[Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?

[Thomas Dowling]

Stacy Pober wrote:

>Our school has redesigned the college website without asking for input
>from the librarians ...
>
>  
>

What's wrong with this picture?  From your description, it isn't the 
font sizes and colors, etc. etc.,  but communication.  The site design 
process is in the hands of people who neither ask for nor accept input 
from others, who dictate priorities unilaterally (kewlness - yes; 
usability, accessibility, no).  Maybe you can go over their heads and 
find a boss who thinks maybe they should in fact pay attention to their 
consituents.  Otherwise, the best you can do is document user complaints 
and staff observations of what doesn't work right.

BTW, you may have a campus office devoted to the concerns of disabled 
students.  They would be interested in the wholesale disavowal of any 
need for online accessibility.


-- 
Thomas Dowling
tdowling at ohiolink.edu