Accessible Tech Design
Five fixes for the surfaces you already touch
A self-guided resource — one fix at a time, fifteen minutes each, no full rebuild required. Work through the checks, actions, and templates here, then pin the checklist above where you publish.
Who this is for
- Solo business owners publishing across site, email, and client portals.
- Creators who post often and need habits that survive busy weeks.
- Anyone using AI to draft or layout content who still needs human eyes before send.
- Hosts who want the person on the other end of the screen to read, skim, see, hear, and follow what you built.
How to use this page
- Work in order (Fix 1 → 5) or jump to the fix you need today.
- Each fix has a check question, a timed action, and optional tables or templates.
- Download the checklist PDF and scan any page, post, or send before it goes live.
- Newsletter links at the bottom are optional deep dives — not required reading.
How May connects to June
May's Mindful Automation hub expanded Y.O.U. to Y.O.U.R. — same three questions about your brain, your observations, and keeping things simple, plus R for Reach: who is on the other end, and what do they need that they should not have to ask for?
June adds a layer: you are responsible for the readability of every piece of text your systems put into the world at scale. When volume goes up — more posts, more sequences, more AI-assisted drafts — your obligation to preview goes up with it. Reach is not only when something sends. It is whether a tired human can read it without zooming.
Human eyes. Accessibility first. Then send.
Your leave-with
Print it, pin it above where you publish. No sign-up required.
Human touchpoint before publish
Run this before anything goes out — post, email, Story template, automated trigger. Not after complaints. First.
| Step | Ask |
|---|
| Preview like a subscriber | Phone, bright light if you can, rushed — not the desktop tab you have been staring at for an hour. |
| Contrast (Fix 1) | Can you read body text and the main CTA without squinting? Aim for 4.5:1 on normal text (WCAG 2.1 AA). |
| Agent pass | If AI touched copy, colors, or HTML — did it assume a background that disappears in some clients? (White on white is the classic.) |
| One fix, then send | Change the worst pair before schedule. Note hex codes so the next draft does not repeat it. |
The five fixes
One question per area. Fifteen minutes each — or ten for Fix 1.
1Readable contrast
10 minutes · The check: Can they read body text and CTAs without squinting?
Do this: Pick one surface (email, homepage, or pinned post). Open it on your phone. Contrast-check body text and main CTA. If an agent touched it, you are the final eyes. Change the worst text pair before you send.
| If you… | Pick one surface | What to change |
|---|
| Business | Homepage, welcome email, pricing PDF, or checkout | Identify the one text pair that matters most; adjust contrast or weight |
| Social / community | Pinned post, link-in-bio, Story text, Discord/Slack theme | Same phone preview — contrast on text overlays and theme colors |
Platforms you already use: Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Squarespace, Carrd, Canva, Instagram — no developer required.
Reflection: Open your last three client-facing sends on your phone. Which fails the tired-eyes test first? If AI helped build it, start there.
Read the full issue2Scannable structure
15 minutes · The check: Can someone skim in 10 seconds and know what this is for? Does heading structure follow H1 → H2 → H3 so screen readers can navigate?
Do this: Take your messiest page, FAQ, long caption, or thread. Add three real headings that describe what each section does — not clever labels, descriptive ones ("What's included," "How to book," "Refund policy"). If it is a social post, break one wall into five short paragraphs or five carousel slides.
10-second skim test
Hand your phone to a friend — or pretend you are seeing your own page for the first time. Within ten seconds, can they answer:
- What is this page or post for?
- What is the one action you want them to take?
- Where would they look next if they only read headings?
| If you… | Pick one surface | What to change |
|---|
| Small business | Services page, FAQ, checkout steps, about page | Real headings (not bold paragraphs pretending to be titles). Short paragraphs. Bullets for steps. |
| Chronically online | Long caption, thread, newsletter section, link-in-bio | One idea per slide or paragraph block. Numbered beats for sequences. White space is navigation. |
Heading hierarchy (simple rules)
- One main title per page or email (H1 or equivalent).
- Section titles for each major chunk (H2).
- Sub-points only when a section truly needs splitting (H3).
- Do not skip levels for styling (H1 → H3 with no H2 confuses screen readers and skimmers alike).
- Short paragraphs: 3–4 lines max on mobile. Bullets for lists of options or steps.
Wall-of-text recovery is normal. Most of us draft in flow state and publish in chaos. Fix 2 is the edit pass that respects how human brains read online: skim first, commit later.
Platforms you already use: WordPress, Squarespace, Notion public page, Mailchimp drag-and-drop, Google Docs → PDF, Bluesky long posts, carousel slides.
Reflection: Which page on your site or bio would you be embarrassed to skim on a timer? Start there.
Read the full issue3Alt text workflow
15 minutes · The check: If images failed, would the message still land?
Do this: Fix alt text on your top three images by traffic or importance. Set a recurring Sunday batch (15 minutes, five images) if you post often.
| If you… | Pick one surface | What to change |
|---|
| Run a business | Hero image, product photo, PDF cover, email header | Alt text: what is in the image + why it matters for the page |
| Post a lot online | Next five posts with text-in-image, carousel, meme-with-message | Repeat critical text in caption or alt field; do not rely on the graphic alone |
Rules of thumb
- Describe what matters for this context — not every pixel.
- Include text that appears in the image — quotes, dates, prices, event titles. Repeat critical text in the caption too.
- Skip "image of" / "photo of" — assistive tech already announces it is an image.
- Decorative images: use empty alt (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
- Functional images (icons, buttons): say what they do — "Search," "Download checklist PDF."
- Keep it under ~125 characters when you can — put the critical noun first.
