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UI Design? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hey all. Kinda new-ish to open source (always loved the idea, been using some of them for years, like VLC, audacity, handbrake, Firefox, etc) but started getting more and more into it recently, messing around with linux, running a NAS with various docker apps etc. I'm a designer, and one thing I noticed is how a lot of FOSS have terrible user interfaces. I know they are often made by engineers who focus more on functionality than design, but I also read some comments about doing kind of bad design on purpose. Like keeping things plain, boring, "function over form" kind of design. Is that a thing in the scene? I'm asking because I would like to get involved. I don't code but I could help with design assets, user interface design etc. I'd love some small projects to build a UI/UX portfolio slowly on spare time. Anyone knows where I should look to get projects I could get involved in?

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I work in web and educational design and we always have to keep accessibility in mind. It does limit the type of design we can do though, so it can be a bit frustrating as a designer. On my end I try to get the AA accessibility score, it's a good middle ground. I make sure to have good contrasts in my Headings, colours, add desciptions to images etc.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago

Yeah thanks for the effort. You would be stunned at how many web sites make no effort.

Many modern web sites often fail miserably, especially scripted ones. But mostly because companies just don't care. As you say it is hard work. So when companies outsource that hard work is rarely if ever asked for up front. And the cost to modify existing site is hugew..

But remember if we are talking software. Again all the pro measures are based on 0 or 100% able. So again leave all disabled depending on solutions that slow down workload.

All the laws on the West only require reasonable accomadations. And being less productive is never considered reasonable. Or in anyway a hope for a successful career.

So with so much software moving to Web apps. Those AA standards rarely help beyond making the page usable. If your career depends on performance as almost all do. Most disabled are not able to efficiently use them.