In Episode 3 of Discussing Stupid Season 2, host Virgil Carroll, along with Cole Schlotthauer from High Monkey, dives into the topic of content readability. They focus on how overly complex or technical language can turn users away and make it harder for people to understand.

The team discusses common readability mistakes like using too much jargon, confusing sentence structure, and not keeping the audience in mind. Virgil shares examples from government and education where content wasn’t simple enough. They explain why it’s important to know your audience and keep language clear, especially for government websites that need to be at an 8th-grade reading level.

The episode also includes a demo using Readable.com, where Virgil and Cole show how to take a sentence and make sure it is clear and easy to read. This example shows why keeping content simple helps people understand and stay engaged.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have tips to make your content easy to read and understand, reaching a wider audience.

Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com.

LINKS

Tools Mentioned:

Readable.com: https://www.readable.com/

Readable.com Demo Clip:

Watch a clip of Virgil and Cole using Readable.com to enhance content clarity:

https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-3-readablecom-demo/

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In Episode 2 of Discussing Stupid Season 2, host Virgil Carroll, along with Chad and Cole from High Monkey, dives into the topic of page performance and SEO, specifically focusing on how oversized images can slow down your website.

They discuss common mistakes people make with large images—like shrinking images in HTML without optimizing file size—and how these errors can negatively impact both the user experience and SEO rankings. The team shares insights into how to avoid these pitfalls and explores how tools like RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool) can help reduce file sizes without sacrificing image quality.

You'll also hear about the often overlooked balance between mobile and desktop optimization. The team highlights why simply resizing images for mobile isn’t enough and explains how poor image handling can lead to sluggish performance on mobile devices, frustrating users and hurting your site's overall effectiveness.

By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with actionable tips on optimizing images for both performance and SEO, ultimately improving your site’s speed and user experience.

Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com.

LINKS

Tools mentioned:

Riot (Radical Image Optimization Tool): https://riot-optimizer.com/

Riot demo clip from this episode: https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-2-image-optimization-demo

Subscribe for email updates on our website:

https://www.discussingstupid.com/

Watch us on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@discussingstupid

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Soundcloud:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discussing-stupid-a-byte-sized-podcast-on-stupid-ux/id1428145024

https://open.spotify.com/show/0c47grVFmXk1cco63QioHp?si=87dbb37a4ca441c0

https://soundcloud.com/discussing-stupid

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Welcome to the first episode of Discussing Stupid Season 2, where your host Virgil Carroll, along with Chad and Cole from High Monkey, dive into the importance of inclusive design. In this episode, they focus on the often overlooked but crucial aspect of alt text for images.

Virgil, Chad, and Cole discuss the significance of alt text in creating an inclusive digital experience. They emphasize that alt text is not merely about ticking boxes for WCAG or ADA compliance. Instead, it plays a crucial role in enhancing accessibility and inclusivity for individuals who rely on screen readers. The discussion covers the various types of images—decorative, practical, and informative—and offers insights on how to accurately describe them to improve the digital experience for everyone.

The episode also explores the limitations of relying solely on AI to generate alt text, underscoring the importance of human-crafted, meaningful descriptions that can profoundly impact users who depend on assistive technologies. Furthermore, the team shares practical tips on integrating inclusive design practices into your content creation process, ensuring that your digital content is accessible and understandable to all users.

Throughout the episode, you'll gain valuable knowledge on how to implement best practices for alt text and learn why it's essential to consider inclusivity at every stage of your content lifecycle. By the end of the discussion, you'll be equipped with the tools and insights needed to make your digital content more accessible and inclusive.

Join us every two weeks for new episodes, and don’t forget to like, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. For more resources and updates, visit www.discussingstupid.com.

LINKS

Tools mentioned:

Wave: https://wave.webaim.org/

Lighthouse: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/lighthouse/overview/

Alt text examples from the episode: https://www.discussingstupid.com/p/episode-1-alt-text-examples/

Resources from the Web Accessibility Initiative:

Decorative images: https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decorative/

Informative images: https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/informative/

Tips and Trick

Subscribe for email updates on our website:

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