Speaking
Book Nicolas Steenhout for your next event.
Keynotes & Workshops - In-Person or virtual
Most companies have a problem that isn't quite on their radar: Accessible products.
Or rather, they aren't building accessible websites, applications and documents. They don't realize how much of a problem it is for them. And for the up to 25% of their target audience. Because approximately 1 in 4 adults have a disability.
I'm on a mission! I'm here to guide your company make more products that are more accessible. And to do it in such a way that is less painful.
I am not a "motivational speaker", but I will motivate you and your teams.
Speaker reel
Audio-described version of the video.
Video Transcript
Nicolas Steenhout. Speaker/Trainer/Accessibility Expert.
Nicolas Steenhout
Good evening. Let me tell you a story. I help companies large and small build things that are accessible and functional for disabled people. A recent study showed that out of the 1 million top home pages on the web, each page had an average of 57 accessibility defects. Fifty-seven!
Noah Senecal-Junkeer
He's got the perfect mix of professional experience, technical, and lived experience, and I think he's got a great sense of humor, and he's got an unfair advantage because he's got the service dog so. I really enjoyed listening to him speak.
Nicolas Steenhout
What's accessibility? It's the inclusive practice of building websites that are usable by everyone regardless of level of ability or disability. Digital accessibility work is not really about removing steps or making doors wider, but the concept's sort of same. If you have a website that doesn't have image description, someone who's blind and using a screen reader, they won't be able to access the website.
Carie Fisher
Nic's presentation style is dynamic and relatable, making complex topics accessible and interesting. His enthusiasm and passion for creating inclusive digital environments is infectious, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present.
Nicolas Steenhout
What it comes down to is education and awareness building. It's not just the responsibility of the developer, it's the responsibility of people with disabilities and every single other stakeholder in the process.
Joe Dolson
If you're looking for an uncompromisingly honest view on the issues imposed on people with disabilities and the paths available to address them, Nic is an ideal speaker for you.
Nicolas Steenhout
I mentioned transcript and captions and it makes sense. You know, if you can't hear and you have an audio bit and you don't have captions or transcripts, you'll have problem, but it's more than that. Imagine this: there's a wildfire creeping up on your city. You don't know if you have to evacuate or not. All the announcements are either only on the radio or on television with no caption. How scary is that? You don't know if you actually have to leave or not. This is where accessibility is not just important, it's actually life or death. I want you and you and you and you to be the first accessibility champion in your organization. Evangelize for accessibility as if your life depends on it because one day it might.
Book Nicolas today. nicolas-steenhout.com
Booking info
Nicolas Steenhout
nic@nicolas-steenhout.com
nicolas-steenhout.com
Nicolas Steenhout Speaker One Sheet
One sheet [PDF | 760 Kb]Typical presentation takeaways
- Understand why accessibility is so important to your company, to your clients, and to disabled end users.
- Discover why and how to build an internal network of accessibility champions.
- Find out what accessibility-related laws and regulations apply to your company, and how you can become compliant.
- Learn through story telling what positive impact removing barriers can have on disabled end users.
- Identify processes and workflows you can improve to reach a point where accessibility work becomes second nature rather than a major effort.
Some past events
Keynote and presentation topics
Presentations that help your organization and teams understand and implement accessibility.
I can also create a bespoke presentation for your organization.
- Building a network of champions - As long as we treat accessibility as "projects to complete", we're always going to be on the back foot. We build a culture of accessibility by building a network of champion. Once we have a culture of accessibility, it's a bit as if accessibility is part of our organizational DNA. It's just part of what we do.
- The evolution of assistive technologies - Assistive technologies, or tools, devices, and software that help disabled people, often get adopted by the public at large, making all our lives easier. And then get refined for further use by disabled folks. It's a healthy cycle.
- Introduction to digital accessibility - Filled with real life example, this talk introduces the concepts of what is digital accessibility and why it's so important.
- ARIA 101 - An introduction to the Accessible Rich Internet Application standard, and how to use it to improve accessibility.
Speaker bio
Nic Steenhout has been an accessibility trainer and troubleshooter for over 25 years. He’s worked on three continents, collaborating with various organizations, from local governments to large corporations, focusing on web accessibility and digital inclusion. Known for his pragmatic, down-to-Earth approach, Nic helps his clients navigate complex accessibility challenges. When he is not off on a birdwatching adventure, you can find him speaking at events or leading workshops.
Testimonials
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Really great talk that left me mildly horrified about my own sites as I could immediately think of examples where I had been unknowingly doing things wrong. Nic brought many things to my attention that I had not thought of before and moving forward I feel this session will improve my coding and accessibility practices dramatically.
Crysta McKenney -
Excellent talk! Really opened my eyes to how many different ways people with disabilities navigate the web and what we can do to improve upon their experiences.
Michael Sullivan -
Nic broadened my understanding of what it means for something have a “barrier.” Accessibility matters to a lot more people and in a lot more ways than I had previously realized. He provided plenty of examples of what to do about it, as well as further avenues for investigation.
Vesna Vuynovich Kovach
