KeyConcepts

Return to eBook main page

Key Concepts to Include

The following are key concepts that should be included in the book. At least, they are concepts that I (Howard) would like included because they are covered in my online course: Universal Design for Digital Media. It doesn't mean that additional topics cannot be included or that the above list cannot be arranged and organized differently. Feel free to include your own suggestions.

Introduction to Universal Design

• The origins of Universal Design and the evolution of the concept
• Definitions and areas of Universal Design
• The 7 Principles of Universal Design
• Who is the audience – whom are we designing for and why?
• Disability & other demographics
• The aging of the Baby Boomers – the Silver Tsunami
• Situational Disability
• Disability & Internet demographic resources
• Universal Design in the Built Environment

Norman’s Design Concepts

• Affordance, Constraints, Feedback, Visibility
• Norman’s concepts in the physical world
• Norman’s concepts in the digital world and on the Web

Internet & Web Fundamentals

• The development of the Internet
• The history and development of the Web

Web Design Basics

• The history and importance of Web Standards
• Principles of page design: layout, composition, color, typography...
• Page design & Information Architecture
• A short guide to writing for the Web

Design Continued (changed to chap 3: Website Planning & User Experience)

• Interaction Design
• Personas
• Card Sorts
• Site maps and user flow diagrams

HTML, Structure & Design

• Pre-Web Standards: The problem with the old model
• Designing with Web Standards
• Structure & Semantics: the Document Object Module
• Meta Data
• The Semantic Web
• Semantics, Web Standards and SEO

Other HTML Elements

• Lists
• Tables
• Forms

CSS – Separating Content from Presentation

• CSS Basics
• Selectors
• Inheritance and Cascade
• The Benefits of CSS design

CSS Continued

• CSS structure – divs & other structure
• Positioning objects on the page
• CSS & Accessibility

Web Accessibility & Users

• Accessibility Overview
• The 4 major areas of disability
  • Mobility
  • Vision
  • Cognitive
  • Hearing

Accessibility & Accessibility Testing

• Evaluating Website Accessibility
• Tools for Evaluation
• Correction & Remediation
• Case Study(ies)

The Mobile Web & Accessibility

• The Intersection of Mobile Design & Accessibility
• Responsive Design
• Accessible Design

CSS3

Return to eBook main page