In this week’s web design and development news roundup, you’ll learn about the United Nations asking designers to produce visuals about COVID-19, discover the features in the newly-released WordPress 5.4 version, find out how to improve page speed, and more.
If you’re new to my blog, each Friday I publish a post highlighting my favorite user experience, accessibility, WordPress, CSS, and HTML posts I’ve read in the past week.
Hope you find the resources helpful in your work or projects!
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Tweet of the Week
Good morning. Whether this is one of your better days or one of your harder ones, please take care of yourself.
— Linda Holmes Thinks You’re Doing Great (@lindaholmes) April 2, 2020
User Experience
- If you’re transitioning to remote user research, Validately is offering a free (limited) plan to the first 100 companies who register by May 1, 2020. Note: restrictions apply.
- As a UX writer, user stories, acceptance criteria, and an analysis document are three documents in the UX writing process that help Rohit Nair craft content that helps users successfully navigate a product.
- Can you help? The United Nations issues an open brief to designers to help fight coronavirus.
In its first open brief to the creative community, the United Nations is asking for designers to help produce concise and impactful visuals to help share life-saving information on Covid-19.
- In their monthly user research workshop, the Government Design Service team for the UK government identified and crowdsourced tools and tips for remote research, compiling the tools in a spreadsheet you can download.
Accessibility
- In the 2020 WebAIM million site study analyzing the top million websites, results show that sites are not becoming more accessible. We have more work to do.
- I’ve updated my post on how to add alternative text to Facebook images, with new information on how to add alternative text to images in Facebook’s iOS app.
- I’m always learning something new about alternative text for images. Appreciate the insights shared from Abigale Stangl, Meredith Ringel, and Morris Danna Gurar in their research of user preferences on how alt text can meet the needs of people who are blind or have low vision.
- Are you following these top 10 tips for making content usable by people with cognitive and learning disabilities? My favorite tip: Provide support for different ways to understand content.
WordPress
- WordPress 5.4 has been released and is available for download. Users will find improved performance, two new blocks, and clearer navigation.
- Once you’ve updated to WordPress 5.4, you may discover you don’t like the default Block Editor fullscreen editing mode. Here’s how to disable it and what you need to know about WordPress 5.4 fullscreen editing mode.
- In recognition of the cash flow challenges many WordPress providers are facing, Manage WP is supporting their customers during the coronavirus outbreak is waiving all charges for April and May 2020.
- If you’ve been considering different WordPress frameworks, my friend Claire shares her review of the popular Genesis framework, highlighting the pros and cons.
- I think you’ll get some excellent ideas on how to design with blocks from, Mel Choyce’s make unique designs by combining blocks presentation from this week’s virtual WPBlockTalk event.
CSS and HTML
- Do you get confused about responsive images and how to manage them on your site? Scott Vandehey explains responsive images in a simple way.
- The Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome teams worked together over the past year to improve accessibility, touch support, and provide consistent styling to form controls and focus.
- It’s a long read, but worthwhile for all the advanced tips and advice for improving page speed on your website.
- Among the top ten reasons to switch to the new Microsoft Edge are vertical tabs, tracking protection, and truly private browsing.
What I Found Interesting
- With the incredible increase in Zoom usage in the past few weeks, there have been more than a few hiccups. In their message to users, Zoom announced this week a focus on education, privacy, safety, and trust.
- This looks cool! You can play or make your own vinyl records with the Gakken Easy Record Maker. Cost is only $82 (U.S. dollars).
- This is an interesting development. Meetup has spun off of WeWork. I wonder if the new owners will focus on a more usable and accessible service?
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Did I miss some resources you found this week? I’d love to see them! Post them in the comments below.
