What is the Guild of Accessible Web Designers?
GAWDS.org is world-wide network of accessible web designers and developers; designed to promote accessible web designers/developers and accessible web design.
It is formed to provide mutual support and as a networking forum; to provide a competitive edge through association; as a 'Guild member' you might have more chance of your proposal for a particular bit of work being successful. This in turn will push up the value of accessible web design among design organizations.
Having the appropriate skills and certification will become important; the more Guild members there are, the more important it becomes - and the more people will want to become members - and the more need there will be to have the appropriate skills. Eventually this will push accessible web design into the mainstream - it might happen anyway - but this will make it happen quicker.
It is also a business fraternity, which will develop resources with the aim of helping its members learn new skills, and find more work. For example:
- By providing a searchable directory of accessible web designers, developers and consultants.
- By providing a place to add articles and resources to the site, which in turn promote the posters' own business, - that's not a problem - that's an aim of the Guild.
- It's a mutual support and learning society - the Guild is not a Discussion Forum, but it provides a Discussion Forum and mailing list.
Ethos
The website is designed so that any member can post new material, or add to the news page, or contribute information about their products and services as part of their profile. It is a website that is open to its members.
The site provides a news feed - because part of what it is about is to flow news from members' pages through the Guild website.
It is a listing of developers and accessible web designers - but hopefully it will be a 'value added' listing.
The Guild has a particular view of what accessible web design is about; quoting from the manifesto:
'It will promote a vision of the future that assumes accessible web design to be, relevant, obtainable, and not at odds with successfull business practice or good visual and usable design.'
The Guild promotes the use of standards and tries to see accessible web design from the producers point of view as well as the consumers: a website can't be accessible to everyone - there are practical, financial, technical and human constraints to deal with: see What is an accessible website? for information as to why I arrived at this view myself.
Accessible web design is also an information management issue - efficient packaging up of re-usable content that can be presented in different ways to different audiences. How you manage the reality that your information can't be accessible to everyone, but still try to make it accessible the widest possible audience?
Jim Byrne
Founder and Director
Guild of Accessible Web Designers Ltd
A Private Limited Company registered in Scotland
Operating as a not for profit company
Company number 271758
L/l 23 Glasgow Steet
Hillhead
Glasgow
G12 8JW