This is what I received in my mailbox this morning, just after making my way through the morning todos and emptying my inbox.

Your Name (required): get lost

Your Email (required): showme_you_give_a_hoot_first@howtosplitanatom.com

It would be nice if you made at least one, very small step towards a website that is section 508 compatible by making the contrast of the text high, instead of taking it down o the human limitation of barely discernible.

Now, if you take a look at the site you’ll notice that because of this particularly adamant email I made a change — the font on this site (at least in the major content area) is now black on white. This will be a marked improvement for those of you with bad monitors or worse vision. For this improvement, I am really happy that the person took the time to reach out to me.

So why did I think this email was important enough to post here? I think it’s a good lesson in effective communication.

I completely understand this person’s plight. Chances are they have poor eyesight or otherwise feel that the web is leaving them in the lurch. More and more sites are trading accessibility for “beauty” and it’s becoming harder for those who want access to information on their own terms.

I get it.

My problem begins not with the content but with the assumptions that are made in it.

• They were so taken aback by the problem that the letter is downright antagonistic, reducing the odds that I will respond positively by orders.
• Because the letter was filled with so much vitriol, they didn’t leave a way for me to contact them with any corrections that I made.
• There is an overarching assumption that I “don’t care” or that communication is a lost cause.

I see this kind of thing constantly — in bug reports, copy correction requests, and other forms of consumer to business communication. While it feels really good to let someone have it when you believe they are purposely trying to ruin your day — it’s the least effective way to cause change.

I have a warm spot in my heart for this brand of passion.

Most people don’t.

If an email like this had hit someone elses mailbox, someone with a shorter fuse and less patience, not only would the change not have been made (a net loss for everyone with poor vision), but the person who is running the site might discount future, similar requests because one short-sighted email left a bad taste in their mouth. The only person who would win would be the one who sent the email because not only did they get to vent, but they also proved that their anger was well directed — they knew the site owner would never change anything. For psychologists in the audience, this is a form of what they call confirmation bias.

When you’re trying to effect change, keep your passion directed. While it’s absolutely critical to communicate purposefully, if it turns into something you wouldn’t show your mother or your lawyer, chances are you’ve gone a bit too far.

The best way to get what you want is to ask for it. The worse is to assume that the other person isn’t willing to give it to you.

P.S. If you were the one who sent me this email, I’d love to hear some other thoughts you have on improving accessibility.

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