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Re: Experience with MS Teams

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From: Pratik Patel
Date: Mar 29, 2018 9:59AM

Having the discussion about application mode is important as Microsoft and Google both attempt to push web apps as a standard. While application mode could be problematic if not implemented correctly, I do not agree that it is useless. I strongly believe that it is an exaggeration to suggest that it is. When it is implemented, it becomes vital to ensure that focus management along with keyboard navigation are managed. One of the reasons why application mode is not implemented correctly is because the experience, in its entirety, has to be managed. The application has to be navigable. Users have been used to navigating the web by using the virtual cursor. (There is a move afoot that will eventually eliminate the virtual cursor.) But, in the meantime, examples such as Gmail, Google Inbox, Google Docs, etc serve as excellent pointers to developers for instances of how the application mode could be managed. I do agree that the application mode is not necessary for all apps. It has to be chosen correctly. But it should not be ignored either. Poor implementations in the past should not be used as examples of why it should not be done. They should, however, serve as examples of how not to do it. If we continue to argue that application mode is bad, we risk leaving behind a group of people. Let's make sure that web apps have as much usability for blind users as they promise to for sighted individuals.