Building a website that truly reflects our Erasmus+ project on DEI in tourism, while showcasing the potential of GenAI, has been a thoughtful process. All partners were involved in this step-by-step approach. Our main goal from the start was to create a digital space. This space needed to be informative, easy to use, and accessible to everyone. This includes people of all abilities and backgrounds.
Our first step was to deeply understand our target audience. This includes VET students, educators, and those working in the tourism industry. We considered the different ways people use online content. We paid close attention to accessibility guidelines (WCAG) and best practices in user experience (UX) design. This meant thinking about several key elements. These include clear navigation, logical organization of information, good color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and providing alternative text for all images and non-text items.
The website’s look and feel needed to be both interesting and inclusive. We chose a clean and simple design. Our focus was on making the text easy to read and the website easy to navigate. We carefully selected color combinations. This was not just for their visual appeal but also for accessibility. We made sure there was enough contrast for users with visual impairments. We also chose fonts that are easy to read on different screen sizes and devices. Importantly, the website is designed to be responsive. This means it will adapt well to different devices like phones and tablets.
Creating an Accessible and Engaging Website for Our DEI in Tourism Project
Building a website that truly reflects our Erasmus+ project on DEI in tourism, while showcasing the potential of GenAI, has been a thoughtful process involving all partners. Our main goal from the start was to create a digital space that is informative, easy to use, and accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds.
Understanding Our Audience and Accessibility Needs
Our first step was a deep dive into understanding our target audience: VET students, educators, and those working in the tourism industry. We considered the diverse ways people use online content. We paid close attention to accessibility guidelines (WCAG) and best practices in user experience (UX) design. This meant thinking about clear navigation, logical information organization, good color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and providing alternative text for all images and non-text items.
Designing an Inclusive and Visually Appealing Website
The website’s look and feel needed to be both interesting and inclusive. We chose a clean and simple design, focusing on making the text easy to read and the website easy to navigate. Color combinations were carefully selected not just for their visual appeal but also for accessibility, ensuring enough contrast for users with visual impairments. Typography was chosen for its legibility on different screen sizes and devices. Critically, the website is designed to be responsive, adapting well to various devices like phones and tablets.
Leveraging GenAI for Inclusive Visuals
Interestingly, GenAI even played a role in the visual aspects of our website. We needed compelling images related to our project’s main topic: tourism. Therefore, we experimented with GenAI tools to create some of the visuals. We expect to use this process more in the future, as it should allow us to generate unique and representative images. These images will avoid stereotypes and celebrate the diverse experiences of people traveling. It’s important to remember that our team will always carefully review these AI-generated images to ensure they align with our project’s ethical values and accurately show our commitment to DEI.
Prioritizing Usability and Accessibility
Beyond the visuals, making the website easy to use was a top priority. We focused on creating a clear and consistent navigation system, helping users easily find the information they need. Information is organized logically, using clear headings, subheadings, and simple language. Recognizing that many users, especially students, primarily use their smartphones to access information, we adopted a mobile-first approach. This ensures the website works perfectly on smaller screens.
Accessibility considerations were integrated throughout the entire development process. We made sure that all interactive elements can be navigated using a keyboard. Additionally, we ensured that screen readers can understand the content effectively. For any videos or audio, we will provide transcripts and captions.
Throughout the development, we regularly tested the website with users. We gathered feedback from people with different needs and technical skills. This step-by-step approach allowed us to find and fix any potential problems with access or usability, ensuring that the final website is truly inclusive and easy for everyone to use.
An Accessible Platform for DEI in Tourism
The DIVETOUR2 website aims to be more than just a place to find information about our Erasmus+ project. It wants to be a welcoming and accessible platform that embodies the very principles of DEI in tourism that we support. By carefully including best practices for usability and accessibility, and by using the creative power of GenAI responsibly and ethically, we are creating a digital space. We hope this space will clearly communicate our project’s goals and inspire a more inclusive future for the tourism industry.