Cisco Networking Academy - Fundamentals of Web Design












 


Overview





In this chapter, you will learn how to
make your website accessible in the context of a global environment.
As a web designer, you will play a role in how the web is shaped. It
is critical that you approach every web design project with the goal
of making your site accessible to everyone regardless of their
physical limitations or geographic location.
Since the global community includes people who are disabled, it is
important to understand how their disabilities limit their use of the
web and how your design can make their access less of an issue. It is
crucial you understand that your website must be accessible to
everyone. Your client relies on you to follow the industry's
guidelines and common practices. A good web designer will always
consider accessibility issues and incorporate them into every website
they design. As a professional web designer, you need to do the same.
You should also consider international issues. If your client is to
compete on a global basis, you need to know how to design web pages
that will appeal to an international audience. You will not simply
translate the text in your existing web pages. You will need to
determine if the text and other elements, such as the images and
symbols, are appropriate for that wider audience. If you do not
consider international issues when designing a website, you may be
limiting your client's audience to only one country and/or culture.
Furthermore, you will limit yourself to the type of clients who will
employ your services. Today, most businesses think on a global scale
even if their current operations are only localized. In some cases,
businesses plan to use their new website to expand globally. If you
are only able to design a website for an American audience, your
potential client may seek web design services elsewhere.