Guild of Accessible Web Designers: open for business
Added on Sunday 30 Nov 2003
If you have a weblog or news site, please mention that the Guild of Accessible Web Designers is now inviting new members. We are 'open for business', and we need as many enthusiastic, members as possible. Consider this as our 'soft launch', a milestone on the way to our official launch date early in 2004.
The Guild of Accessible Web Designers is a world wide organisation of web designers and developers committed to helping each other, and promoting the message that accessible web design is 'good for business'.
What makes the Guild of Accessible Web Designers different from other organisations promoting accessible web design?
1. Membership will mainly be made up of practitioners, i.e. those individuals and organisations who design and build websites.
The Guild will help members learn new skills, get more business, and provide a forum for discussion with like-minded individuals.
Current and future members will help to develop the required applications to provide appropriate services to meet these aims. Members who are interested will have access to the source code of the Guild's content management system to help develop new features.
2. The Guild recognises the importance of good design; say goodbye to the myth that accessibility means boring text-only websites.
"GAWDS.org recognises that great design (rich visual and non-visual interfaces, usable architecture, flexible presentation, and so on) is essential to accessible design. "
3. The Guild provides a simple message for thinking about how to achieve accessible websites:
"Well designed web pages will be accessible to both 'machines' and people; standards compliance ensures the first, flexible presentation helps us achieve the second."
4. We believe that web designers and web developers, who can build accessible websites, will have a competitive advantage over other web designers.
Guild membership is not automatic - all membership applications are checked by existing members to ensure that each member has demonstrated a committment to accessible web design. Membership of the Guild of Accessible Web Designers implies a commitment to accessible web design, and a high level of appropriate skills. This 'rubber stamp' will be attractive to potential clients.
If having accessible web design skills appears to bestow a competitive advantage, more designers and developers will want to 'jump on the bandwagon'. This will ultimately lead to a greater number of accessible websites.
5. GAWDS.org believes that 'accessible web design is good for business"; both for designers/developers, and for clients looking to build new websites, or improve existing websites.
6. GAWDS.org recognises that the web 'scales' - and is inviting members from all countries. We are not set up yet to meet the language barriers that having members from many countries will present - but we are confident that talented individuals, who become members, will work to solve potential problems.
7. Currently membership is free, but we will be exploring ways to pay for administration and bandwidth costs as the Guild grows.
If you are interested in joining, please fill in the membership application form.
Jim