Mike Hartley - Hart of the Midlands

Waking up this morning to the sad news of Val Kilmers death.

Iceman, Madmartigan, The Saint, Batman, Moses/God, and so many more. He was a part of my childhood and a figure in some of my favourite films.

Fly high Iceman, and thank you for the many moments of my youth.

You! [A to Z a11y] You! Yes, You! You are awesome, and you are vital to accessibility in tech! Here I celebrate you, and give some pointers how you can maximise the impact made in your work.

YOU! Yes, YOU!

If you are involved in accessibility then you are amazing and this post is to celebrate that.

If you are not yet, then use this post to motivate and encourage.

Yup, this is the Y in the A to Z a11y series and it's all about you.

#Community #Accessibility #a11y #You

X-Ray! [A to Z a11y] Colour Vision Deficiency affects over 8% of men and 0.5% of women. Colour filters (including one that looks like an X-Ray mode) help present colours in a way that assists people with CVD. In this post I take a look at the colour modes, how they work, and what all this means for building solutions.

Colour Vision Deficiency affects over 8% of men and 0.5% of women. Colour filters (including one that looks like X-Ray mode) assists people with CVD.

In this post I look at colour modes, how they work, and what all this means for us.

#Accessibility #a11y #Microsoft #Colour #CVD #PowerPlatform

Happy Valentines Day folks...

I'd LOVE it if you would return my devotion to you, and give my blog some affection.

You all know how passionate I get, and how much I speak from the heart. Will you be my blog valentine 💗

hart365.co.uk

#Valentine #A11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Community

WCAG [A to Z a11y] One common acronym that has run throughout many of the blog posts here is WCAG. It stands for "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines" and comes from the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). It's a set of guidelines designed for websites and content, but has been adopted as the standard for digital accessibility. In this post I'll be looking at what WCAG is and some of the ways it influences how we build.

You've probably heard me banging on about WCAG. But what is it, and how does it affect what we build?

In this A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition post I cover exactly that!

#Accessibility #a11y #WCAG #PowerPlatform #Microsoft365 #PowerApps #PowerBI #AccessibleByDesign #Community

The Voice [A to Z a11y] - Hart of the Midlands In this AI-assistant world of Copilots, Agents, and ever-listening smart devices, the Voice is becoming more important. What if this is the primary source of control for people though?

Talking to tech is part of our lives but what if voice was the ONLY way you could interact with tech?

In this A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition post it's the turn of The Voice

Check it out at hart365.co.uk/2025/02/the-...

#Accessibility #a11y #PowerPlatform #Microsoft #Community

User eXperience / User Interface [A to Z a11y] User eXperience and User Interface are massive areas of a project. Creating a community of people that includes those with disabilities and neurodiversities leads to better design, better results, and better uptake.

User eXperience & User Interface are huge parts of everything we do.

This A to Z Accessibilty: Power Platform Edition post looks at how an inclusive community can help create UX/UI that deliver amazing results.

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform

Too Much Information [A to Z A11y] Too Much Information can be a headache for most of us. For neurodiverse people or assistive technology users is can be a nightmare. In this post I explore why that is, and how to lower the volume.

Too Much Information! A headache for most, a nightmare for others.

Here's the latest A to Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition post where I look at why TMI is not a good thing, and how to reduce it.

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Community

Screen Readers [A to Z a11y] Hey Computer – Read my screen! If you've made it this far through then firstly Well Done! But also you will have seen that Screen Readers get mentioned – A lot. They are a massively used accessibility tool for people with vision issues, dyslexia, ADHD, autism and more.  This topic applies to all of the Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Operating Systems, and anywhere there is technology! 

Welcome to the S in my A to Z Accessiblity: Power Platform Edition. Here's the one where I talk more about Screen Readers and how they can (should) impact what we build.

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Community #Microsoft #ScreenReader

Being Responsive [A to Z a11y] Screens come in all shapes and sizes. Along with this, people may use scaling, magnification, and alternate typefaces. Responsive design ensures what we build works across all of this and delivers a consistent experience to all users.

