I have always been passionate about connecting people and seen the web as the tool of choice for overcoming traditional barriers such as location, culture, ability or disability. While I come from a web accessibility background I feel very strongly that accessibility isn’t just about being able to access if you’re disabled but also if you’re from a different background, culture, age-group, speak a different language or browse on different devices such as hand-helds and mobiles. As such this blog looks at the overlaps of web accessibility, internationalisation, and mobile access together with the importance of web standards: making the web usable for everyone.
I started off as an English editor for an online magazine back in the late 90’s in Shanghai, China. It wasn’t long after that that I got into the usability of websites followed by web accessibility.
I went on to work for a leading Chinese search engine and shopping channel, managing the development of dual language e-commerce systems. From there myself and three friends worked on our own start-up establishing a dual language, virtual market place for Chinese manufacturers and Western buyers.
I’m currently a Web Accessibility Consultant in the UK and when not at work spend time raising money for a friends son, Sam, who was paralysed in a road accident, kick boxing and traveling wherever and whenever I can.
Memberships and affiliations
- Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG)
- Web Standards Project, International liaison Working Group
- UN Global Initiative for Inclusive ICT (G3ICT)
- HTML Writers Guild
Stay in touch
If you have any questions then I’d love to hear from you at henny at iheni dot com. I can also be found on Twitter as well we the Web Access Centre’s Twitter feed to keep up to date in the latest in what is happening with web standards. You can also stay in touch via my RSS feed.
For more information you can also check my Linkedin bio.
All opinions stated in this blog are my own and not necessarily that of my employers.
