Mezi mé nejoblíbenější konference. které jsem se mnohokrát zúčastnil v různých rolích – jako přednášející, lektor workshopů, vystavovatel, komunitní partner či host v Discomfort Zone – už dlouhá léta patří konference WebExpo.

Letošní ročníkem, který se koná 28. až 30. května 2025 v pražském Paláci Lucerna, načnu druhou desítku své aktivní účasti na této už tradiční akci. A hned si zkusím v kontextu WebExpa i novou roli – moderátora panelové diskuse “Accessibility in practice: Why customer experience trumps legal requirements”. 🙂

Proč přijít na WebExpo 2025?

Přednášky

WebExpo 2025 opět nabídne skvělý program se zajímavými řečníky. Těší mě, že tematika přístupnosti a inkluzivního designu jsou znovu mezi jejími klíčovými tématy. Obzvlášť v letošním roce, kdy vstupuje v platnost Evropský zákon o přístupnost, je mít v programu tuto tematiku trochu “povinnost”.

Pokud se vás téma přístupnosti jakkoliv týká a chcete mít své produkty a služby přístupnější, nenechte si letošní WebExpo ujít. Detailní přehled přednášek z oblasti přístupnosti a inkluzivního designu najdete v článku “Beyond compliance: Accessibility insights at WebExpo 2025”.

Osobně se velmi těším především na příspěvek Erika Gustafssona a jeho kolegů “Digital accessibility meets physical accessibility”. Před několika lety jsem měl příležitost slyšet Erikovu přednášku “I Care, How Can I Engage Others?” a byla velmi praktická a odrážející realitu v oboru – a o přístupnosti jedna z nejlepších, jakých jsem se kdy zúčastnil.

Mimo tematiku přístupnosti si pak určitě nenechám ujít Karla Navrátila a jeho přednášku “Dark patterns: Where does motivation end and illegal manipulation begin?” a „živé nahrávání dalšího dílu podcastu Vzhůru dolů“ – které se už tradičně bude konat v (pod)večer prvního konferenčního dne.

Networking

WebExpo je také skvělou příležitostí pro networking – čeká vás řada setkání, workshopů, mentorství a samozřejmě i tradiční večerní akce, na kterých můžete navázat cenné kontakty a vyměnit si zkušenosti s lidmi z oboru.

Abyste z networkingu (nejen) na WebExpo vytěžili maximum, připravili organizátoři tipy pro networking – najdete je v blogpostu „Your WebExpo networking game plan: Tips, tricks, and tactics„.

Workshopy

Nedílnou součástí WebExpo jsou i workshopy. Z letošní nabídky doporučuju prémiový workshop “Accessibility for designers – from mockups to documentation”, který povede Stéphanie Walter.

Soutěž o vstupenku zdarma 🎫

Chcete se zúčastnit WebExpo 2025 a hodila by se Vám vstupenka zdarma? Pak jste tu správně – jednu můžete vyhrát.

Pro zařazení do slosování stačí splnit tři jednoduché úkoly:

• Odpovědět na soutěžní otázku: “Jaký je název přednášky Lukáše Hosnedla na WebExpo 2025?”
• Napsat pár vět o tom, jaké jsou podle dle vaší zkušenosti největší překážky, které brání lepší přístupnosti, a co by pomohlo, aby se přístupnost digitálního prostředí (webů, aplikací, dokumentů, multimédií) zlepšila.
• Odebírat WebExpo newsletter.

Odpovědi napište do pátku 25. dubna 2025 do 23:59 do formuláře Soutěž o vstupenku na konferenci WebExpo 2025 nejen pro čtenáře Poslepu.cz. Z došlých odpovědí vylosujeme jednoho výherce, který získá vstup na konferenci WebExpo 2025 zdarma.

Chci soutěžit o vstupenku zdarma

20% sleva s kódem POSLEPU25

Pokud nechcete spoléhat na Štěstěnu, stále je také možnost koupit si – po zadání kódu POSLEPU25 – vstupenku s 20% slevou.

Ať už vstupenku vyhrajete, či si ji zakoupíte, těším se na setkání na WebExpo 2025. 🙂

WebExpo 2025, scheduled for May 28-30 2025 in Prague’s historic Lucerna Palace, is set to bring together 1,600 web professionals for an enriching experience. Attendees can look forward to 70 talks, free workshops, and mentor hours, all designed to foster learning and collaboration. The conference also offers ample networking opportunities, including three vibrant parties that are sure to enhance the overall experience.

WebExpo brings world-class experts to Prague to deliver practical talks on the latest trends in webdevelopment, UX, UI, #digitalmarketing, and #business. This year’s lineup features esteemed speakers such as Stéphanie Walter, UX researcher and strategist at Maltem Consulting; Tejas Kumar, Developer Relations Engineer at DataStax; and Nadieh Bremer, a renowned Data Visualization Designer and Artist. Their diverse expertise ensures a comprehensive exploration of current trends and challenges in web development.

Lukáš Hosnedl from the Théseus team of the Teiresiás Centre at Masaryk University will present „Killing Accessibility with One Line of Code: The Danger of Accessibility Overlays Explained,“ emphasizing the importance of accessibility in web development. Lukáš will explain the basics of what accessibility overlays are, how they (don’t) work, and most importantly, why you should avoid them like the plague.

In addition to the main conference, attendees have the option to participate in full-day premium workshops on May 30. These sessions, led by top industry experts, provide hands-on learning experiences to deepen your knowledge and enhance your professional skills.

