Submitted by Carrie Wakeford,
Project Manager Black Cap Design.
Ramps, automatic doors, accessible parking spaces – do you remember the days when these things couldn’t be taken for granted? Now most business owners know the importance of making their stores and offices accessible to everyone. Just in time too, with our aging population.
But wait – is your website also accessible?
Millions of people with disabilities rely on the Web. They’ll be accessing your site using assistive devices such as screen readers. And look out – those baby boomers will continue to have power and it won’t be long before they will be making demands for accessible websites.
Some of the coolest looking websites are not so cool for people using assistive devices – fancy fonts, newfangled layouts and funky menus can be fun and eye catching, but if you’re not careful they can create barriers for some visitors. Ideally your website will look good AND be accessible to people with visual impairments, people who are unable to use a mouse and people who need an intuitive navigation system. Continue reading
Karen August, (Manager of Membership Services at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce) shares some Networking insight for women… You’ve probably heard it before, the ‘fact’ that men and women network differently. But is it true? And what impact does it have on us and our business or career? “Men’s networks are widely dispersed, while women tend to form their professional networks in the same way that they form personal networks”, says Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, vice president of global academic and research relations for academic publisher Elsevier BV. It’s different for girls “Women’s tighter networks are built for personal support, but they often lack the wide reach of men’s networks. Women’s networks also are typically based on trust and first-degree knowledge, with contacts including old friends or former colleagues. Often, many people within a woman’s network know one another” she says. So, while our typical networking style can produce great results while building camaraderie, mutual support circles, and good business referrals, it has its limits. It might be possible to leverage your existing circle of professional and personal contacts to meet your needs. But when you broaden your network you invite new possibilities in. So, how are the men doing it?