Alt text template (copy this)
[What is in the image] — [why it matters on this page/post]
Examples
- Bad:
logo_final_v3.png → Good: Pythoness Programmer logo — links to homepage - Bad:
promo → Good: Workshop flyer: Accessible Tech Design, June 2026 — registration link in caption
| Platform | Where alt text lives | Quirk to know |
|---|
| Website / Squarespace / WordPress | Image block → alt / description | Decorative images: empty alt is correct |
| Shopify / product catalog | Product media alt | Include color/variant if it affects purchase |
| Mailchimp / ConvertKit | Image block alt | Repeat sale terms in body text too |
| Instagram | Alt text in advanced settings when posting | Critical text must also be in caption |
| Bluesky | Alt text field on upload; Settings → Accessibility | Turn on Require alt text before posting — the platform holds the line for you |
Alt text also helps search engines and AI agents (AEO) infer what your page means. Clear headings plus descriptive alt text compound.
Reflection: Which recurring image type do you post most (quote card, flyer, product flat-lay)? That type gets the template first.
Tools for this fix
- Accessible Social — Social posts — captions, alt text, copy, platform advisories.
4Video and audio that include
15 minutes · The check: Can someone get the message without sound or with low attention?
Do this: On your last published video or audio piece: enable captions, skim for errors on names and jargon, and add a three-line text summary in the description or first comment if a full transcript is not realistic yet.
| If you… | Pick one surface | What to change |
|---|
| Small business | Sales video, tutorial, Zoom replay, podcast episode page | Captions on; transcript or summary linked nearby |
| Chronically online | Reel, TikTok, live replay, audio clip | Auto-captions reviewed (they are not perfect); critical info duplicated in caption or pinned comment |
A transcript is the full text of everything said. A summary is the shortcut — three lines covering what someone needs to know if they cannot watch with sound. Start with the summary if a full transcript feels like too much this week.
Platforms you already use: YouTube auto-captions + edit. Instagram/TikTok caption tools. Zoom cloud recording → transcript export. Descript, CapCut, or native editors — use what you already touch.
Reflection: Trace one path from social → booking → confirmation. Where is the first place you would get lost if you were tired?
Read the full issue5Links and flows that do not trap
15 minutes · The check: Does every link say where it goes? Can forms be completed without guessing?
Do this: Rewrite five "click here" or "learn more" links. Fix one form label that currently only makes sense if you already know your own business.
| If you… | Pick one surface | What to change |
|---|
| Small business | "Book now," checkout, contact form, client portal | Replace "click here" with "Book a 20-minute session" / "Download the workbook." Visible labels on every field. |
| Chronically online | Link tree, newsletter signup, DM → calendar flow | Descriptive link text; thumb-tap targets; say what happens after submit |
Bad → better
- “Click here” → “Register for the June workshop (Luma)”
- “Learn more” → “Read the Neuroinclusive Design guide”
- “Submit alone on a long form” → “Send my message to Amanda”
Platforms you already use: Carrd, Linktree, Beacons, Squarespace buttons, ConvertKit forms, Cal.com embeds — all allow custom button text and field labels.
Read the full issueDisarmed, welcoming, accessible
Pope Leo XIV's Magnifica Humanitas charges that AI must be disarmed, welcoming, and accessible — not merely regulated. Here is how the five fixes map to that charge at your scale:
| Word | Your June fix | What it looks like in practice |
|---|
| Accessible | Fixes 1, 3, 4 | Readable contrast; alt text; captions and transcripts |
| Welcoming | Fixes 2, 5 | Scannable structure; links and forms that do not trap |
| Disarmed | All five, cumulatively | Refusing to let efficiency rhetoric outsource care to your audience |
Accessible design accepts human limitation — tired eyes, slow connections, brains that skim, bodies that need captions. Show up when you can. Include everyone when you publish.
Tools reference
You do not need every tool — pick what matches how you work.
Fix 3 tip: turn on Bluesky Require alt text before posting in Settings → Accessibility.
Read the full newsletters
Optional deep dives — stories, context, and the full June arc as it was sent.
Week 1 · Jun 5, 2026
Fix 1: readable contrast
Start with one surface and make it readable on a real phone screen before you send or post.
- Readable contrast check for body text and primary CTAs.
- Human preview as the final step before publishing AI-assisted content.
- Simple ten-minute ritual you can repeat weekly.
Read this newsletterWeek 2 · Jun 12, 2026
Fix 2: scannable structure
Use clear headings and short, skimmable sections so readers and assistive tools can navigate your work.
- The 10-second skim test for pages, posts, and long captions.
- Predictable heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) for screen readers.
- Wall-of-text recovery strategies for busy weeks.
Read this newsletterWeek 3 · Jun 19, 2026
Fix 3: alt text workflow
Treat alt text as a repeatable habit so your message still lands when images do not.
- Copy-ready alt text template: what is shown and why it matters.
- Sunday batch workflow for image-heavy weeks.
- Platform-specific reminders for websites, email, and social posts.
Read this newsletterWeek 4 · Jun 26, 2026
Fix 4 + 5: captions, honest links, and the full recap
Close the month with video/audio inclusion, descriptive links and forms, plus the pin-up Accessible Tech Checklist.
- Captions reviewed + three-line text summary for video/audio.
- Rewrite five vague links; fix one confusing form label.
- Full five-fix recap and Magnifica Humanitas mapping.
Read this newsletterWhat's next
June is complete. July opens Tech Boundaries — where tech drains you, how to say no to tools and platforms, and protecting creative energy. The free Tech Boundaries Workbook ships with the first July issue.
Pythoness Perspective
Weekly issues, March through November only. Each month is one arc—a deep dive through a tech sovereignty resource I teach, with practical steps each week tied to the same frameworks in my free guides and sessions.
June 2026 five-fix guide · Last updated: June 26, 2026