The Soul Waves website is a project I worked on in a web design and development course. Collaborating with another junior designer, Ariel Tsang, we designed a fully functional and responsive product site that prioritizes accessibility and aims to enhance the purchasing experience of vinyl records.
One of the challenges I encountered was that the original filtering function I built using JavaScript was not accessible to individuals with disabilities who rely on screen readers to navigate the website. I realized that this limitation may affect the site's overall accessibility and usability, which ultimately impact users' purchasing experience in the company's products.
Recognizing the importance of providing equal access and opportunities to all users, I researched and found that implementing Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) labels in my JavaScript code would address this issue. ARIA-labels gives screen readers additional context about elements, which allows visually impaired users to understand their purpose and functionality. Additionally, we improved the website's responsiveness by incorporating media queries, making it more inclusive for users with different devices to navigate through the site.
The updated filtering function has strengthened the website's accessibility and user experience, as it allows a wider range of users to navigate the site effectively. This experience has taught us the importance of understanding our audience's needs in order to foster an inclusive digital environment for all users.
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