About
I help companies build beautiful websites that meet web accessibility standards. This helps to ensure products and services are inclusive for disabled people.
Going into more detail
I’m an independent User Experience (UX) Developer practicing mobile-first, WCAG 2.2 AA accessible, cross browser, responsive, device agnostic, semantic, W3C compliant, optimised, progressively enhanced frontend that always puts the user first.
I would joke these are buzzwords but actually the approach has a tangible impact on many aspects of the design & development process.
I care about meeting web standards, creative designs, brand guidelines, micro-interactions, performance and attention to design detail. Recently, I find myself interested in equity and ethics within technology.
I work on the frontend of the frontend. Frontend Developer, UI Developer, Accessibility Developer are also titles that overlap with what I do. Engineer is also a term that’s used across-the-pond in the US interchangeably with Developer.
What are some stand out projects you’ve worked on recently?
I’ve worked for GOV.UK on the Accessibility team - during this time I contributed to, probably, the most accessible accordion UI pattern in the world.
I’ve also worked for a technology client that required me to be onsite in California.
What services do you offer?
- Translating bespoke Designs into functional Frontend User interfaces.
- Integrations into CMS.
- Design Systems: creation, contribution, adoption and integration.
- Accessibility consulting.
- Technical remediation from Accessibility audits.
- Comprehensive Design reviews focusing on technical feasibility and accessibility, while balancing creative decisions.
- Technical accessibility assistance and remediation techniques for developers.
- Accessibility (and WCAG) education to leadership.
What have you been working on?
Since mid-2022, I’ve been making the transition to digital nomad and working on building my own projects. In parallel, I’ve been open (and looking) to find the right remote-first location agnostic company that aligns with my values. I’m also working on putting myself “out there” this year.
I’ve been learning about ableism, the history of the of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how the Equality Act is enforced in the UK in the context of disability.
I’m also interested in how ableism shows up in company process, culture and technology. I’m monitoring the upcoming European Accessibility Act (EAA) with interest. I’m hoping this has the intended impact, with private companies operating in the EU meeting standards, the deadline is approaching.
Technology wise I’ve been learning the JavaScript framework Svelte - which this website is built with.
Why did you not use React? Well…React isn’t as accessible as it could be. Accessible page titles are a problem with React “out of the box”. Also, Meta has a long history of deprioritising accessibility.
What are you like to work with?
As a UX Developer, I fit well in Design Engineering department or an Accessibility, Design System or UX team and there is a focus on meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Within an Accessibility-focused role, I work best when buy-in has already been achieved and the technical work can start. I work with Designers, Content and Developers to ensure each step of the process is considering disabled users.
Should a company or client be conducting unethical activities, is knowingly breaking the law or causing harm and you want me to be complicit - I’m not the person that’ll be a good fit.
I practice a growth mindset, so I aim to practice the values that I want to see in a company. Technically, this often means trying to ensure accessibility standards are met. Sometimes this is protecting user privacy to comply with GDPR. Other times it’s refusing to implement deceptive UI patterns.
Can I see some work?
Sure, public contributions can be found on my GitHub. More work will appear on this site in due course. This site is very much under construction. Other links will be sent privately.
Available for hire
Currently available, drop me a message with your project (or role) and some details at: hello(at)chrisyoong.com.