WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Yes!!! It's the Accessibility World Cup!

for

From: Tim Beadle
Date: Jun 9, 2006 8:20AM

On 09/06/06, Alastair Campbell < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Well, I think my position on automated testing is fairly well known (if
> not, see the links below): it's not a real measure, must publish
> criteria etc.

I'll check those links out.

> Having said that, it is nice when a site you worked on comes out first
> :)

Indeed - give yourself a pat on the back ;)

> Tim's right, the front end code was originally created by Java/CMS
> programmers with no concept of structural code. In a tight timeline we
> brought in late and had to 'insert' as much accessibility as possible,
> in co-operation with said programmers. Although not 'elegant', under the
> hood, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, especially given the
> amount of work changing the system was (for them, we just had to
> persuade them to do it).

I feel your pain - I've had to retrofit accessibility before and it's no fun.

> It would have been nice to have control over the templates (e.g. we
> wouldn't have needed a table for the 4 banners across the top), but it
> simply wasn't possible.

As I mentioned, it's a pretty good result (for UK Gov), especially (as
it turns out) under the circumstances.

Tim