Much more to come… Stay tuned 🙂

I am pleased that the community partnership between WebExpo, POSLEPU.cz, and Théseus.cz will continue in the coming year. You can look forward to interviews with selected speakers and other engaging content on accessibility.

IT’S BLACK FRIDAY TIME AT WEBEXPO!

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of Central Europe’s leading web development conference. Secure your tickets now and join a community dedicated to advancing the future of the web.

Buy the Ticket & Enjoy WebExpo 2025

The WebExpo 2024 conference is focused on accessibility and offers several opportunities for those interested in this topic to get to know it better. One is the talk by Dominika Potužáková and Ondřej Raul, named Legible Prague: Inclusive revolution of city wayfinding.

In this talk, Dominika and Ondřej will explore the vital role that diverse perspectives play in crafting an inclusive wayfinding system for Prague. This talk underscores the significance of placing a variety of people, each with unique needs, at the core of the design process. By understanding and addressing a range of requirements, from physical abilities to socio-cultural differences, you will learn how to create a wayfinding system that ensures accessibility and navigational ease for every resident and visitor.

Firstly, let me briefly introduce Dominika and Ondřej. Dominika is a multidisciplinary designer specialising in research in public spaces and physical products at her design studio, Bohemia design & research. Ondřej is a UX designer, researcher, and co-founder of the strategic design company, Stride XL.

Radek: Can you explain the importance of diverse perspectives in designing an inclusive wayfinding system for a city like Prague?

Domi & Ondřej: Diverse perspectives are crucial in designing an inclusive wayfinding system for a city like Prague because they address a basic human need for navigation and accessibility, as emphasized by Veronika Egger, an inclusive information designer and one of the jury in the international competition for the new navigation system in Prague. Public services must be truly for everyone, ensuring they do not discriminate against any individuals, including those who rely on public transportation or inability to walk long distances. For many, public transport is not a choice but a necessity. Therefore, an inclusive wayfinding system ensures that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can navigate the city efficiently and with dignity.

Radek: What are some common pitfalls to avoid when creating an inclusive wayfinding system, and how did you address them in your project?

Domi & Ondřej: Common pitfalls to avoid when creating an inclusive wayfinding system include not inviting everyone to the table or involving them too late in the process. It’s essential to include diverse voices from the beginning to ensure all perspectives are considered. Another mistake is focusing solely on numbers rather than the needs of the people. Even if a diagnosis affects only a few, situational disabilities can impact many, and their needs must be addressed. Also relying only on quantitative research can overlook important qualitative insights. Additionally, insufficient communication about the project can lead to misunderstandings and lack of user engagement. In our project, we tackled these issues by engaging stakeholders early, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research, and maintaining transparent and ongoing communication throughout the process.

Radek: How did you approach recruiting people with special needs?

Domi & Ondřej: When you start digging a bit, you’ll find that there are many organizations in the Czech Republic that bring together people with similar needs. Likewise, you’ll come across various groups on social media. The only thing left is to not be afraid and reach out to them. In our experience, they are usually very willing to participate in research and provide feedback. Additionally, we are very fortunate to always be able to reach out to colleagues who work “full-time” on accessibility and inclusion (thanks, Radek) for help.

At the same time, it’s important to realize that people’s needs often overlap. It’s not always necessary to find someone with such specific needs that it complicates recruitment significantly. There is likely an adequate alternative. But that’s a bit of a spoiler of what we’ll be talking about in our presentation :).

Radek: How do you balance the requirements of inclusivity with practical constraints such as budget, space, and existing infrastructure?

Domi & Ondřej: The biggest challenge from our point of view is space and existing infrastructure. Even though new sign holders are being developed, it will take some time and the new holders won’t magically appear everywhere. Someone will have to install them. Installation often means electricity wires. Electricity wires means new technical documentation. And we could go on as you can imagine. However, it will help if you plan all these activities at the beginning of this project, which is our case.

Throughout the development process we use an iterative design approach. This allows us to make gradual adjustments and refinements of the design, ensuring the system meets diverse needs before full implementation. By fine-tuning the design in stages, we can manage costs effectively while progressively integrating the wayfinding system into the city.

Radek: What advice would you give to other cities or organizations looking to create their own inclusive wayfinding systems, based on your experiences in Prague?

Domi & Ondřej: Based on our experiences in Prague, our advice to other cities or organizations looking to create their own inclusive wayfinding systems would be to adopt a start-from-scratch approach instead of merely tweaking existing systems. Thinking holistically and starting early helps a lot and be prepared for a lengthy process—it’s definitely more than a couple of months‘ project. Embrace iteration and validation, ensuring you test the system in real environments with a wide range of users. Engage stakeholders early on, communicate transparently and continuously about the project, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for guidance and support.

Radek: Why should WebExpo attendees join your talk?

Domi & Ondřej: We see two main motivations for attending our talk. First, participants will gain an understanding of the importance and impact of inclusive design. We will discuss the specific needs of different groups of people and explain why inclusive design matters to everyone. Second, attendees will have a unique opportunity to ask questions about the Legible Prague project. We know there are mixed emotions surrounding it, so we hope to address any concerns and explain the reasoning behind certain design decisions.

Thank you very much for the interview, and I look forward to your talk at WebExpo 2024!

For those who would like to join Dominika, Ondřej and other excellent speakers at WebExpo 2024, there is a coupon code “poslepu“ for 20 % off the ticket price.

Buy the Ticket & Enjoy WebExpo 2024

Design experiences: Dominika Potužáková – Tajemství nacítění uživatelů