The hype around cloud computing has created a storm of standards and open source activity. Many IT and business leaders have either defined or are in the process of defining their cloud strategy. At the same time government legislation and high-profile lawsuits are emphasizing the need for accessibility. Although significant energy has been put into defining the business case and value for cloud computing, adopting cloud computing and implementing cloud computing, very little focus has been given to ensuring the accessibility of cloud computing models. At first glance, it may seem that adhering to W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines will ensure accessibility of cloud services; however, those guidelines apply to browser-based access. Other models of access, including remote desktop connections, require additional thought and planning. Also, by including assistive technologies as part of the service, services can be enhanced to more broadly meet the needs of all users. This session identifies the “gotchas” and provides guidelines to help with planning and implementing an accessible cloud computing service.
Where are all the coffee shops in my neighborhood?
Seemingly easy questions can become complex when you consider ambiguity. This one sounds simple until you consider that folks may define “coffee shop” differently and the boundaries of your “neighborhood” differently. One person’s Central Austin, may be someone else’s South Dallas.
How about instead of working too hard to define the parameters in an attempt to completely remove the ambiguity, we instead look at what people do, interact with and talk about. We can watch what people do and decide from there what a coffee shop is and where the boundaries of your neighborhood are. It might not be the “truth”, but it can be darn close.
When we learn to embrace ambiguity, not only can we still find the answers to our questions, but we can also find answers to questions we hadn’t even thought to ask.
9th–13th March 2012