Meeting minutes
<slewth> Brian - first topic, how people with disabilities use the web
how people with disabilities use the web
Brian: A lot of edits have taken place, we're ready to publish, time for butterfly review.
Survey is already open. Some issues have been logged already.
This discussion to establish any issues - items that should not be published.
<shawn> [ Butterfly review = approval to publish https://
Minor text edits possible, but substantive changes will not be possible now.
If large updates are identified (not deal-breakers) they will be taken forward for future editions
To note: the navigation.
A lot of what has been covered over past 12 months, has been on landing page with user stories as sub page.
Then a subpage for tools and techniques, and abilities and barriers
In sub-pages of these subpages, left-hand navigation became an issue.
so all sub pages have been moved up in the hierarchy.
This is a little odd, but best way to keep navigable
This is the rationale, to ensure all subpages are available in navigation
Second, in Ilya User Story - there is no video
Shawn: There was a video
Kris: Video did not match story
Brian: so no video, place holder only for this user.
We also want to change the name for this user-story. To represent diverse groups.
Shawn: Can we ask this group for help on this
This could be a subtopic in the agenda?
BrianE: So please don't comment on lack of image/video
Kris: Take a scan of open GitHub issues, to avoid duplicates when considering your comments
BrianE: In the past surveys had space for comments and issue. Now we want comments directly into github, links will directly open a new issue
BrianE: If there is a substantive issue, please add, but note as future improvement. At this point we need to focus on anything preventing publishing right now. We can edit/update later
kakinney: We're trying to keep stories and videos in parallel.
We want to improve, but not pull away from video content. We need good stories about people facing barriers using the web
Eloisa: Do I need specific access?
BrianE: You can add from whatever account
BrianE: other questions?
Photos for missing video
BrianE: New Topic, Ilya User Story
There are 2 changes we want to make.
The name. And representation of diverse groups.
This is a user study of someone who is blind.
We are considering an older Asian or Indianwoman.
We tried AI generated image. These were not good results!
KaKinney: Reaching out to Shilpi Kapour to link to person
BrianE: Sarah please share that email contact
BrianE: we're looking for an image, and a still of the person using a computer
Sarah: I have some networks of colleagues that I might be able to reach out to.
those networks are around assisitive technology.
Shawn: to summarise, we're looking for someone who would be happy to take 2 photos with simple parameters
We prefer for them to be female, and the persona is blind
Kris: If we have people to reach out to. We need permission, from both person and the photographer.
Hopefully this is only for short term.
So video will come into place
Rabab: what is the timeframe?
Shawn: within 2 weeks ideally.
Rabab: I have someone I can approach
What do we want in the background?
Shawn: ideally we want a woman, if this isn't possible, Rabab, if you can help, this would be great
Kris: Story is currently Ilya, this will change
Frankie: So we want a headshot and an action shot, with block colour background?
BrianE: Orange would be ideal
<shawn> draft user story is https://
Shawn: any block colour background would be ideal, this can then be edited
Shawn: The question is whether we're looking for a basic background, or do we copy something in?
Frankie: Whoever can take picture, do your best and we'll get good image form this.
BrianE: Finding individuals most important
BrianE: Survey is open til Tuesday June 4th
Andrew: Survey says 11th
BrianE: 2 weeks today
New WAI staff
Shawn: Great news, we have two positions open.
<shawn> https://
This monday, technical web software engineer is joining, who is joining on wcag 2 techincal architecture and wcag 3, changing mostly the back end, but also the user interface, to integrate better with the W3C site redesign
The position is funded by US government funds, so had to be based in US. We are thrilled about Ken joining the team.
We have a second position, with a candidate, from a nation that W3C have not hired from before.
We anticipate the position - frontend accessibility content specialist - with associated skills, will help with a lot of editing.
This is a regular full-time position.
This second post hopefully will begin in June
They will help look at EO documents.
Frankie and all: Very exciting!
Shawn: Both new hires are detail orientated!
Changes to EOWG, Community Group
BrianE: This is a good news/tough news type thing. EO is not going to be rechartered. EO has fulfilled it's job. WG has been around a long time and produced many resources
There hasn't been a push for new resources.
Some needs updating, and a lot of work done has been funded by outside agencies and we have reviewed that.
<shawn> s/have not recruited from before./have not hired from before.
Further work has not been scheduled
BrianE: I want to emphasise achievements of EO, Kris Anne and Ihave discussed. Would be difficult to get new EOWG charter approved by W3C Membership.
BrianE: Our charter extends to end of June. This is the date that we will continue until.
Kakinney: We are trying to finish up How People with Disabilities Use the Web. This is one of the last items in our Charter to do. We want to do this right, but we do want to finish within the timeframe
EO has always been a special group in terms of what we've been able to do
Thank you all for what you've done
Shawn: I think we can talk about the next steps
Kakinney: It is the end of EOWG but Brian and I have been working on community group that will be revolving around similar principles
This will not be a duplicate - this will work differently, and have workstreams
Resource work will continue. But outside a working group we can engage those outside W3C.
This expands our reach
This is an exciting development.
A community group will allow us to pull in knowledge from a range of areas and organisation.
BrianE: There is an existing group WAI Engage?
Shawn: This has closed
BrianE: We want to emphasise, a lot of work was about outside agencies, and we reviewed. But the bulk of the work was done through funded projects with parameters.
In community group, we'd like to change who can contribute resources
For example, on topics such as procurement. If this is deemed to be important, this could be done as part of community driven initiative.
