Mandy Michael has another great piece on the importance of HTML semantics, this time with a focus on browsers in “reader mode” (and apps that offer similar experiences). Give it a read, then go tend to your markup.
Dispatches From The Internets
Building websites for Safari Reader Mode and other reading apps.
Links List for Print Styles
Great minds think alike! Here’s Adrian Roselli on a means of adding link lists for printed pages (rather than offering expansions inline). Hard to believe my piece on the topic ran in A List Apart over twelve years ago!
This is a fantastic, modern approach!
Hey GOV.UK, what are you doing about voice?
Apropos of my recent A List Apart article, here’s some information about how GOV.UK is thinking about voice interfaces.
They break down their approach in three areas:
- richness for search engines,
- availability for knowledge engines, and
- connectivity into bespoke digital assistant “skills.”
The power of progressive enhancement
An excellent read on how Andy Bell applied progressive enhancement to a project. I particularly liked this statement (emphasis his):
Progressive enhancement isn’t necessarily more work and it certainly isn’t a non-JavaScript fallback, it’s a change in how we think about our projects. A complete mindset change is required here and it starts by remembering that you don’t build websites for yourself, you build them for others.
Disable scripts for Data Saver users on slow connections
In case you missed it, Chrome will be turning JavaScript off if a user has turned Data Saver on and the site is begin delivered over a slow connection. Say goodbye to your heavy front-end frameworks folks. Server-side rendering is a requirement.
Progressive enhancement for the win!
PS - Have you read my book yet?
Best Practices For Mobile Form Design
An exhaustive (and kinda overwhelming) look at best practices for form design in general. I wouldn’t even add “mobile” as an adjective. Good advice all around for accessibility and usability.
Google Go can now read any website out loud
I’m very interested in trying Google Go out as I want to check out the voice synthesis quality. Unfortunately it’s not available in the US. Can any of my Google friends hook me up?
Also worth noting: Google is using AI to find the most compelling content. I’m curious to see how that shakes out too.
Mentorship 2018
If you follow my work, you may recall that I started a formal mentorship program last year. I had the great privilege of working with two incredibly talented people—Amberley Romo and Manuel Matuzović—for a little over a year and enjoyed the hell out of the experience. I had hoped to kick off a new mentorship session in January, but (as often happens) life got in the way. Now that I’m settled into a new city and a new routine, I’m itching to get things going again. And so I ask: How can I help you develop or further your career on the web?
Designing for Inclusion with Media Queries
So much great information in this one! Read the presenter notes.
CSS Grid—Responsive layouts and components
Excellent, straightforward grid tutorial from Rafaela Ferro.