hopefully complete this task. Unfortunately, my browsing session was ultimately unsuccessful. For reference, my narrative will ..read more

Many restaurants, both local spots and national chains, allow customers to reserve a table online. I recently tried to make a reservation at a popular restaurant in my area but, unfortunately, had a poor experience in terms of accessibility and usability. I will narrate the reservation process in this blog, highlighting positive and negative design characteristics ..read more

The holiday season is upon us and is my favorite time of year. It might surprise some readers to learn that I love decorating for Christmas. One of my traditions is building a new custom decoration every year to add to my collection. This time, I decided I wanted to make a unique wreath adorned with C9 bulbs, those large old-fashioned colored holiday lights that will undoubtedly bring feelings of nostalgia to those who remember them from their childhood.  I found a website that sells both the bulbs I need and the unique light stringers that hold them on the wreath. In this post, I will ..read more