BrianE: We want to focus on what community group feels is missing, to compliment and extend WAI. But there is no direct link to WAI site
Rabab: That's exciting.
It is good news. Community groups are good ways to connect and make friends. What is your view on the outputs what will be produced? Will this be vetted by W3C? Will this be published on their website?
I ask as W3C website are the main hub for anyone in accessibility.
BrianE: Our mandate will not be about publishing to WAI or W3C site
We will have W3C github repository that we can work through
And we can build a resource in that repository
There will not be a direct connection
But if there is something is highly relevant and should do to W3C, it would have to go through Shawn and the W3C processes
Shawn: The community group can publish resources under w3.org And CG can contibute to editing existing resources
We should co-ordinate early if we see resources to go to W3C
BrianE: Brent Bakken (Former Chair) is helping us to build up the idea.
The main focus is to be community driven.
WAI content must be properly curated. Has to meet style guidance etc.
Building a repository allows us to build resource outside of these parameters.
This will be community driven.
Shawn: Co-ordination will be good to draw across to WAI.
BrianE: To be clear, we can make resources for wider community outside of WAI, co-ordinating where useful.
Frankie: As we're developing these materials we need these to be truly global.
Kakinney: Yes, as a community group we can access wider communities. These can include smaller groups that work on resources and that meet outside of common meeting times, adding to international breadth of our efforts
There is no time to get a globally appropriate time. A community group will allow more flexibility.
<elguerrero> So sorry but I have to drop off for another meeting — hope there will be more opportunities to contribute 🙂
In this flexibility, we still want people who are invested in accessibility. Community can raise issues. e.g. procurement, or areas where conferences are missing
Can answer important questions at scale for organisations, on key issues like procurment
BrianE: I want to say Kris Ann, Brent and I have been working on this. We have a base work statement.
<BrianE> https://
https://
BrianE: We would like ideas from people in this group for in scope, out of scope.
kakinney: How people would like to be engaged in this group
We want people to join on the basis that they are interested
<shawn> [ from Zoom chat: Rabab: makes sense Brian to use GitHub. --and-- Thanks everyone and exciting news about the community group! ]
BrianE: We want a group for active participation. Being part of a workstream, contributing to resources.
Andrew: An EO has a chair that co-ordinates work. How would this work in a community group?
BrianE: We would have chairs, potentially multiple chairs, initially Kris Anne and myself
If someone has an idea - e.g. procurment, and they offer to lead and then put call to others who want to support.
The workstream lead can report in for example, after 5 weeks, for comment, review.
We want to make sure we're producing high quality work. But without every step usually covered by working group
kakinney: we would encourage others to step up into leadership roles
Someone can step up into leadership role, without range of approvals required
Brian and I are taking this on for continuity from EO, but it doesn't have to be us
<shawn> Sarah: Education and Outreach. community has wideer interests. might mean education -- cascasdae skills @@. WIll educaiton be maintained?
<shawn> ... e.g., procurement not directly education
Kakinney: We did the curricula, and we give resources that can be used in those courses
I'm hoping that the community groups will continue a holistic view of the resources, to offer pathways through.
At a second order level. The start of this work is there.
There could be 2 streams ultimately. There is the outreach piece is something we work on.
Education is currently a 2 stream approach, educating people, and how to take forward to educate others
Education would not be named in group title
BrianE: We can label or build resources however we want
Kakinney: we wanted to make a starting point, to then have something to work from
this allows to change types of involvement
Frankie: With Internationalisation Group we've found finding a time difficult.
you're going to get some who are enthusiastic but aren't aware of WAI working methods.
Recruitment will be an issue. and this is ongoing
kakinney: We are meeting people are wider events who would like to be involved, but can't join as not W3C members
Frankie: This will have a different feel
<Zakim> shawn, you wanted to note WAI-wide education priority
Shawn: WAI wide we are continuing to have a focus on education, and even W3C wider we may be increasing our focus on education
Let's keep up this strand
BrianE: Please respond to the document in GitHub
You can open issues.
Next steps are to let people know this is coming.
Ikee: I'm not suprised. I think this could be a good thing. If we can focus on the work and getting good people. The status doesn't matter to me.
Sharron: I think this has been clear that this is the direction we are going. This sounds like a great idea with tremendous potential. I like the idea of widening participation without membership.
+1 ikee
ikee: We thank the chairs for doing such a good job
Shawn: I'm looking forward to not having the burden of W3C process.
This can continue all the positive aspects of EO as a working group, and removes challenges of participation and process.
Sharron: The only concern is that resources developed may not be regarded in the same way.
BrianE: This will be dependent on quality.
Kakinney: We will work with other groups too.
The hope will be that our help and support to other working groups that need help with their resources. We do want to continue this from the EO work
If people are in other groups, bringing this across, in terms of knowledge and calls for support.
Sharron: may not be to do with quality of the resource, may be about hierarchy. How process is viewed externally in terms of being a guarantee of quality.
I don't have hesitations. But I consider how this will be received?
Ikee: If we're partnering with WAI on some things, people will not see too much difference. But if we're doing independent work, how do we do that, to gain credibility.
Shawn: My feeling is that we succeeded as the resources on WAI website as these were well vetted. This will still be seen as valuable, if community originated.
Frankie: Resources will find their own place in the world. Quality will out
BrianE: We'll draft an email to the wider group announcing this.
Final thoughts!
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