RailsConf 2023 - Accessible by default by Joel Hawksley

"Join Joel Hawksley, GitHub staff engineer, as he shares real-world accessibility challenges, automation processes, and collaborations to make accessibility default by default, highlighting GitHub's efforts to improve accessibility in software."

Key takeaways
  • RailsConf 2023 is aimed at making accessibility default by default.
  • Joel Hawksley, a staff engineer at GitHub, shares real-world experiences with accessibility challenges.
  • GitHub has implemented an automation process to review and fix accessibility issues called Axe.
  • AWS, Google, and Mozilla collaborated on the Axe project.
  • The goal is to have a minimal viable product (MVP) with 80-90% accessibility, then improve further.
  • Joel’s personal experience in rebuilding his home after a wildfire highlighted the importance of accessibility.
  • A conversation about a quote from Donald Rumsfeld leads to a discussion on how to measure success in accessibility.
  • GitHub started using AXE tool, which can be run statically or as a browser plugin.
  • Joel shares some custom AXE rules written by GitHub, and how they have automated the process.
  • The collaboration between GitHub and Google on AXE has allowed for real-time feedback and integration.
  • Universal design is discussed as a concept and its application in software.
  • GitHub implemented a form builder with accessibility in mind, making it easier for users to create accessible forms.
  • Playwright is mentioned as a tool for automating browser interactions.
  • GitHub encourages developers to use the Chrome DevTools Accessibility Auditor and the axe library to test and improve accessibility.
  • Screen readers are discussed as a way for users with visual impairments to interact with websites and software.
  • GitHub is committed to accessibility and aims to make it default by default.