New week, new post - and it's time to be Responsive.
In this A2Z Accessibility post I look at how Responsive Design can impact Accessibility as well as improve user experience

#a11y #Accessibility #Community #Microsoft #PowerPlatform #ResponsiveDesign

Quick Wins! [A to Z a11y] Implementing accessibility can feel like you've opened a can of worms with no end in sight. But there are some quick wins that will see you making noticeable progress and provide a solid foundation for moving forward.  Read this latest A2Z post to learn 5 quick wins to get you started!

NEW POST! Knowing where and how to get started with Accessibility can be daunting. Here is the latest A2Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition - Quick Wins to provide a launchpad for your journey

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Microsoft #Community

Pop goes the weasel We've all seen popups on our screen at some point or other. We may have even been the ones that coded them to appear.  The challenge is that they often appear in a way that doesn't trigger accessibility tools. So, are there better ways of bringing key content to the attention of our users? Let's take a look at what the possibilities are. 

Happy New Year! Here's "Pop goes the weasel" to kick things off. Yup, the next part of the A2Z Accessibility: Power Platform Edition is here at last!

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Microsoft #AccessibleByDesign

Oooh... There's a small, but significant, change to my handle here.

I am now @hart365.co.uk ❤️

If you have your own domain then this is the best way to be "verified" here

The dates class is my favourite. I quote it all the time.

Sign up now!
Masterclass on "How to type XrmToolBox".

Lesson one: Go to xrmtoolbox.com and see how the author types it.
Lesson two: Consider inventing your own style, to erode value of branding.
Lesson three: Experience the Internet Flames.

Never forget alt text again:

1. Settings
2. Accessibility
3. Require alt text before posting

I've masked a lot this year, sometimes without even knowing fully why. I've told myself "it's OK to be not OK".

But, I don't have to wait... To decide to be happy.

Neither do you.

We need more happiness and joy. To those I've seen this year, thank you for bringing that to me. Thank you ❤️

"you can't wait until life isn't hard to decide to be happy" - Nightbird

This amazing person appeared on my FYP today and shared their story. They also said the above. It hit home... Hard.

I've not had a dreadful year, but there's been things that have happened or that have stuck in my mind. (1)

Well, it's been a while since I posted here last but since this is where all the cool kids are I've decided that I'll barge my way into the party and bask I all their awesomeness 😍

Gonna try to get back on to the content train following a bit of an up and down year

To blue skies and open roads.

Calling out to all folks who know WordPress and Accessibility - are there any good guides on building an accessible blog site?

I'm no web designer and my personal site is in desperate need of some major work. All advice appreciated!

Thank you 😊🙏

#Community #Accessibility #a11y #Web #WordPress

As Bjork said, "It's oh so quiet and so peaceful until" I announce the launch of a new series on my (neglected) blog!

How does an A to Z of Accessibility - Power Platform Edition (with a bit of Microsoft 365) sound?

Coming Soon!

#a11y #Accessibility #PowerPlatform #Microsoft

And if I feel discombobulated today, does that mean I am usually combobulated?

It's #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth.

I just want to say to you all that It is OK to be not OK. Take time to look after yourself and your wellbeing. Prioritise your mental health, everything else can follow.

Take care of yourself folks ❤️

#MentalHealth #Wellbeing #ItsOkToBeNotOk

Zune was way ahead of its time. Same with Windows Mobile.

I miss both 😔

Are you new to Dynamics 365 or Power Platform? Get your ticket to the virtual user group on May 3rd yet?

It's only a week away so get the tickets quick! https://www.meetup.com/d365ppug/events/292508432/ #powerplatform #poweraddicts #microsofr

This method is better for people who are deafblind and is often preferred by other accessibility users! (I learn something new every day with this)

2/2

One thing I have been seeing more and more is people requesting that the Alt Text is put in the body of the message (So at the end just put "Alt Text: Image of Michael with Blue Hair holding a coffee cup") and then, when it's possible, putting the actual Image Alt Text as "In Post".
1/2

Good morning you!

Oh that's not good news 😔

Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky (Official Video) Official Music Video for \

In a totally unoriginal first post here I'd just like to say "Hello Mr Blue sky"

https://youtu.be/aQUlA8Hcv4s