In July 2024 our club read Beyond Accessibility Compliance: Building the Next Generation of Inclusive Products by Sukriti Chadha. Now that we have finished, here are my overall thoughts.
High hopes for emerging tech
I was excited by the book's promise to be a comprehensive guide to assistive technology and emerging trends in accessibility. I hoped for an in-depth exploration of augmented reality, virtual reality, personalization, and mobile accessibility. Honestly, I feel it fell short. Get the full book details on our Beyond Accessibility Compliance book page.
Mobile accessibility deserved more
Mobile is where so many people live online, so I was especially looking for more depth there. I appreciated the sections on fragmentation, smaller screens, orientation, haptics, and sensors, but it was not enough. For a deeper dive, the W3C's mobile accessibility overview (opens in a new tab) maps WCAG 2.2 to mobile, and our Developing Inclusive Mobile Apps takeaways post covers a book written entirely about it.
The highlight: Chapter Five case studies
The case studies in Chapter Five were my favorite part. I found these topics fascinating:
- Indoor and outdoor wayfinding
- Floating action buttons
- The need for better solutions for ephemeral experiences on social media platforms
Real examples like these show how accessibility decisions play out in products people use every day.
My rating: 6 out of 10
The pieces that were there were wonderful. I was simply left wanting a lot more. If you are curious about where accessibility is heading, this book is a good conversation starter, and its case studies are worth your time.
Join the conversation
Did Beyond Accessibility Compliance meet your expectations, or leave you wanting more? Share your thoughts in the Accessibility Book Club LinkedIn group (opens in a new tab).
Author
Crystal Scott, CPWA
Web Accessibility Engineer
