Benjamin Parry~ Writing ~ Engineering a better design test ~ @benjaminparry

Paper Prototype CSS

A stylesheet to imitate paper—perfect for low-fidelity prototypes that you want to test.

Building a resilient frontend using progressive enhancement - Service Manual - GOV.UK

Using progressive enhancement means your users will be able to do what they need to do if any part of the stack fails.

What a terrific short guide to sensible web development!

• Start with HTML
  • Using interactive elements
  • Adding the extras
  • Building more complex services
  • Testing your service
  • Do not assume users turn off CSS or JavaScript
  • Case studies and related guides

Beyond automatic accessibility testing: 6 things I check on every website I build - Manuel Matuzović

Six steps that everyone can do to catch accessibility gotchas:

1. Check image descriptions
2. Disable all styles
3. Validate HTML
4. Check the document outline
5. Grayscale mode
6. Use the keyboard

Testing the accessibility of pattern libraries

Riffing on Rachel’s talk at Patterns Day:

At the Patterns Day conference last month, Rachel Andrew mentioned something interesting about patterns. She said that working with reusable interface components, where each one has its own page, made her realise that those work quite well as isolated test cases. I feel this also goes for some accessibility tests: there is a number of criteria where isolation aids testing.

Hidde specifically singles out these patterns:

• Collapsible (“Show/hide”)
• Form field
• Video player

Hack to the Future - Frontend - Matt Hobbs

Put the kettle on. This is a long one!

Matt takes a trip down memory lane and looks at all the frontend tools, technologies, and techniques that have come and gone over the years.

But this isn’t about nostalgia (although it does make you appreciate how far we’ve come). He’s looking at whether anything from the past is worth keeping today.

Studying past best practices and legacy systems is crucial for understanding the evolution of technology and making informed decisions today.

There’s only one technique that makes the cut:

After discussing countless legacy approaches and techniques best left in the past, you’ve finally arrived at a truly timeless and Incredibly important methodology.